5 reasons why Italy would be right to sack Gian Piero Ventura

#4 Shifting the blame

Ventura has blamed his players on more than one occasion

Several successful coaches have unstable relationships with their players, and several more have committed blunders at various points in their careers. What sets Gian Piero Ventura apart, however, is his refusal to accept responsibility for his mistakes.

In the past few months, Ventura has blamed new factors after every game to explain his side's dwindling form. From expressing shock at Sweden's physicality to blaming foreign players for the lack of development of homegrown talent in Italy, Ventura has always found reasons to explain his team's shortcomings.

Although he has apologised, the manager is yet to criticise himself. The former Torino coach has committed several errors this season, obviously influencing the team's performance. After an underwhelming performance against group minnows Macedonia with whom Italy drew 1-1, Ventura remarked, "I think a lack of fitness levels made a big difference and when that drops, the sharpness goes, so we could not develop anything more. In football, when you don't propose anything in attack for an entire half, it can well be that you concede."

The Italian players may also be at fault for their recent difficulties, but Ventura's refusal to accept the blame has resulted in a loss of support from his players as well as the Italian people.