Working in the UAE: Italy settle on their coach after Guardiola's refusal

Andrea Pirlo, coach of UAE side United, is now very close to leading the Italian national team in the coming period.

The newspaper "La Gazzetta dello Sport" reported that Paolo Maldini and Leonardo turned their attention directly to Pirlo after Pep Guardiola declined to coach the Azzurri.

The Italian federation want a younger coach, one who leans towards modern football and stays open to advice and guidance. That preference pushed Pirlo ahead of Antonio Conte and Mancini.

Some have accused Pirlo of lacking the strong personality needed to manage the dressing room, especially as the Italian national team's dressing room is far from an easy one.

Maldini and Leonardo will take on that side of things. Malagò, president of the Italian Olympic Committee, has handed them a large part of the decisions relating to the national team's future, and they stand ready to impose their authority on anyone who might challenge Pirlo.

Talks with Pirlo have reached advanced stages, according to the reports. The coach is desperate to join a project of a revolutionary nature the moment he is chosen to lead Italy.

Everyone at the Italian Football Federation is preparing for a weekend full of work. The federal council meets next Tuesday, and although it does not officially take part in the selection process, since the statute only provides for "consulting" it, that could be the right moment for the official announcement.

Pirlo is expected to sign a contract running until the 2030 World Cup, though Maldini envisages a long-term project. It would start with rebuilding Italian football from the age groups between 12 and 13, a process that could take between 8 and 10 years to complete.

Financially, estimates suggest Mancini would have agreed to a salary of two million euros per year. Pirlo's salary is not expected to exceed 1.5 million euros per season.

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