Soccer: Italy aim to start new era with Di Biagio

(ANSA) - Rome, March 22 - Italy are aiming to make a fresh start under caretaker coach Gigi Di Biagio when they take on Argentina in Manchester on Friday and England at Wembley on Monday.
    But the pain of the Azzurri's failure to qualify for the World Cup in Russia is still being felt acutely.
    "The failure to qualify for the World Cup will stay as a stain on our careers," said forward Ciro Immobile ahead of the friendlies.
    "It'll be even harder in June when we see that Italy are not in Russia.
    "We're really sorry, especially those of us who did not have a good World Cup in Brazil (in 2014).
    "It could have been our chance to bounce back". Italy Under 21 coach Di Biagio was put in charge of the senior national team on an interim basis after Gian Piero Ventura was sacked last year over the Azzurri's failure to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1958.
    But he is aiming to do well in the friendlies to strengthen his claim to get the job permanently.
    Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) Deputy Commissioner Alessandro Costacurta said earlier this month the next Italy coach will either be Antonio Conte, Roberto Mancini or Di Biagio.
    Former AC Milan, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich coach Carlo Ancelotti has also been linked to the job.