Ex-Celtic star Massimo Donati lands stunning new manager job with Italian giants
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
FORMER Celtic midfielder Massimo Donati looks set to land a sensational new managerial position.
And it'll see him go back to one of his former clubs.
Sign up for the Celtic newsletter
Sign up
2
Massimo Donati was at Celtic between 2007 and 2009
Credit: Kenny Ramsay - The Sun Glasgow
2
Donati was part of the coaching staff at Kilmarnock
Credit: The Sun
Donati, 44, spent two years with Celtic between 2007 and 2009 after joining from AC Milan.
He played regularly in his first season at Parkhead as the Hoops won the SPL title.
The Italian is most fondly remembered by the Celts fans for a 92nd minute winner in a 2-1 triumph over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.
That season would be as good as it got for Donati, who would make only a handful of appearances the following campaign.
He returned to the starting fold under new boss Tony Mowbray at the start of the 2009/10 season but returned to Italy with Bari.
Donati would end his playing career in Scotland with an 18-month spell at Hamilton followed by a brief stint at St Mirren.
He kick-started his coaching career in Scotland too, working with the under-15 team at Hamilton.
Donati then joined fellow Italian Angelo Alessio at Kilmarnock's coaching staff in June 2019.
In 2021, he landed his first managerial job with Sambenedettese but was dismissed from the role after four months.
In June 2022, Donati returned to management with Legnago Salus, a club that had just been relegated to Serie D.
Kuhn, Lagerbielke & Nawrocki kickstart Hoops summer clear out
The former Celt led them back to Serie C as champions and then enjoyed a better than expected season, reaching the play-offs.
Donati headed for Greece in June 2024 when was appointed boss of top flight club Athens Kallithea but was sacked after six months.
Nine months later, he's on the cusp of landing a massive new managerial job.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Donati is set to be appointed the new Sampdoria boss.
The move will see the 44-year old return to one of the clubs he represented during his carere.
Donati had a loan spell with Sampdoria during the 2003/04 season from AC Milan.
It'll be a huge role for Donati at one of Italy's biggest clubs, albeit a fallen giant of the game these days.
Sampdoria won the Serie A title in 1991, reached the European Cup Final the year before and won the Coppa Italia four times between 1985 and 1994.
But those days are long gone for the Genoa-based club.
Financial hardship led to much less success on the field and they were relegated to Serie B in 2023.
Sampdoria reached the play-offs but failed to return to Serie A and last season was disastrous.
They finished 17th in Serie B and ended up in a relegation play-off.
They saw-off Salernitana and retained their place in the second tier with Donati now
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
29 minutes ago
- Metro
Jorrel Hato makes controversial claim after Chelsea announce £37m transfer deal
Jorrel Hato has controversially claimed that Chelsea are the biggest club in the world his £37m transfer from Ajax was announced on Sunday. The Dutch international defender has signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge and becomes Chelsea's eighth signing of the summer. Speaking to the club's website, the 19-year-old said: 'For sure it was a big decision. 'I played seven years at Ajax and for me it was home – the people, the players, the coaches, the culture. So it was not easy to leave, but my feeling was that at this moment I needed to make a step to the biggest club in the biggest competitions. 'For me this was the right decision at the right time.' Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. More to follow… MORE: Newcastle identify Champions League winner as Benjamin Sesko alternative MORE: RB Leipzig interested in signing Chelsea star in Xavi Simons transfer deal MORE: Antony rejects third transfer offer to leave Manchester United
Daily Record
29 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Celtic late show underlines Brendan Rodgers' point as fans climb the walls
Luke McCowan's late winner got champions out of jail but bizarre transfer situation only highlighted my opening game slog The Maestro unfurled the Premiership flag but it took a late switch of Luke McCowan's wand of a left peg to make sure Celtic didn't hit a bum note on day one. Club legend Paul McStay started the party before kick-off but St Mirren threatened to silence Celtic Park until the sub struck with just a couple of minutes to go. Stephen Robinson's men were at their stubborn best and almost managed a repeat of their draw on Trophy Day back in May. But – like that day – another late, late show from Celts left the Paisley side gutted. It was more relief for Celts, who started brightly but quickly went flat after missing some big chances in the opening period. Adam Idah was guilty of a couple while Benjamin Nygren and Reo Hatate also hit the woodwork either side of half-time – with Saints keeper Shamal George putting up the shutters in between. Callum McGregor thought he'd found the breakthrough with 20 minutes to go, only for VAR to scrub it after clocking a nick of his arm in the build up. And there were times when boss Brendan Rodgers ' warnings over a lack of blockbuster signings this summer looked like being on the money. The Hoops squad looked stretched by the end with Kierany Tierney limping off and Rodgers lacking attacking options on the bench. But super sub McCowan made a huge impact – keeping his cool to twist and turn before drilling his deflected drive into the bottom corner to ensure a winning start. Here's five talking points from Flag Day. Sign of the times Rodgers has ben practically begging for new faces – and this only underlined it in bold. It's not even up for debate, the Hoops are weaker than they were at the end of last season – and they were weaker then than they weren't in January. It's a bizarre state of affairs to be kicking off the season having not replaced match winners like Kyogo, Nicholas Kuhn and Jota. Adah Idah is still struggling and Yang just isn't up to the task as a starter. The starting line up was strong enough but the lack of action in the window left Rodgers with few options to mix it up when things got a but flat. They got the job done eventually but no wonder fans are climbing the wall along with their manager – it's a bizarre state to be in for a club with piles of cash in the bank. KT right at home Celtic fans gave their returning hero a heck of a welcome. They saw the quality – and the concerns that come with the defender. Tierney was outstanding for an hour, rampaging up the left flank and firing over countless crosses that really should have been stuck away. He was his usual all-action self, steaming into tackles and driving his team up the pitch. But there are worries about hit durability these days and those fears weren't helped when Tierney limped off with 25 minutes to go. Rodgers will be hoping it's nothing too serious but with big games coming thick and fast, getting the full back fully fit – and keeping him fit – will be absolutely vital, along with signing quality back up. JSP incoming Celtic fans are screaming out for signings – as is Brendan Rodgers – but at least one is imminent with Jahmai Simpson-Pusey spotted in the crowd wearing a Celtic tracksuit. The Man City defender's season long loan deal has been sorted and he'll be confirmed in the coming days. It will be interesting to see the plan for the 19-year-old though. Simpson-Pusey won't be in town to sit on the bench but will he be back up for Cameron Carter-Vickers or partner him? It was harsh on Auston Trusty being among the subs after impressing in pre-season, but Scales has rarely let the side down. Celts look light in other areas but at least they are strong at the centre of defence. Fitting tributes There was sad news over the summer for Celtic fans with the loss of two club legends who were part of the greatest day in the club's history. Supporters got their chance to pay tribute to Lisbon Lion John Clark and John Fallon, who was the sole sub that famous day in Portugal. Hoops fans unfurled a huge tifo featuring Clark in his heyday in an emotional moment before kick-off. There was another one for Fallon before the second period and, regardless of what else is going on, there are few clubs in the game who honour their greats like Celtic. Saints alive Stephen Robinson pulls more rabbits out of hats than Paul Daniels in his prime and the Saints boss is looking for more magic again this term. The Northern Irishman has lost key men such as Richard Taylor, Caolon Boyd-Munce, Greg Kiltie and Owen Oseni, yet he constantly manages to plug the holes with similar profiles, with keeper Shamal George a shrew capture. New boys Jayden Richardson and Richard King slotted in against Celts and while they had hard shifts, they looked like typical Buddies. It looked every inch a Robbo team again – organised, well drilled, working their socks off to keep Celts at bay while posing the odd problem. It can't be easy for Robinson to keep producing season after season and of course there will be some bumpy moments, but you wouldn't bet against the Paisley men being defying the odds to be in the top six mix again.
STV News
29 minutes ago
- STV News
Celtic leave it late to beat St Mirren as they begin title defence with win
Celtic left it late to beat St Mirren and begin the defence of their Premiership title with three points. Substitute Luke McCowan was the hero as he came off the bench to score the only goal in a 1-0 win over the Paisley side on Sunday. Former Hoops captain Paul McStay was back at Parkhead to unfurl the league flag before kick-off, as they were rewarded for last season's achievement. But after that, it was all about the 2025/26 campaign as both sides looked to get off to the best possible start. Brendan Rodgers' side had to be patient as they dominated the ball for the vast majority of the game and created several chances, but struggled to get past a St Mirren backline that defended resolutely throughout, even if they did require the help from the woodwork on more than one occasion. Celtic started on the front foot and created a few chances early doors with Kieran Tierney, Adam Idah, Benjamin Nygren and, Daizen Maeda all trying their luck. Tierney, playing his first competitive game since his return from Arsenal, had ambitions getting his second debut off to the best possible start when he had a shot in the opening stages, but his effort was well wide of the target. In the best chance of the first 45, Maeda rounded St Mirren goalkeeper Shamal George before unselfishly putting the ball across the box, when he would maybe have been better going for the shot, but Yang was unable to connect for a tap-in. Idah will also feel like he should have done better with a couple of chances that fell his way, particularly a close rage header that was easily saved by George. The home side had the lion's share of possession in the first half, however St Mirren also created a couple of openings and Mark O'Hara forced Kasper Schmeichel into action when the Denmark goalkeeper was at full stretch to push his shot away from goal. Nygren then came close to marking his Parkhead bow with a goal, but he was denied by the crossbar, and the sides remained level at the break. St Mirren were undefeated in the top half after the split last season, including a draw at last day Celtic Park, and they were once again proving a tough nut for the champions to crack. Reo Hatate came close to the opener just before the hour mark when his deflected shot hit the woodwork twice by coming off the crossbar before hitting off George and back against the post. Callum McGregor thought he had handed Celtic the lead on the 67th minute, but his strike was ruled out by the VAR team for a handball in the build-up. It was one-way traffic at this stage, and Idah was next up when his close-range shot came back off the post as St Mirren held on to the clean sheet by their fingertips. And with just three minutes remaining, Celtic finally got their reward when McCowan slotted his shot past George to make it 1-0 and hand the champions all three points. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
