Italian coach Francesco Calzona has confirmed that official talks have begun for him to take over as head coach of the Türkiye national team. The 57-year-old, put forward as a candidate following Vincenzo Montella's dismissal, said managing Türkiye after Slovakia would be a privilege.
Calzona stated, "Of course, if it is this Türkiye national team, it would be a great honour for me." the coach has been in contact with the Turkish Football Federation through intermediaries.
CALZONA'S CAREER
Francesco Calzona, who worked as an assistant under Maurizio Sarri, Eusebio Di Francesco and Luciano Spalletti, took charge of the Slovakia national team in 2022. There, he recorded 19 wins, 8 draws and 13 losses in 40 matches, guiding the team to UEFA Euro 2024 and the round of 16. Calzona, who also took over as Napoli head coach in February 2024, has a contract with Slovakia running until 2026.
Türkiye, under Montella, lost their last four UEFA Nations League matches. That run continued with a 3-1 defeat to Italy on 5 October. The team's recent form reads zero wins from their last four outings (0-0-4). The national team's next fixture is a home match against Belgium on 12 November.
Shakhtar Donetsk manager Arda Turan has stated that the national team job is not currently on his agenda. The Turkish Football Federation is continuing its search for a new coach with Calzona, and an official announcement is awaited. Calzona's existing contract with Slovakia expires in 2026.
This story first appeared at A Haber
