AC Milan legend & former boss Gennaro Gattuso has been named as Napoli head coach after the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti. The legendary Italian manager was dismissed following the win over Genk, which was their first win in 10 matches.
According to sources in Italy, Gattuso has joined on a provisional six-month deal with an option of a further 12 months. He arrived in Naples last evening & also took his first training session. Gattuso who worked closely with Carlo during his playing days in Milan said, “Carlo Ancelotti is like a father to me. He’s always been close to me and supported me. He’s won it all and I still have a lot to prove.” Despite the sacking, Ancelotti still remains one of the most successful managers in history with three champions league titles to his name. Not to mention the caliber of clubs he has managed in AC Milan, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich & Chelsea. Two premier league clubs with vacant managerial positions, Arsenal & Everton have now been alerted by his sudden availability.
After looking at Ancelotti’s reign at Napoli, not many would call it a failure. He finished second in the league in his first season in charge. Missed out narrowly to the round of 16 after a difficult tiebreaker with the eventual champions Liverpool. In his second season, the club has now successfully reached the knockout stages although they are not currently in the champions leagues places in the league. And the recent winless run seemed to have forced the club’s decision to relieve him of his duties.
It will be a tough task for Gattuso to fill in the shoes of the veteran tactician. But he seems confident of getting the club through this difficult period. He added, “We need to work hard, win back points and come through this tricky period. The aim is to recoup points and get back into the Champions League positions.” Napoli faces Parma in their next game & are currently seventh in the Serie A.
