Roberto Donadoni
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 9 September 1963 | ||
| Place of birth | Cisano Bergamasco, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Parma (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1981–1982 | Atalanta | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1982–1986 | Atalanta | 96 | (5) |
| 1986–1996 | Milan | 261 | (18) |
| 1996–1997 | MetroStars | 49 | (6) |
| 1997–1999 | Milan | 24 | (0) |
| 1999–2000 | Ittihad | 15 | (0) |
| Total | 445 | (29) | |
| National team | |||
| 1984–1986 | Italy U-21 | 13 | (1) |
| 1986–1996 | Italy | 63 | (5) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2001–2002 | Lecco | ||
| 2002–2003 | Livorno | ||
| 2003 | Genoa | ||
| 2004–2006 | Livorno | ||
| 2006–2008 | Italy | ||
| 2009 | Napoli | ||
| 2010–2011 | Cagliari | ||
| 2012– | Parma | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Roberto Donadoni (Italian pronunciation: [roˈbɛrto donaˈdoni]; born 9 September 1963) is an Italian football manager and former midfielder, who is currently in charge of Serie A club Parma.
An attacking midfielder or winger known for pace and technique, he was a pillar of the powerhouse AC Milan teams of the late 1980s and early 1990s and one of the pioneers of Major League Soccer, where he played two seasons for the NY/NJ MetroStars.
This was followed by a spell as head coach of the Italian national team, succeeding Marcello Lippi, who resigned after having won the 2006 FIFA World Cup. At the Euro 2008 campaign, with Donadoni as coach, Italy reached the quarter-finals of the tournament, losing against Spain. On 26 June 2008, Donadoni was subsequently dismissed despite having signed a contract extension prior to the beginning of Euro 2008, using a clause in the contract which allowed termination if Italy did not reach the semi-final. He was replaced by Marcello Lippi who returned as national team manager.
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Career [edit]
Playing career [edit]
Donadoni started his career with Atalanta in 1982. He transferred to AC Milan in 1986 and became a mainstay in the team. Usually playing a right midfield role, Donadoni was a vital cog in a team that won five Serie A titles, three European Cups, three European Super Cups, and two Intercontinental Cups.
He came close to being one of a handful of players to ever die on-field, during the 1989–90 European Cup campaign. Donadoni had his life saved only through the quick-thinking of the opposing team's (Red Star Belgrade) physiotherapist, who broke his jaw to make a passage for oxygen to reach his lungs after he had suffered a bad foul and lay unconscious.
A member of the Italian national team, he played in the 1990 and 1994 FIFA World Cups, helping Italy to third and second place finishes respectively. Unfortunately, he missed one of the penalties in the shoot-out in 1990, in the fateful semi-final against Argentina.
The MetroStars of Major League Soccer made him a centerpiece of their franchise when they signed him in 1996. While with the Metros, he was recalled to the Italian national team. He came back to the MLS, but in the league's first two formative years. He proved a solid performer, being named to the league Best XI in 1996. Unfortunately, Donadoni's play could not bring the MetroStars any success as a club.
He went back to Milan after the 1997 MLS season, and promptly helped them to another Serie A title, his sixth. He ended his career by playing for a short time with Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia.
Donadoni scored 18 goals for Milan and six for the MetroStars. He scored five goals for Italy in 63 caps.
Managerial career [edit]
After retiring as a player, Donadoni trained to become a coach. His first job was as Lecco and he made his debut on 12 August 2001 in the Coppa Italia Lega Pro.[1] This was followed by jobs with Livorno (2002–03) and Genoa (2003). In 2005, he returned to head Livorno in mid-season. After leading them to a surprising ninth-place finish and having the club in sixth place midway through the 2005–06 season, Donadoni resigned over criticism from club chairman Aldo Spinelli.
On July 2006, following the resignation of Marcello Lippi immediately after the Italian national team won the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Donadoni was named as new Italian head coach, his first task being to successfully lead the fresh World Champions through qualification for Euro 2008.
On 16 August, Donadoni made his debut as head coach for the Italian national team in a friendly match against Croatia played at Stadio Armando Picchi, Livorno which did not feature any of the 23 World Champions, excepting third goalkeeper Marco Amelia, and ended in a 2–0 defeat.
Path to Euro 2008 [edit]
Donadoni's "real" debut came in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifiers; Donadoni took solace in the fact that Lippi's first match in charge of the Azzurri resulted in defeat to Iceland in a friendly match. Despite this, the Italian media did not express this comfort after the following two matches were deemed as negative results: a home 1–1 draw with Lithuania, followed by a 3–1 defeat against France.
Italian newspaper La Nazione's front page featured "How to reduce Lippi's masterwork to pieces in just three weeks,"[2] requesting the return of former coach Marcello Lippi. However, despite all the critics, Donadoni led Italy to five wins in a row to Georgia (3–1), Ukraine (2–0) and Scotland (2–0), the former being controversial for his omission of star Alessandro Del Piero from the squad.[3] One of the main criticisms addressed by the media towards Donadoni was his alleged lack of pressure in persuading Francesco Totti to play again for the Azzurri. Following a question regarding a possible call-up for the AS Roma star, Donadoni jokingly claimed not to know him.[4]
Italy qualified for Euro 2008 after a successful campaign, topping the group ahead of France, in spite of the shaky start. They defeated Scotland 2–1 in Glasgow to confirm their qualification.
Euro 2008 campaign [edit]
On 9 June 2008, Donadoni was handed the biggest defeat for Italy's national team in over 25 years by former Milan team-mate Marco van Basten: a 3–0 loss to the Netherlands. The Italian captain and winner of the Ballon d'Or, Fabio Cannavaro, was unable to play due to injury. Donadoni was widely criticised for his choice of players for that match. His team drew the subsequent match with Romania on 13 June, despite some controversial officiating which saw a goal called back in each of these games creating intense criticism of the officials. The team beat France 2–0 on 17 June to progress to the quarter-finals against a much-fancied Spanish team. The two teams played out a 0–0 draw, Italy being the only team to hold eventual Euro Cup winners Spain scoreless in regular time. However, the Spaniards won 4–2 on penalties. On 26 June 2008, he was sacked as the Italian coach after the Italian Football Federation terminated his contract because of the Azzuri's disappointing performance in the Euro 2008.[5]
The Italian Football Federation later replaced Donadoni and re-appointed Marcello Lippi as coach.
Napoli [edit]
On 10 March 2009, Napoli officially announced to have sacked veteran head coach Edoardo Reja after five years at the helm of the team, and also confirming to have appointed Donadoni as his replacement.[6] His first match in charge against Reggina ended in a 1–1 draw.
After a 2–1 loss to Roma on 6 October 2009 he was relieved of his duties as Napoli manager and replaced by former Sampdoria coach, Walter Mazzarri.[7]
Cagliari [edit]
On 16 November 2010 it was revealed Donadoni would take over as head coach of Serie A relegation battlers Cagliari, replacing dismissed boss Pierpaolo Bisoli.[8][9] Reached the guide of the Cagliari, Donadoni immediately gets, with his new team, two victories: on 21 November to Brescia (1–2 final result) and on 28 November against the Lecce (3–2 at the end of the match).
On 12 August 2011, two weeks before the new season kick-off, he was surprisingly sacked by chairman Massimo Cellino.[10] Italian press sources cited divergencies between Donadoni and Cellino regarding the sale of Alessandro Matri to Juventus and the affair involving David Suazo, who first joined the pre-season training camp only to be asked to leave days later.[11]
He was in talks with Iran Pro League side, Persepolis in December 2011.
Parma [edit]
On 9 January 2012, Donadoni was unveiled as head coach of Serie A club Parma, replacing Franco Colomba.[12] When he arrived at the club, the situation in the league table was critical for Parma, being close to the relegation zone. With him managing the team the results improved immediately. The Parma team managed to make its own record – seven wins in a row in the Serie A, which the Crusaders have never made before. At the end of the season Parma ended eighth in the table with equal points as the 7th – Roma. His initial deal ran until 2013, but this was extended by two years in October 2012. It was the longest deal that president Tommaso Ghirardi had signed with a head coach.[13]
Managerial career [edit]
- As of 12 May 2013.
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Lecco |  |
June 2001 | June 2002 | 25 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 36.00 |
| Livorno | |
June 2002 | June 2003 | 41 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 34.15 |
| Genoa | |
June 2003 | August 2003 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 16.67 |
| Livorno | |
January 2005 | February 2006 | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 36.96 |
| Italy | |
13 July 2006 | 26 June 2008 | 23 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 56.52 |
| Napoli | |
10 March 2009 | 16 October 2009 | 19 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 26.32 |
| Cagliari | |
16 November 2010 | 12 August 2011 | 27 | 10 | 4 | 13 | 37.04 |
| Parma | |
9 January 2012 | Present | 59 | 22 | 17 | 20 | 37.29 |
| Total | 246 | 91 | 70 | 85 | 36.99 | |||
References [edit]
- ^ "Lazio-Parma: numbers and curiosity". 30 November 2012.
- ^ Beleaguered Donadoni to turn to Totti
- ^ (Italian)
- ^ Goal.com – Italy – Totti Who? – Donadoni
- ^ "Donadoni axed as Italy boss". Sky Sports. 26 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- ^ "Roberto Donadoni nuovo tecnico azzurro". SSC Napoli. 10 March 2009. Retrieved 10 March 2009. (Italian)
- ^ "È Walter Mazzarri il nuovo allenatore" (in Italian). SSC Napoli. 6 October 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
- ^ "Comunicato Stampa" (in Italian). Cagliari Calcio. 15 November 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
- ^ "Cagliari, esonerato Bisoli Cellino ingaggia Donadoni" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 16 November 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
- ^ "Comunicato della Società". Cagliari Calcio (in Italian). 12 August 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
- ^ "Rottura con Cellino Esonerato Donadoni". La Repubblica (in Italian). 12 August 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
- ^ "Benvenuto mister Donadoni". Parma F.C. (in Italian). 9 January 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
- ^ "Donadoni e il Parma, avanti insieme con entusiasmo". FCParma.com (in Italian) (Parma F.C.). 24 October 2012.
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- 1963 births
- Living people
- 1990 FIFA World Cup players
- 1994 FIFA World Cup players
- A.C. Milan players
- Ittihad FC players
- A.S. Livorno Calcio managers
- Atalanta B.C. players
- Calcio Lecco 1912 managers
- Expatriate soccer players in the United States
- Association football midfielders
- Association football wingers
- Genoa C.F.C. managers
- S.S.C. Napoli managers
- Cagliari Calcio managers
- Parma F.C. managers
- Italian expatriate footballers
- Italian expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- Italian footballers
- Italian football managers
- Italy international footballers
- Italy national football team managers
- New York Red Bulls players
- People from the Province of Bergamo
- Serie A managers
- Serie A footballers
- UEFA Euro 1988 players
- UEFA Euro 1996 players
- UEFA Euro 2008 managers
- Major League Soccer All-Stars
- Major League Soccer players
