UK: 18+ USA: 21+ | Begambleaware.org | T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly
Serie A club Salernitana have rehired Davide Nicola as their Head Coach just days after sacking him. The reappointment comes after Nicola issued an emotional plea to Salernitana President Danilo Iervolino.
The Serie A club sacked Nicola following the club’s 8-2 thrashing against Atalanta at the weekend, a result that leaves them 16th in the table. The Italian outfit have won just four of their 18 Serie A matches this season, drawing six and losing eight.
Despite the poor form, they are still nine points above the relegation zone and seemingly safe enough from any immediate danger.
Benitez interested in Serie A job
Iervolino confirmed the sacking was necessary after the humiliating defeat, and noted that several managers had immediately shown an interest in the vacant managerial position.
Such managers included former Liverpool and Everton boss Rafa Benitez, but Salernitana’s president has now confirmed his lifeline to Nicola.
“I felt compelled to change things after the Atalanta defeat,” said Iervolino, as per LiveScore. “In that instance, you can only do one thing: review the project and change the coach.
“Despite what has been written, we found many other interested coaches. There are many coaches, hundreds across the globe, who have offered themselves to Salernitana.
“But [Nicola] and I communicated through [Sporting Director Morgan] De Sanctis, who spoke highly of him. Nicola wanted to get straight back to work. He admitted to his mistakes and how much he loves this city.”
Emotional plea works for Serie A boss
While Nicola hasn’t had the best of times in the Salernitana dugout this season, his heroics last time out may just have persuaded Iervolino to give him another chance.
The club somehow managed to avoid relegation in the 2021/22 campaign, finishing with the lowest points tally in Serie A history with 31.
But they pulled off the impossible thanks to a stunning run towards the end of the season, going seven matches unbeaten. They won four of those seven games, drawing the other three.
Importantly, Nicola was the man in charge to orchestrate it all. He took over in February with the club sitting rock bottom of Serie A with three wins from their 23 matches.
Talks had reportedly been held with Benitez and former Parma and Sampdoria boss Roberto D’Aversa, but Nicola has once again been trusted with the role.
His plea to the club president has clearly pulled on the right heartstrings, with the head coach now back in the dugout for the next game.
“If you don’t lose someone, you never know how much you will miss them,” added Iervolino. “His words struck me. I would have missed him. I thought about it a lot, knowing we had replacements, but this was for the good of Salernitana.
“Now he has another chance with us. With this commitment, he can carry the team forward and make sure we don’t again suffer the type of discomfort like on Sunday afternoon [against Atalanta].”
Unfortunately for Nicola, however, the next game is a Serie A meeting with league leaders Napoli, who have lost just one match all season and are storming their way to the league title.
⏱ 𝙵𝚄𝙻𝙻 𝚃𝙸𝙼𝙴
𝗔𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮 – 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝟴 – 𝟮#AtalantaSalernitana #macteanimo #forzagranata #uss1919#IPronosticiCheNonVorraiPerderti #adv pic.twitter.com/VeDs8iAIpF— US Salernitana 1919 (@OfficialUSS1919) January 15, 2023
Subscribe to Punditfeed on Google News for all the latest updates from the world of sports!