Delio Rossi

Last updated

Delio Rossi
Delio Rossi.jpg
Rossi with Lazio
Personal information
Date of birth (1960-01-26) 26 January 1960 (age 65) [1]
Place of birth Rimini, Italy
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Foggia (head coach)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1978–1980 Forlimpopoli 54 (2)
1980–1981 Cattolica 29 (3)
1981–1987 Foggia 127 (3)
1987–1988 Vis Pesaro 22 (0)
1988–1989 Fidelis Andria 15 (0)
Total247(8)
Managerial career
1990–1991 Torremaggiore
1991–1993 Foggia (youth team)
1993–1995 Salernitana
1995–1996 Foggia
1996–1997 Pescara
1997–1999 Salernitana
1999–2000 Genoa
2000 Pescara
2001 Pescara
2002–2004 Lecce
2004–2005 Atalanta
2005–2009 Lazio
2009–2011 Palermo
2011 Palermo
2011–2012 Fiorentina
2012–2013 Sampdoria
2015 Bologna
2017–2018 Levski Sofia
2019 Palermo
2020 Ascoli
2023 Foggia
2025– Foggia
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Delio Rossi (born 26 January 1960) is an Italian football manager and former footballer who played as a midfielder. He is the head coach of Serie C Group C club Foggia.

Contents

Playing career

Rossi was born in Rimini. His playing career was not a bright one, as he reached his top from 1981 to 1983, playing in the Serie B with Foggia, where he spent most of his footballing time. He retired in 1989, after a season played with Fidelis Andria of Serie C2.

Managerial career

Early years and Serie A debut with Salernitana

Rossi, a sports science graduate with honours, took his first coaching job in 1990, aged 29, at Torremaggiore, of the Promozione league, immediately winning the championship. The following year, he joined Foggia as youth coach. In 1993, Rossi signed for Salernitana of Serie C1, and led the team to a Serie B promotion. After an unlucky comeback to Foggia, and a sixth place in Pescara, Rossi returned to coach Salernitana in 1997, leading the team to its second Serie A promotion in history. Rossi guided the team in Serie A as well, but was fired in March 1999, as he was unable to lead Salernitana out of the relegation zone.

Minor teams in Serie A and Serie B

A troubled year in Genoa and a poor comeback to Pescara were followed by three seasons with Lecce. Rossi, appointed as Lecce's coach in February 2002, was unable to avoid relegation to Serie B, but led the team back to Serie A the following season and maintained a place in the division the following year. He left Lecce in 2004 to be replaced by his maestro Zděnek Zeman, who was head coach at Foggia during Rossi's time in leading its youth team.

In December 2004, Rossi replaced Andrea Mandorlini at the helm of Atalanta, last-placed in Serie A. Despite all his efforts and numerous praises, Rossi was unable to help his team escape relegation.

Lazio

Despite not saving Atalanta, his efforts at the helm of the Dea club gained interest from Lazio, who appointed him as a replacement for Giuseppe Papadopulo.

His time at Lazio was a remarkable success, for which he attracted interest from many top Serie A clubs. Rossi guided Lazio to a surprising UEFA Cup place in the 2005–2006 season, only for the place to be lost as part of the Calciopoli scandal that rocked the country in the summer of 2006. Even more remarkable, however, was Rossi's feat the following season. Despite an initial 11-point deduction (which was subsequently reduced to 3 on appeal), Rossi guided the biancocelesti to an unlikely third-place Serie A finish and a place in the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League. However, during the 2007–08 season, he led Lazio to a disappointing 12th-place finish.

On 13 May 2009, Rossi led Lazio to their first trophy since the Coppa Italia triumph in 2004. It was also a Coppa Italia victory, which came after a successful penalty shootout against Sampdoria. On 8 June 2009, Delio Rossi was announced to have left Lazio because of personal reasons allegedly linked to an unstable working relationship with chairman Claudio Lotito. He was replaced by Davide Ballardini.

Palermo

On 23 November 2009, Rossi returned into management as new head coach of Palermo, replacing Walter Zenga at the helm of the rosanero. [2] He immediately managed to turn the fortunes of Palermo, guiding the Sicilians to quickly rise up the Serie A league table also thanks to surprise results such as two 2–0 away win against teams such as AC Milan and Juventus, and ending the season in fifth place with only one point behind fourth-placed Sampdoria who were admitted to the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round at the rosanero's expense. He was consequently confirmed as head coach of Palermo for the 2010–11 season, during which he also guided the club in its 2010–11 UEFA Europa League campaign. Impressive results in the new season included another remarkable win at Juventus' home, as well as his ability to launch youngsters such as Javier Pastore, Ezequiel Muñoz, Josip Iličić, and Armin Bačinović.

Rossi was sacked on 28 February 2011 by club president Maurizio Zamparini following a record 0–7 home loss to Udinese; he was replaced by Serse Cosmi. [3] However, Rossi returned at Palermo only four weeks later, after Cosmi's Palermo side was soundly defeated by Catania in the Sicilian derby later on 3 April. [4] Following a surprising comeback, he led the club to the Coppa Italia final which Palermo lost 3–1 to Internazionale. During the pre-season, on 1 June 2011, Rossi resigned as Palermo manager by mutual consent with president Zamparini.

Fiorentina

On 7 November 2011, Rossi returned to management as the new head coach of Serie A club Fiorentina, replacing Siniša Mihajlović, dismissed because of poor results. Rossi's debut match as Fiorentina boss ended in a 0–0 home draw against incumbent champions Milan. Afterwards, Fiorentina lost 2–0 to Delio's former club Palermo. He later beat Empoli 2–1 in the Coppa Italia. In the following weeks, he put Fiorentina up to 10th place in Serie A after they beat Roma 3–0. The following games, however, saw Fiorentina drop down the table to 17th place at some point, and thus were involved in the fight to escape relegation.

Rossi's time with Fiorentina came to a shocking end. On 2 May 2012, during a home game against 19th-placed Novara, Rossi decided to substitute Serbian striker Adem Ljajić in the 32nd minute with Fiorentina losing 0–2. The player sarcastically applauded the substitution as he left the pitch and further gave the coach a sarcastic thumbs up from the dugout, to which Rossi reacted by physically assaulting Ljajić, pushing the youngster from above, then jumping after him into the dugout while attempting to punch him. Claims that Ljajić had insulted Rossi's family were found to be false after several other players and staff who were present denied hearing Ljajić use any derogatory language. [5] After the game (ended in a 2–2 draw), the club board announced that they had immediately removed Rossi from his position due to his actions, with two games still to go in the league season. [6] The incident also cost him a three-month ban from Italian football, effective from 3 May 2012. [7]

Sampdoria

Rossi was appointed head coach of Sampdoria in December 2012 to replace Ciro Ferrara, becoming the seventh coach to work with both Genoa and Sampdoria. During his coaching tenure with the club, Rossi helped the Blucerchiati avoid relegation at the end of the 2012–13 Serie A season. On 11 November 2013, Rossi was sacked from his post, with Sampdoria in 18th position in the Serie A table, having earned just 9 points and won only twice in 12 Serie A matches during the 2013–14 Serie A season. [8] Sampdoria had lost its last three Serie A matches, including a 2–1 defeat at Fiorentina on the day of Rossi's dismissal. Rossi hinted after the Fiorentina defeat that 'trust' between himself and the club was becoming an issue. "If there is a time when you do not feel that the trust is there, you should not wait to see how things unfold. I am a man of the world and I think that if the confidence is there, then it is normal that one continues, but if it is not, then it is better to end the rapport regardless of the results", he said. [9]

Bologna

On 4 May 2015, Rossi was named the new manager of Bologna in Serie B replacing Diego López. [10] He guided Bologna to win the promotion playoffs, defeating Pescara in the finals, and was confirmed for the club's successive Serie A campaign.

He was sacked by Bologna on 28 October 2015, after a string of negative results. [11]

Levski

On 4 August 2017, Rossi was announced as the new head coach of Bulgarian club Levski Sofia. He was presented at a press conference a few days later, on 8 August 2017. [12] After a string of 6 matches without victory, losing the final of the Bulgarian Cup and also a shock exit from Europa League at the hands of Vaduz, Rossi was released from his duties on 25 July 2018. [13]

Return to Palermo

On 24 April 2019, he was appointed Palermo manager, on what was his second stint at the head of the Rosanero. [14] After failing to win automatic promotion to Lecce in his four games in charge, Palermo was subsequently excluded from the subsequent promotion playoffs due to financial irregularities, and he was later not confirmed by the new ownership.

Ascoli

On 29 November 2020 he was named new head coach of Serie B club Ascoli. [15] He was however sacked only less than a month later, on 22 December, after having achieved only one point in six games in charge. [16]

Return to Foggia

On 30 March 2023, after three years out of football, Rossi was appointed new head coach of Foggia in the Italian Serie C league on a contract until 30 June 2024, thus marking his return with the Satanelli after 27 years. [17]

After guiding Foggia to a surprise spot in the promotion playoff finals and then losing to Lecco, Rossi announced his intention to leave Foggia with immediate effect. [18]

On 19 July 2025, Rossi agreed to return to Foggia for a third time, signing a one-year contract with the Satanelli. [19]

Managerial statistics

As of 22 December 2020
Managerial record by team and tenure
TeamNatFromToRecord
GWDLGFGAGDWin %
Torremaggiore Flag of Italy.svg 1 July 199030 June 199130121083227+5040.00
Salernitana Flag of Italy.svg 6 June 199330 June 19958539331312974+55045.88
Foggia Flag of Italy.svg 30 June 19955 March 199631810132334−11025.81
Pescara Flag of Italy.svg 1 July 199617 June 1997411612135541+14039.02
Salernitana Flag of Italy.svg 20 June 199722 March 1999682522219282+10036.76
Genoa Flag of Italy.svg 16 June 199914 February 200030107133939+0033.33
Pescara Flag of Italy.svg 20 June 20003 November 2000121651520−5008.33
Pescara Flag of Italy.svg 18 February 200112 June 20011523101425−11013.33
Lecce Flag of Italy.svg 28 January 200222 May 200492293132110127−17031.52
Atalanta Flag of Italy.svg 6 December 200430 May 20052785142631−5029.63
Lazio Flag of Italy.svg 10 June 20058 June 2009184745456261223+38040.22
Palermo Flag of Italy.svg 23 November 200928 February 20116431122110389+14048.44
Palermo Flag of Italy.svg 3 April 20111 June 2011105231819−1050.00
Fiorentina Flag of Italy.svg 7 November 20112 May 20122889112838−10028.57
Sampdoria Flag of Italy.svg 17 December 201211 November 201334910153847−9026.47
Bologna Flag of Italy.svg 4 May 201528 October 20151844101322−9022.22
Levski Sofia Flag of Bulgaria.svg 8 August 201719 July 201842231186831+37054.76
Palermo Flag of Italy.svg 24 April 20195 June 2019413087+1025.00
Ascoli Flag of Italy.svg 29 November 202022 December 20206015514−9000.00
Total8213052452711,077990+87037.15

Honours

Manager

Lazio
Palermo
Levski Sofia

References

  1. Gravela, Lorenzo (2012). Soccer World 2011/12. ISBN   9781471004384.
  2. "Walter Zenga sollevato dall'incarico" (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 23 November 2009. Archived from the original on 27 November 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2009.
  3. "ROSSI SOLLEVATO DALL'INCARICO" (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
  4. "Palermo: Statistiche e classifica | la Gazzetta dello Sport".
  5. "Fiorentina fire manager Delio Rossi for attacking Adem Ljajic". The Guardian. London. 2 May 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  6. "Andrea Della Valle: "Esonerato Delio Rossi"". ACF Fiorentina (in Italian). 2 May 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  7. "Former Fiorentina manager Delio Rossi banned for attacking player". The Guardian. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  8. "Struggling Sampdoria cut Rossi adrift". UEFA. 11 November 2013. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013.
  9. "Sampdoria sack Delio Rossi". ESPN. 12 November 2013.
  10. "Bologna, esonerato Diego Lopez: arriva Delio Rossi" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  11. "Nota della Società" (in Italian). Bologna FC. 28 October 2015. Archived from the original on 30 October 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  12. "Официално представяне на Делио Роси като старши треньор на ПФК ЛЕВСКИ" (in Bulgarian). levski.bg. 8 August 2017. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  13. "Промени в треньорския щаб на клуба" (in Bulgarian). levski.bg. 25 July 2018. Archived from the original on 27 June 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  14. "Official: Rossi returns to Palermo". Football Italia. 24 April 2019.
  15. "Delio Rossi nuovo allenatore dell'Ascoli Calcio" (in Italian). Ascoli Calcio. 29 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  16. "Esonero per Delio Rossi e il suo staff" (in Italian). Ascoli Calcio. 22 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  17. "BENTORNATO MISTER DELIO ROSSI" (in Italian). Calcio Foggia 1920. 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  18. "Foggia, Delio Rossi ai saluti: "Lascio perché troppo coinvolto"" (in Italian). Tuttosport. 20 June 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  19. "Foggia, ecco il Delio Rossi-Ter: il tecnico ha firmato un annuale con opzione" (in Italian). Tuttomercatoweb. 19 July 2025. Retrieved 19 July 2025.