Malagò can’t even get his tie right anymore

Had Carlo Tavecchio or Gabriele Gravina been in Giovanni Malagò’s place, the reaction would not have stopped at Minister Abodi’s quip. A storm would have descended upon them that would have made the one unleashed during the Opti Pobà ‘banana’ affair pale in comparison. Malagò has, admittedly, had a few splashes of mud thrown at him. Yet, in his first 35 days as federation president, he has done more damage than hail to the already battered image of Italian football. He started off with Tavecchio’s gaffes and Gravina’s outdated ideas. Yet whilst they ended up riddled with holes, he – after taking a massive detour only to return to the idea he’d had in mind from the start – managed to deflect everything off his armour. His proverbial luck deserted him for a few days, but in the end it returned to the fray to protect him, because having severed ties with Maldini and Leonardo before the season even began could prove to be an unprecedented stroke of luck. Sooner or later he would have come to a head-on clash with Maldini’s inflexibility; better to defuse the bomb straight away, one that would have exploded at the first (inevitable) defeats with Pirlo on the bench. It was painful, but it’s better that it happened straight away. Because we know full well that the ‘shared vision’ trumpeted a week ago at the Lega Calcio offices would have been short-lived. In fact, it went no further than Pirlo’s rejection. So Malagò was able to revert to his original plan, paying no heed to those who had spoken of a ‘moral issue’ regarding Mancio as well.

In less than forty days, however, the new federation president has played all the cards at his disposal. He now knows he can no longer afford to make mistakes. Serie A, which backed him in the election, did not take kindly to the choice of Mancini over Conte. It supported him all the same, but has made a note of it. It will not allow him any more rash decisions. Public opinion has forgiven him because his Olympic successes are still fresh in people’s minds, but it won’t be so forgiving next time, because football has a habit of burning through the best without showing any patience. The ‘Save Italy’ initiative proposed by Maldini and Leonardo has already met the same fate as the famous ‘Baggio Dossier’. But the new trio in charge – MaMaRa – knows full well that football cannot stop at the national team; there must be a plan to overhaul the system, to nurture young players and youth academies, and to start teaching football in a certain way again – less tactical and more technical. In his first spell as manager, Mancini proved he knows how to work with young players and won’t shy away from uncharted territory if he spots an opportunity (think of Retegui). Ranieri may not come across as a revolutionary, but he isn’t as old-fashioned as one might think from looking at his ID card.

Of course, a week ago, we had Guardiola, Maldini and Leonardo. Today we’re back to two names that were already in vogue with Gabriele Gravina. Who, even before Donnarumma, sent a WhatsApp message of approval to his successor. We need to send a clear signal of a break with the past as a matter of urgency, demonstrating well before 8–10 years’ time that we genuinely want to rebuild the organisation from the ground up. Malagò knows he can no longer afford to get even the colour of his tie wrong. Although he’s never got that wrong since the day of his First Communion.