Pros and cons of Italy missing the 2018 FIFA World Cup 

And so it has happened. The four-time World Cup winners have failed to even qualify for the event that comes next year. Gian Piero Ventura failed to lead his side to the World Cup – which will be the nation’s first miss since 1958.

The fans want his head on a pike – in a figure of speech sort of way (or maybe really, who knows?) – and are looking at an abyss from which there seems to be no return. It is only natural – after all, a World Cup without Italy is a very weird one as they are the second most successful team in the tournament, joined with Germany with four World Cups titles.

But that is history; the reality of the present is that the Azzurri are not going to the World Cup in Russia next year. Things will have to take a new direction for the supposed giants of Europe as the only way from here is up.

Despite the fact that everything feels gloomy for Italy fans, here is a mixture of the pros and cons of Italy not being in the World Cup...

#5 Con: One less fierce competitor

There is a reason why Italy have won the World Cup four times in their history – they are no muck in the greatest tournament the game of football has to offer. Indeed, along with Brazil and Germany, one could never count out the Italians – no matter how weak the team is.

For instance, Antonio Conte’s Italy were far weaker than what Ventura had in his hand. Indeed, that team had the likes of Marco Parolo, Emanuele Giaccherini and Alessandro Florenzi in midfield along with mediocre players like Eder and Graziano Pelle in attack.

And yet, they only just failed to reach the semis of the Euro 2016, losing to Germany on penalties in the quarter-final. However, with their exclusion, the World Cup has one less competitor who could actually provide a fight against the giants of the game.

As a result, the World Cup 2018 will have...

#4 Con: Viewership will take a hit

The Italian national team has fans all around the world

The World Cup is the grandest tournament in the world. People who don’t generally watch football stay glued in front of their television to get a glimpse of the beautiful game. Even the elder ones stop watching daily soaps for a day and focus on the game instead.

This is why the World Cup attracts viewers like none other. While a lot of Arabian teams might have been able to qualify for the World Cup – a grand total of four – the lack of Italy in the World Cup finals will definitely hurt the tournament in terms of viewers.

I remember the time when Arab kids in the United Arab Emirates wore Italy shirts whilst the World Cup was in progress – such is the fan base for the Azzurri. However, with their absence in next year’s World Cup, the viewer count might take a hit – something which is never good for a tournament as big as the World Cup.

#3 Pro and Con: Time to rethink

Italy's next shot-stopper

This is basically the point that bridges the pros and cons of Italy's predicament. Italy are not going to the World Cup next year – that is certain – and, hence, it is time to rethink their strategy. The thing is, unlike after 2010 – where they had an ageing team which needed a complete overhaul – this Italian team has some great players in their roster and it won’t be much of a difficulty to overcome this slump.

While the likes of Buffon, De Rossi and Giorgio Chiellini have announced their international retirement, the future can be built on the likes of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marco Verratti and Andrea Belotti. The player pool in Italy guarantees that the void left by the players that are departing could be filled with a careful approach.

In short, the future won’t get lost in the ashes of the past if the proper strategy is implied, which is why...

#2 Pro: Only way is upwards

Chiellini and Buffon have announced their retirement from the international team

It would be safe to claim that this is the lowest point in the history of Italian football along with the quagmire of 1958. This was supposed to be the last World Cup for Gigi Buffon – a farewell of sorts – but he was denied the opportunity mainly due to the limitations of Gian Piero Ventura.

Similarly, the likes of Giorgio Chiellini and Daniele De Rossi also deserved a proper last hurrah with the Azzurri but they were just in the same boat as their captain. With the morale of the team at an all-time low and the fans lost in the realms of despair, the only way from here is upwards.

The Italy national team are at the bottom and can’t go any further south even if they tried. However, what is gone is gone and what lies ahead is what matters. The next international tournament after the World Cup for them is the Euro 2020 – and the rage of failing to qualify for the World Cup might as well spark them into doing something wonderful and do well in the Euros.

#1 Pro: Carlo Ancelotti and the Italian Job

Ancelotti is the right man to lead Italy

With the horrendous managerial decisions of Gian Piero Ventura playing the most significant role in Italy’s demise, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Italian FA relieving the coach of his duties – and that is what they should do.

The former Torino manager is similar to David Moyes – both had stability with mid-table clubs in their respective leagues but were way out of their depth when managing a group of better players. As a result, they both failed when given the big chance.

And now, the axe should be brought down on him before more damage is done – especially with a more able replacement currently available: Carlo Ancelotti.

The former Real Madrid manager is currently out of work and has reached that stage in his life where the slow-going job of the national team might be appealing to him. Although it would be interesting to see whether the former Milan boss would be willing to live the slower life of being a national team boss, having him manage a group of talented players is something that has always reaped rewards.

Ancelotti is a manager who doesn’t do much – and yet gets the best out of his player – which is why the Italian job would be the perfect one for him.