[FM15] Italia - Forza Azzurri

Former Juventus manager Antonio Conte has been unveiled as the new manager of the Italian national team, signing a 2 year deal through to the 2016 European Championship.

The 45 year old succeeds Cesare Prandelli, who resigned last month after Italy's early exit from the World Cup. The move hasn't surprised many, with Conte seeming the obvious choice after he resigned from his club role at Juventus. He enjoyed great success with the Turin-based team, winning 3 Serie A titles to go along with his promotions at Bari and Siena. His win ratio of 72.8% is the highest of any Juventus manager since 1971.



The Italian Football Federation have said that in addition to his salary, Conte will receive bonuses for European Championship qualification, rising 5 places in the FIFA rankings, and/or making the finals of the 2016 tournament.

The qualification begins in September, hosting Norway in Udine, and Italy will be confident of moving on from a poor showing in Brazil and rebuilding under Conte.

Rumours of international retirement have been quashed, with experienced pair Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon, left and right above respectively, confirming that they will be carrying on for Gli Azzurri until at least the 2016 European Championships. Pirlo, 35, and Buffon, 36, are also the vice captain and captain respectively and have reprised those roles in the aftermath of the World Cup.

New manager Antonio Conte is thought to be part of the motivation behind the stay, with Pirlo and Buffon playing under him for 3 seasons at Juventus. A number of Juve players are regulars in the national team, including Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Claudio Marchisio, and Conte is held in respect not only at the club, but across the league.

In other Italy news, it is thought that Conte has contacted veteran strikers Antonio Di Natale and Francesco Totti about a return to the international scene. Both reportedly turned down the offers, casting doubts over Conte's faith in the current crop of younger strikers including Ciro Immobile, Mattia Destro and Pablo Dani Osvaldo.

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New Italy manager Antonio Conte has a reputation for being a discplinarian, with many tales told of his time at Juventus and Siena. No player is safe from his wrath, once blowing up at Juve legend Gianluigi Buffon - the Italian captain - after the goalkeeper cheekily told him to wait for him to finish a conversation. Earlier, when in charge of Serie B side Siena, the 45 year old cancelled the squad's Christmas break in place of a brutal training camp as punishment for a late year loss. However, despite this harsh treatment, Conte remains highly respected amongst his players, a testament to the goods he delivers.

Conte's methods could come as a wake-up call to the international careers of some players within the squad, including, amongst others, Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli. The highly skilled 24 year old has struggled with discipline issues in the past, and Conte is a manager guaranteed to not tolerate any misdemeanours.


Other players who in the past have had question marks raised over their professionalism include Alessio Cerci, Antonio Cassano and Pablo Dani Osvaldo. Any discipline issues should be quashed fairly quickly by new manager Antonio Conte.