Antonio Conte... shock decision to quit Juventus in pre-season.

As Italy are still getting to grips with the harsh reality of having been knocked out from the group stages of two consecutive World Cup editions for the first time, last week it was Antonio Conte’s turn to drop a potentially bigger bombshell on Serie A football, and Juventus, in particular.

On July 15, Juve’s second day of the pre-season training, the news was spread that Conte had parted company with the club by mutual consent.

The decision in itself was not surprising as the coach had been lamenting Juve’s impasse on the transfer market since last season.

Conte’s main argument was that with the current squad Juve had at best they could only hope to win the scudetto but nothing else.

The huge gulf in quality between Italian teams and the elite in Europe is synthesised in one Conte famous declaration: “Well, you cannot go to eat at a €100 restaurant with just €10 euro in your pocket, can you?”

However, the timing of Conte’s decision to step down is peculiar to say the least.

Only last May, a few days after leading the Bianconeri to a third straight league title, Conte had declined Juve’s offer to extend his contract by two years and instead decided to honour his last year of the deal.

Two months down the line and Conte made a u-turn on his future in Turin. The reasoning behind the change might have been Juve’s reluctance to spend big on the transfer market, thus failing once again to bridge the gap with Europe’s major contenders.

Last week, speculation was rife that Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal – Juve’s two star midfield players – could be involved in big-money moves to Chelsea and Manchester United respectively... thus justifying Conte’s decision to quit.

Meanwhile, one should not forget that next month the new bosses at the Italian football federation (FIGC) will have to select a suitable successor to Cesare Prandelli as Azzurri coach.

Conte is said to be among the front-runners for the post. Before quitting Juve, it was also rumoured that he might get the Italy job on a part-time basis.

If Conte were to succeed Prandelli, he would face an uphill struggle in transforming a mediocre side into a formidable outfit to challenge for Euro 2016

However, many consider Conte, 45 next week, as still young to take over the national team.

Others say he could be an ideal coach to start laying the foundations of a new-look Italy side on a long-term trajectory.

Joachim Loew embarked on a similar project with Germany after the 2006 World Cup and the results were outstanding.

Personally, I think the position of a national team coach is perhaps more suitable to a mature coach, someone with great experience at club level.

Carlo Ancelotti would have fitted the bill nicely but you won’t imagine Real Madrid releasing him from his contract at the moment.

Besides, Conte has made no bones of his ambition to become the seventh man to win the Champions League both as coach and player.

He won the European Cup while playing for Juventus in 1995/96. As coach of the Bianconeri, Conte could never become king of Europe by his own admission.

In similar vein, if Conte were to succeed Prandelli, he would face an uphill struggle in transforming a mediocre side into a formidable outfit to challenge for the European Championship in less than two years’ time.

Also, the national team job is less financially rewarding than what coaches earn at top clubs.

As things stand at present, in the absence of a favourable offer from an ambitious club with a strong financial muscle, one expects Conte to take some time out of the game.

Life without Conte will be difficult for Juventus because he was an added value for the side. He transformed the team’s fortunes after taking over from Luigi Del Neri in 2011.

In view of next season, one expects Juve, now under the tutelage of Massimiliano Allegri, to start favourites for the scudetto, albeit Roma and Napoli might sense that they stand a much better chance to topple the Turin giants than when Conte was around.