Pirlo Shows Interest in Italian Job

Retired Italian footballer Andrea Pirlo revealed Tuesday he would love to be involved in the national team’s coaching staff, declaring “the blue shirt has always been a second skin”.

The 38-year-old former Juventus and AC Milan star said he would like to follow many of his contemporaries into coaching, AFP wrote.

“We talked about it recently with Carlo (Ancelotti),” he said after receiving the Facchetti Prize awarded annually to a football personality. “We talked about the possibility of coaching together, but right now I’m still young and there’s time to think about it.”

Pirlo, who played the final two years of his career with MLS outfit New York City, retired last November after winning the 2006 World Cup, two Champions League titles and six Serie A trophies.

But the 116-times capped midfielder has yet to decide what to do in his post-playing career, with his farewell testimonial later this month at the San Siro in Milan on May 21.

“I’ll speak with (Italian FA sub-commissioner Alessandro) Costacurta because he’s a friend,” said Pirlo. I see him often, if there’s a way to work together then great but we’ll decide over time.”

Ancelotti, Pirlo’s former coach at AC Milan, last week turned down the offer to take over as Italy coach.

Roberto Mancini is now the frontrunner to take the job which has been vacant since the four-time world champion failed to qualify for the World Cup last November. Pirlo described Ancelotti as his “second father” and said, “He was a special person who taught us so much on a human level, so I just want to thank him for that”.