Luigi Simoni

Luigi "Gigi" Simoni (born January 22, 1939) is an Italian football manager and former player, currently in office with Lucchese of Serie C1, and former player.

Biography

Luigi Simoni was born at Crevalcore (Emilia-Romagna).

A good footballer, who played for Mantova, SSC Napoli, Torino, Juventus, Brescia and Genoa, Simoni started his successful managing career with Genoa itself, in season 1974/1975. The next year, he was able to bring the "rossoblu" back to Serie A.

After a long series of promotions, with Pisa, Brescia and Cremonese among them, and good results with outsider teams (Cremonese again, and Napoli), Simoni was called by Massimo Moratti to coach Internazionale of Milan in 1997. With a good-shape Ronaldo on his side, Simoni won a UEFA Cup and gained a controversial second place in the Serie A division when Internazionale lost against Bari.

Simoni was fired by Internazionale on November 30, 1998, even though being still appreciated and well-remember by the team fans.

After a few other experiences, included a brief disappointing one in Bulgaria with CSKA Sofia, Gigi Simoni has led Ancona Calcio to Serie A in 2003, but has surprisingly been fired before the start of the new season. His Serie A comeback, in 2004, with Siena, was not particularly good, as he was again fired during the season. In late 2005, Simoni accepted an offer of Serie C team Lucchese, in order to make an attempt to bring the Tuscan team back to Serie B.

ee also

* List of UEFA Cup winning managers

References