Massimiliano Allegri plays down Italy links as he keeps focus on Milan's top-four hopes

[p]Gennaro Gattuso left the Italy job on Friday after his side's ‌World Cup playoff loss to Bosnia on penalties - a third ‌straight missed qualification for the four-times champions, with federation (FIGC) chief Gabriele Gravina also stepping down.[/p][p]There were plenty of questions regarding Italy's ‌failure and Allegri's own future at the press conference ahead of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/ac-milan-8Sa8HInO/napoli-69Dxbc61/?mid=b9eMZVoI"]Monday's Serie A game[/a] at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/napoli/69Dxbc61/"]Napoli[/a].[/p][p]"[b]As an Italian, I'm very sorry about the failure ‌to qualify, but we must take it ⁠as an opportunity for growth ‌and have a strategic vision for the next 10 years[/b]," Allegri said.[/p][p]"Making ​judgements and saying what should be done... I believe that there are the competent bodies that must meet and ​examine the rules, from the grassroots activity to the first team."[/p][p]Allegri made his return to the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ac-milan/8Sa8HInO/"]Milan[/a] bench last year, having ⁠won the Scudetto in ​his previous spell, and in his first season back his side are second in the standings, six points behind [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter/Iw7eKK25/"]Inter Milan[/a] and one ahead of Napoli.[/p][image alt="Top of Serie A" id="9f2260d0-4aaa-42a9-b1b8-08c0cd4eec92" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="3b1ee918-a12d-4c1f-a5ff-1f5c6e6ec705" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]The 58-year-old, who won five league titles at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/juventus/C06aJvIB/"]‌Juventus[/a], was asked if he would rule out coaching Italy, now or in the future.[/p][p]"[b]I started a journey last year with Milan, now we have to be focused on finishing the season well and reaching the Champions League[/b]," Allegri said.[/p][p]"[b]I haven't thought about it yet. I'm fine at Milan and I hope to stay at Milan for a long time[/b].[/p][p]"It's been a few years since I have taken part in the Champions League, if we ‌were to qualify and I were still Milan's coach, I'd ​have to get used to it again."[/p][p]Allegri was questioned as ‌to why he had used the conditional when speaking about his Milan future.[/p][p]"[b]Life is unpredictable, you never know what can happen[/b]," Allegri said with a smile. "First, let's try to arrive in Champions, and then we'll see."[/p][p]The top four qualify for ⁠the Champions League and Milan ⁠have a nine-point cushion ‌over fifth-placed Juventus with eight games remaining.[/p]