Andrea Pirlo "Bitter" As FIGC Moves On Due to Russian Betting Links

XtraTime Newsdesk: Former Italy playmaker Andrea Pirlo, who was favoured for the national coaching position, voiced his displeasure on Monday with the discussion that resulted in him no longer being a contender. To the amazement of many Italian fans, the 47-year-old had emerged as the frontrunner to be charged with turning around the national team's fortunes after they failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row. He had benefited from Spanish legend Pep Guardiola refusing the offer.

Despite the latest setback, Giovanni Malago, head of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), stated later on Monday that the new coach will be selected "soon".

Pirlo had a tremendous playing career, including being a major component of the 2006 World Cup-winning team, but his coaching record is lacking in success.

A deal with a Russian betting corporation had only fuelled concerns, with some Italian lawmakers claiming over the weekend that his appointment would be unacceptable.

"(I) learned yesterday evening that I am no longer a candidate to be coach of the national side," Pirlo wrote in a post on Instagram, adding that he felt the need to "clarify certain points".

According to Italian media, he was set to be appointed this week, despite the fact that his sole prize triumph since transitioning to coaching in 2020 has been the Italian Cup.

He is currently the coach of Dubai United in the United Arab Emirates, however he failed to produce when in charge of Juventus, where he excelled as a player, Sampdoria, and Turkish club Karagumruk.

Pirlo stated in his essay that he was upset about being evaluated not on his athletic achievements, but on the larger problem of his ties to Russia.

In May, he and teammate 2006 World Cup champion Marco Materazzi signed autographs at a betting business event in Moscow's Luzhniki stadium.

"I have followed with great bitterness the debate surrounding my candidacy," he wrote, whilst thanking Italy's technical director and former AC Milan teammate Paolo Maldini and his advisor Leonardo for their "esteem and confidence (in him)". 

"I regret that a decision which is based on sporting criteria rapidly became a public controversy, in which intentions and ideas which do not reflect my personality were attributed to me."

According to Italian media, while Leonardo and Maldini chose Pirlo over the prickly but substantially more successful Antonio Conte, newly-installed federation president Malago was opposed to the nomination from the beginning.

Conte, who has won the Serie A championship with three separate teams and the Premier League with Chelsea, is back in the running to coach the Euro 2020 champions, according to la Gazzetta dello Sport.

Conte, who turns 57 on Friday, previously led Italy from 2014 to 2016, leading the team to the Euro 2016 quarterfinals, where they lost to Germany on penalties.

Maldini is reportedly threatening to leave after only three weeks on the job if Conte or another former national coach, Roberto Mancini, who led them to Euro 2020 glory, is chosen.

The former AC Milan and Italy legend's chosen coach is Brazilian-born former Italy international Thiago Motta, who has previously managed Bologna and Juventus, among other clubs.