Genoa have announced that Andrea Mandorlini will be the team’s new manager. News comes after the sacking of Ivan Juric following the 5-0 embarrassing defeat against Serie A’s bottom team Pescara.
Pescara had only previously won a single game this season. With this loss Genoa slipped to 16th in the table. While they are still 11 points clear of relegation, recent poor form (the team hasn’t won since December 15th) and the terrible result against Pescara sealed Juric’s fate.
Juric, a former Genoa player and Croatian international, had made a reasonable start as manager of the Rossoblu since taking the job in June of last year. The first part of the season had seen Genoa earn points against the likes of Fiorentina, Milan or Juventus. Recent form was however another matter, with the team losing seven of their last nine games.
Mandorlini’s last managerial job was at Verona in 2015. He was sacked from that job, but had previously enjoyed some success, guiding the team to promotions from the third tier of Italian Football to Serie A. He has also held managerial positions at Atalanta, Sassuolo and CFR Cluj (Romania). As a player he had his best period while at Inter Milan, playing as a defender.
The official club statement reads: “Genoa Cricket and Football Club announces that it has entrusted the technical management of the first team to coach Andrea Mandorlini. The new coach has signed a contract expiring in June 2018.”
Mandorlini will also be in charge of mending relations with Genoa’s supporters. Following the 5-0 defeat on Sunday, angry fans tried to meet the team at the airport to confront the players. Fans, however, generally spared Juric from their anger.
While the poor form isn’t enough to suggest Genoa will be battling relegation, the club will surely wish to return to the type of performances that had seen them earn surprising victories over Milian and Juventus earlier in the season.
