Former Italian international players namely Demetrio Albertini and Alessandro Costacurta have weighed in on who should replace embattled Gianpiero Ventura as national team manager.

Ventura has been heavily criticised after Italy failed to qualify for next year’s World Cup in Russia under his watch. The Azzurris have found themselves in this position for the first time in 60 years (since the 1958 FIFA World Cup).

When asked about the issue, Demetrio Albertini told reporters that: ” To choose an Italian national team coach isn’t easy since he will always be put into discussion. I think Italy need a coach who has a lot of international experience, someone like Carlo Ancelotti. It will be up to the president to choose, let’s see how things evolve in the coming days. Serie A? I like the Serie A this season, Inter are playing well, Roma and Napoli are solid but Juve are still the team to beat for me.”

Costacurta then added : ” I know Ancelotti and Conte well, both would be great choices. I think we have to change the mentality a bit, I wouldn’t mind seeing a coach who would be the Italian interim coach and who would also be a club coach as well…”