"Italians do it better" – Madonna wore this iconic T-shirt in 1986, a phrase that has made history. Indeed, if we consider the recent European championships, there was a real Italian invasion on the national team benches. Montella, with his Turkish team, went the furthest of all. Then there was Rossi, who found success in Hungary, and Calzona, with Slovakia, who showed he had what it takes to be a head coach despite a rough patch with Napoli. Speaking of national team coaches, on the other side of the world, with a substantial salary, is Roberto Mancini, who manages the Saudi Arabian national team. Closer to home, Michele Marcolini, a former player for Bari and Chievo, coaches the Maltese national team. Finally, Paolo Nicolato coaches Latvia, and Stefano Cusin coaches the Comoros.
Italians also excel in club football: in the UEFA Super Cup, it will be a clash between two Italians. Facing Gasperini is "King" Carlo Ancelotti, a record holder in the Champions League and one of the most decorated coaches in football history. But it's not just the old guard making waves: De Zerbi is comfortably among the most interesting new generation of coaches. The former Sassuolo and Benevento coach will manage Marseille in the upcoming season. Gattuso's unique choice sees him taking charge of Hajduk Split in Croatia, his third international stint after Valencia and Marseille. Cristiano Bergodi has truly made a lifestyle choice of staying away from home, coaching in Romania almost continuously for twenty years.
Sure, one might say, Romania is close by. But try talking to Giovanni Solinas, who has become the coach of Al Merrikh in Sudan...
The Leagues return: Bundesliga and Ligue 1 ready to deliver excitement
23 Nov - 12:09 •
1' min
