Chelsea Manager Antonio Conte is Italy's No.1 Choice, Says Italy Federation Boss

Italian Football Federation president Carlo Tavecchio has hinted Antonio Conte is the No.1 choice to take over the coaching post vacated by Giampiero Ventura. Italy sacked Ventura after the Azzurri failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1958. Conte managed Italy before he took on the Chelsea job and has been consistently linked with a return to his home country.

Italy are on the hunt for their next manager after the axe fell on Ventura and Tavecchio suggested Conte was the ideal man to take charge. ‘[Massimiliano] Allegri, [Roberto] Mancini, [Carlo] Ancelotti… I say getting warmer,’ Tavecchio told Gazzetta Dello Sport.

‘And Conte? Fire.’ Conte managed to get the best our of an aging Italy squad at last summer’s European Championships, but Ventura could not repeat the trick to achieve World Cup qualification. Chelsea fans will not be happy to hear Conte linked with a return to Italy after a difficult start to the Blues’ title defence.

Chelsea sit in third place in the Premier League, nine points behind leaders Manchester City and there have been rumblings of discontent behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge. Conte has admitted in the past he misses Italy and expects to return home soon.

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