Soccer: Tavecchio hopes Conte will stay

(ANSA) - Baku, October 9 - Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) President Carlo Tavecchio appealed to respected Italy coach Antonio Conte Friday to continue managing the national team after his contract expires next year despite persistent reports he is being made lucrative offers by top clubs.
    "I hope that Conti will stay on beyond 2016," Tavecchio said.
    Tavecchio acknowledged that Conte, 46, formerly coach of Juventus of Turin and a former Juventus and national Italy team player, is free to decide his own future. "We are in a free country and everyone makes his own choices".
    Conte reportedly is being wooed by top clubs AC Milan and AS Roma.
    Tavecchio made his remarks on the eve of Italy's match with Azerbaijan, indicating that Conte's future will be at the top of the agenda after the match.
    "We have to clinch the qualification so as not to have problems on Tuesday with Norway," he said.
    Conte signed a two-year contract with the FIGC on August 14, 2014, following the resignation of Cesare Prandelli as head coach of the national team.
    Among successes he has notched up was Italy's 2-0 defeat of Norway in Oslo September 9, 2014, in their opening 2016 European Qualifying match. It was the first time Italy defeated the Norwegians in Norway since 1937.
    Italy lost only one match out of ten under Conte though he sparked controversy by calling up Brazilian-born Eder and Argentine-born Franco Vazquez for the team.
    Both have Italian nationality and Italian relatives but some commentators said all national players should be born in Italy.