PHOTO: AFP
Former Manchester City and Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini has been given the job of reviving the fortunes of Italy's national team, the Italian football federation (FIGC) confirmed on Monday.
Italy have been without a permanent coach since Gian Piero Ventura was sacked after the four-time world champions failed to qualify for this summer's World Cup for the first time in 60 years after losing a playoff to Sweden last November.
The 53-year-old's task will be to rebuild the national side and to qualify for the 2020 European championship.
Italian FA commissioner Roberto Fabbricini said Mancini has been chosen because he "had a great desire to sit on the Italy bench and he proved it in a concrete way".
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"It went the way we wanted, we are happy and Roberto is happy," Mancini told journalists after the contract was signed in Rome.
"Tomorrow will be the official presentation at Coverciano, it will be the formalisation of a long-standing discussion.
"We'll explain everything about the contract tomorrow, hes very happy and so are we."
Mancini arrived in Rome on Monday morning after leaving Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg at the weekend.
He will hold his first press conference on Tuesday at 12:00 (1000GMT) at the national team's training centre at Coverciano near Florence.
Mancini led Manchester City to their first English league title in 44 years in 2012, and won three Serie A titles with Inter Milan. He also won Italian Cups with Inter, Fiorentina and Lazio.
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