Leonardo Bonucci has called for a major reset within the Italy national football team, suggesting Pep Guardiola as the ideal figure to lead it.
Italy are searching for a new head coach after Gennaro Gattuso stepped down following their failure to qualify for a third straight World Cup.
“If we want a radical change in the national team, I’d say the right man for the job is Pep Guardiola,” Bonucci said.
“It’s very difficult, but dreaming costs nothing.”
Italy manager search after World Cup failure
Gabriele Gravina resigned as president of the Italian Football Federation amid mounting pressure, while Gianluigi Buffon also stepped down from his role within the national team setup.
A new president is set to be elected in June, with the direction of the national side still uncertain.
Meanwhile, Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri are among the leading candidates to take over the team.
Bonucci calls for rebuild of Italy
Guardiola, currently in charge of Manchester City, is under contract until 2027.
The 55-year-old has previously spoken about wanting to manage a national team before the end of his career, though any move in the near future would be difficult.
His record at club level includes spells with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, with multiple league titles and three Champions League wins.
Bonucci, who was part of Italy’s Euro 2021-winning side, said the focus must go beyond the next appointment.
“We need to have the courage to face up to what’s happening so that we can regain the respect of the whole world,” he said.
“The important thing is to rebuild Italian football, starting from the ground up, starting with the defence.
“Italy needs time and a partnership between politics and football so that both can move in the same direction.
“There are young players with a lot of talent; we need to nurture them and let them develop, and start afresh. The only magic formula is time.”
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