Former Italy captain Giuseppe Bergomi has expressed his belief that Jose Mourinho would be the ideal candidate to take over as national team coach.
The Azzurri sacked former boss Gian Piero Ventura yesterday following the team's failure to qualify for next summer's World Cup in Russia - the first time they have missed out on the competition since 1958.
Bergomi, who spent his entire club career at Inter Milan where Mourinho won the treble in 2010, called for a complete overhaul of the Italian football structure and is confident that the Manchester United boss will be able to deliver success back to the country.
"Italian football needs a deep reconstruction. I ask myself if we are still a great football power or not," Bergomi told Tutti Convocati de Radio 24.
"In terms of the coach, I think Mourinho would be the correct choice. He might seem like someone who provokes, but some would say the same about Roberto Mancini.
"In the short term the best thing to do would be to pick an important coach, who can take on two roles."
Bergomi won 81 caps for Italy and helped them to World Cup glory in 1982 - one of four times they have won the biggest prize in football.
