Tuesday 19 July 2016 17:09, UK
Giampiero Ventura has been named the new manager of Italy following the departure of Antonio Conte and has been given a two-year contract.
The 68-year-old Ventura has coached a long list of clubs in Italy and left Torino at the end of last season after a five-year spell in charge.
His first game in his new post will be a friendly against Euro 2016 finalists France in Bari on 1 September and he will then undertake the task of ensuring Italy qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Italy are in qualifying group G alongside Albania, Israel, Macedonia, Liechtenstein and Spain, who they recently defeated at Euro 2016.
The Azzurri enjoyed a decent tournament in France under new Chelsea head coach Conte, beating the Spaniards in the round-of-16 before losing on penalties to Germany.
Ventura met the media on Tuesday at Italy's national training complex at Coverciano and said: "I'm absolutely delighted to be here, but more than anything proud to have been chosen to lead one of the world's leading national football teams.
"I also want to thank Antonio Conte, because he's left me not just a squad but a squad with a great work ethic and that is going to help me.
"It will give me a small advantage when I begin because, being the national team coach, I know I won't have the team with me every day."
Italian Football Federation president Carlo Tavecchio added: "I want to thank Antonio Conte for everything he's done for us.
"He created a new culture in the squad, one of sacrifice. One based on the team, not the individual.
"I knew Conte would leave, it was to be expected, but Ventura is a football master, and was always part of my plans."
As well as Torino, Ventura has coached , among others, Sampdoria, Lecce, Cagliari, Venezia, Pisa, Bari, Verona, Messina, Udinese and Spezia.
However, apart from one season at Napoli, he has not worked at any of the biggest clubs, and has spent parts of his career in the lower divisions.
But Ventura has a reputation as a good motivator who helps young players develop and earned respect for his work at Torino, who he led out of Serie B and to several respectable finishes in the middle and upper half of Serie A.
"If you are not the coach of one of the big five teams (Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Napoli and AS Roma), then it is almost impossible to win the title," he said.
"In terms of winning the Champions League, I haven't done that, but I have had other victories in my career, such as the young players I have helped develop and reach the national team."
