Tottenham boss, Antonio Conte, has said he’s been left ‘saddened’ by Italy’s World Cup qualifying failure.
Conte, however, insists Italy coach Robert Mancini should stay in charge.
He said, “My feeling was the same as the whole country. It was really, really bad, my feeling, because for the second time in a row to lose, not participate in the most important tournament of football is very, very difficult to accept for us and it was a great disappointment.
“It was also a surprise because to become European champions this summer and then to miss the next world Cup is a bit strange. A bit strange. But it happened and in this moment there is great frustration in Italy.
“The whole country is very sad because we missed an important tournament. Football in Italy is everything for us. We live with football, we eat football, we breathe football and for this reason to miss the chance to play the World Cup was a great disappointment but we know very well football is very strange.
“In the summer you celebrate and you win and then now you have to try to build again and to start again. I think honestly that was good to give consistency in this project with the coach, Roberto Mancini because in my opinion he is doing a good job.
“It’s the same for the president ad I think that it is good to give consistency and not after a failure to change because I think they are doing a good job and I hope in the future to continue to work in this way and to avoid this situation because I have seen many, many children crying because it was sad. It was sad, yes.”
