Italy sacked coach Giampiero Ventura after the four-time champions failed to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1958. The Azzurri lost a play-off with Sweden 1-0 on aggregate to spell the end of 69-year-old Ventura's 17-month tenure. Ventura said his record was “one of the best of the last 40 years”. “I lost only two games in two years,” he told Italian television show Le Iene before the Italian Football Federation fired him on Wednesday. Ventura replaced Antonio Conte in June 2016, and was described as a “master of football” by Italian football federation president Carlo Tavecchio. Claudio Ranieri, Maurizio Sarri, Carlo Ancelotti, Massimiliano Allegri, Antonio Conte, Carlo Tavecchio, Roberto Mancini, Luigi di Biagio are the other contenders speculated to take over the job. (Video credit: Perform)
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