If Jose Mourinho doesn’t get the Portugal job this summer he may have an outside chance at Italy.
The Benfica coach is on shaky ground amid a trophyless season back in the Primeira Liga, but that hasn’t damaged his reputation in Italy.
After Gennaro Gattuso stepped down as Italy coach following another failure to qualify for the World Cup, leading outlet Corriere dello Sport launched a poll on who should be next.
Mourinho, who won the European treble with Inter in 2010, topped it with 26%.
Euro 2016 finalist Antonio Conte was second on 23%, then Max Allegri on 21% and in fourth Euro 2020 winner Roberto Mancini on 12%. All other coaches totalled 17% of the vote.
Meanwhile, Sport Mediaset ran their own poll with a narrower field.
Giving four options, not including Mourinho, Allegri was top on a massive 39%, with Conte on 28% and Simone Inzaghi on 21%.
Again, though, Mancini was down on 12% despite his trophy-winning prowess with the national team.
As for what’s really likely, Gazzetta dello Sport, don’t see Allegri as an option due to his hefty contract.
They rate Mancini, currently at Al Sadd, and Napoli’s Conte as far more likely, with Pep Guardiola an outside ambition.
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