Giuseppe Sannino has been appointed as Watford’s new head coach, succeeding Gianfranco Zola following his resignation.
Sannino, 56, has a wealth of experience in his home country of Italy, most recently managed Chievo Verona.
A former midfielder who turned out for nine lower league clubs between 1975 and 1988, Sannino has also managed Palermo (twice) and Siena in the Italian Serie ‘A’.
His managerial career began in 1996 with Oltrepo and Sannino has since managed 12 further clubs in 17 years, staying at Varese for the longest period.
After spells coaching youth sides at Vogherese, Pavia, Monza and Como, Sannino took his first step into management with a professional club in 1998, taking over at Serie C2 side Biellese.
Sacked after a disappointing season, Sannino proved a point the following year when he guided Serie ‘D’ side Sudtirol to the title and place in Serie C2, whereupon he kept them up.
Disappointing spells with Meda, Varese and Consenza sandwiched a sixth-place finish in Serie C2 with Sangiovannese.
In 2005, Sannino took Lecco into Serie C1 before enjoying a further three promotions, the first taking Pergorcrema into Serie C1, before overseeing Varese’s rise to Serie ‘B’ with back-to-back promotions before defeat in the Play-Offs for a Sere ‘A’ berth.
With a burgeoning reputation in the lower leagues, Serie ‘A’ side Siena took a gamble on Sannino in 2011, appointing him as Juventus-bound Antonio Conte’s replacement.
Tipped for relegation, the Tuscan outfit stayed up under Sannino before reaching the final of the 2011/12 Coppa Italia, where they were beaten by Napoli.
A move to Palermo beckoned, but only three matches into a two-year contract Sannino was dismissed by the infamously impatient Maurizio Zamparini.
He returned later in the season (coach’s in Italy are not fired but place on gardening leave and therefore often return), but despite an improved showing, was sacked following the Sicilian’s relegation to Serie ‘B’.
This summer took Sannino took Chievo Verona, but on November 11 he was sacked after just one win in 12 Serie ‘A’ games, that coming against Pozzo-owned Udinese, ironically.
Sannino takes over first-team affairs immediately and will be assisted by Francesco Troise, Giovanni Cusatis and Paolo De Toffol.
Contract length has not been disclosed.
Benvenuti a Watford, Giuseppe!
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