Saturday, July 15, 2006

Roberto Donadoni Replaces Marcello Lippi as Coach of Azzurri

The ANNOTICO Report

The choice of Roberto Donadoni is curious, in that Donadoni has had only a half season of coaching in Series A, and has exhibited problematic temperament in coaching positions with Lecco, Genoa, and Livorno.

The Azzurri by passed their Under 21 Coach, Claudio Gentile.

It is difficult to access how the current  Soccer scandal may have influenced the selection, and caused a number of the seasoned coaches of perennial Italian powerhouses to also be by passed.

However, to Donadoni's credit, he was rumored to have become the coach at  powerhouse Juventus before it  faced relegation.

Our Gratitude and Respect to Marcello Lippi for his Achievement, and the Poised, Refined, Likeable Image he projected.

Our Welcome, and BEST Wishes for  Donadoni. Lippi leaves BIG shoes to fill !!!!!

 

ITALY BET ON YOUNG COACH

Reuters 

The Star  

 Saturday July 15, 2006

ROBERTO DONADONI 

DATE OF BIRTH: Sept 9, 1963
PLACE OF BIRTH: Cisano Bergamasco (Italy)
CAPS: 63 (4 goals)


ACHIEVEMENTS

·  Started his career with Atalanta Bergamo in 1982;

·  Transferred to Milan in 1986, becoming mainstay of team that won five Serie A titles (1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996); and three European Cups (1989, 1990, 1994);

·  Played for national team in the 1990 and 1994 World Cups, helping Italy to third and second place finishes respectively;

·  Pioneer of Major League Soccer, he played two seasons for the New York-New Jersey MetroStars. Ended his playing career at the age of 37 in the United Arab Emirates in 1999;

·  ·  Coached Livorno in 2005-2006 season but resigned midway through the season. 

MILAN: World Cup winners Italy have decided to bet on youth by appointing former AC Milan midfielder Roberto Donadoni as their coach to replace Marcello Lippi. 

Lippi quit on Wednesday saying he had come to the end of my role after winning the World Cup in Germany last week. 

Donadoni, who resigned as Livorno coach midway through last season, is highly rated but has limited coaching experience in Serie A and filling Lippi's shoes will be an enormous challenge. 

Under Lippi's stewardship, Italy, on a 25-game unbeaten streak, beat France on penalties in the World Cup final in Berlin after putting out hosts Germany in the semi-finals. 

Donadoni, who played 63 times for his country, will also have to contend with the fallout from the trial into Italy's biggest match-fixing scandal with the verdict expected soon. 

I am happy and excited, the former AC Milan star told reporters yesterday. 

Asked whether he was concerned about walking in Lippi's footsteps, Donadoni said: Lippi has done an extraordinary job, but I can't begin by thinking about the difficulties involved. My job is to coach and I am totally committed. 

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) chose the former Livorno coach, who ended his playing career in the United States with the New York-New Jersey Metrostars, ahead of current Under-21 team boss Claudio Gentile. 

We decided to bet on a youngster who could become truly great, Demetrio Albertini, the FIGC's vice-commissioner said. 

Donadoni was part of the Italy squad in the 1990 World Cup they hosted, missing a penalty in the semi-final defeat by Argentina. Four years later he was in the Azzurri  team which lost in the final to Brazil on penalties. 

The Bergamo-born coach began his playing career with his local club Atalanta before joining AC Milan in 1986 and he was a key component of the European and domestic successes enjoyed by the club under the guidance of Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello. 

With Milan he won five Serie A league titles and three European Cups before deciding, at the age of 33, to play for the Metrostars in Major League Soccer. 

He returned to Milan in 1997 for two seasons before ending his career at the age of 37 in the United Arab Emirates with Al-Ittihad.        

Donadoni began his coaching career in 2001 with Lecco in the Third Division Serie C but quit the club midway through his debut season after a dispute before rejoining to save them from relegation near the end of the season. 

The following season he took Livorno to 10th place in Serie B and then he moved to Genoa for a brief spell before rejoining Livorno for the 2004-05 season. 

Donadoni took Livorno to a highly creditable ninth place but the following campaign, with the Tuscan club flying high in an unprecedented sixth place, he left after a row with the club president. 

The coach was linked with a possible move to Juventus before the club, who face relegation if found guilty in the match-fixing trial, opted for Frenchman Didier Deschamps.  Reuters 

 

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