- Serie A 2007-08
2007-08 events
*Atalanta: on June 9, 2007
Luigi Del Neri was announced as new head coach followingStefano Colantuono 's departure to Palermo.
*Cagliari: on November 13 Cagliari chairmanMassimo Cellino sackedMarco Giampaolo and replaced him with veteran coachNedo Sonetti , who already served twice with the "rossoblu" before this new appointment. On December 19 Sonetti tendered his resignation, after he managed to achieve only one point in three matches in charge, and Cellino called Giampaolo to serve again as "rossoblu" head coach.cite news |title=Sonetti si è dimesso|url=http://www.cagliaricalcio.net/news/notizia.asp?idNotizia=4824&type=0&id_menu=1 |publisher=Cagliari Calcio |date=2007-12-19 |accessdate=2007-12-19 |language=Italian ] However, Giampaolo, still linked to Cagliari by a contract, turned down the opportunity to return. [cite news|url=http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/dec19j.html|publisher=Football Italia|accessdate=2007-12-19|date=2007-12-19 |title=Giampaolo rejects Cagliari call] The next day, the club announced that it had rejected Sonetti's resignation. [cite news|url=http://www.cagliaricalcio.net/news/notizia.asp?idNotizia=4828&type=0&id_menu=1|publisher=Cagliari Calcio|language=Italian|title=Respinte le dimissioni di Sonetti|date=2007-12-20 |accessdate=2007-12-20] Sonetti was ultimately sacked only a few days later, on December 27, following a crushing 5–1 loss to Fiorentina, and replaced byDavide Ballardini , who served as Cagliari head coach in the early weeks of the 2005–06 season.
*Catania: on June 3, 2007Silvio Baldini was announced as new head coach. The team initially enjoyed a good shape, notably gaining a spot in theCoppa Italia semi-finals, but lost position with time, being in 16th place as of Week 31, only three points ahead of last-placed Empoli, convincing Baldini to leave the club with mutual consent on March 31, 2008. He was replaced the next day byWalter Zenga , former head coach ofRed Star Belgrade andSteaua Bucharest , at his first coaching experience with a Serie A team.
*Empoli: on November 26, 2007 the Tuscan side chose to sackLuigi Cagni , who achieved only ten points in fourteen matches (18th place in the league table) and failed to win theUEFA Cup 2007-08 first round, replacing him withAlberto Malesani . OnMarch 31 ,2008 , after a 2–0 home loss to Sampdoria which left Empoli alone in last place, the board decided to sack Malesani, reinstalling Cagni in charge.
*Juventus: on June 4, 2007 former Parma head coachClaudio Ranieri was unveiled as new boss.
*Livorno: onOctober 9 ,2007 Fernando Orsi was sacked following a string of poor results that brought the team down to bottom place in the league with two points and no win after seven games. The position was then filled byGiancarlo Camolese the next day. Camolese initially managed to improve Livorno's performances; however in the final part of the season Livorno entered into a deep result crisis that led them down to the league bottom, with three matches remaining, and Camolese being ultimately sacked onApril 28 ,2008 , with Orsi re-appointed back at the helm of the "amaranto".
*Palermo: on June 7, 2007Stefano Colantuono of Atalanta was announced to be the next "rosanero" boss for the 2007-08 season. However, onNovember 26 Colantuono was sacked following a 5–0 defeat to Juventus, and club chairmanMaurizio Zamparini appointedFrancesco Guidolin as his replacement, inaugurating a fourth spell with Palermo for the tactician. However, results did not improve under Guidolin, and three consecutive losses, followed by some controversial post-match comments in a 2–3 home loss to Genoa onMarch 22 ,2008 led Zamparini to re-appoint Colantuono at the helm of the "rosanero" on March 24.
*Parma: on June 12, 2007Domenico Di Carlo was announced as new boss following the departure ofClaudio Ranieri . However, as Parma struggled to keep themselves off the relegation battle, Di Carlo was sacked onMarch 10 ,2008 following a 1–2 home defeat to Sampdoria. The next day the club announced to have appointedHéctor Cúper as new head coach. The Argentine boss did not manage to improve results, with Parma finding themselves in 18th place with only one remaining match to be played at home against first-placed Internazionale, only two points behind the last Serie A spot. OnMay 12 Parma chairmanTommaso Ghirardi then surprisingly announced to have sacked Cúper, replacing him with youth team coachAndrea Manzo for the final league matchday in a desperate attempt to escape relegation.
*Reggina: on June 23, 2007 news reports announcedMassimo Ficcadenti as new boss following the departure ofWalter Mazzarri . [cite web |url=http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/jun23n.html |publisher=Football Italia |title=Reggina appoint Ficcadenti |accessdate=2007-06-24 |date =2007-06-23 |format= |work= ] However, on June 27 Verona announced they were not giving Ficcadenti permission to leave the club and move to Reggina. [cite web |url=http://www.hellasverona.it/news.php?id=5422 |publisher=Hellas Verona FC |title=Hellas Verona Football Club smentisce di essere alla ricerca di un nuovo allenatore |accessdate=2007-06-27 |date =2007-06-27 |language=Italian] [cite web |url=http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/jun27r.html |publisher=Football Italia |title=Reggina coach poached! |accessdate=2007-06-27 |date =2007-06-27 ] On July 1, Reggina finally announced on their website to have appointed Ficcadenti as coach, after he successfully rescinded his contract with Verona. Ficcadenti was however sacked on November 1, following a 3–1 home loss to last-placed Livorno and no wins in the first ten league days, and veteran coachRenzo Ulivieri was appointed to replace him. However, onMarch 3 ,2008 the club management decided to dismiss Ulivieri from his post following a 0–0 home draw to Palermo, as Reggina was filling the 19th place with 22 points, and replaced him with team scout and former youth team coachNevio Orlandi .
*Sampdoria: on May 31, 2007Walter Mazzarri was named new Samp boss.
*Siena: on June 12, 2007Andrea Mandorlini was confirmed new head coach following separation by mutual consent between the club and its bossMario Beretta . [cite news |title=Beretta ends Siena spell |url=http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/jun7n.html |publisher=Football Italia |date=2007-06-07 |accessdate=2007-06-07 ] However Mandorlini was sacked on November 12, after a 2–3 home loss to Livorno which left the team in last place, and Beretta accepted to return at Siena.
*Torino: on June 6, 2007 former Sampdoria bossWalter Novellino was announced head coach for the new season, replacingGianni De Biasi . OnApril 16 ,2008 , following a string of disappointing results that left the "granata" only four points ahead the relegation zone, leading to heavy criticisms from the supporting fanbase, Torino presidentUrbano Cairo chose to sack Novellino and reappoint De Biasi, a fan favourite, as head coach.
*Udinese: on June 5, 2007 former Catania bossPasquale Marino was officially unveiled as new head coach.Footnotes
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