Serie A managerial merry-go-round continues after Pisa and Lecce name new coaches
June 26 (Reuters) - The Serie A managerial merry-go-round shows no sign of stopping, with at least 12 of the league's 20 teams set to have new coaches for the upcoming season following appointments at Pisa and Lecce on Thursday.
Lecce, who narrowly avoided relegation last season, have handed Eusebio Di Francesco a one-year contract, which will be extended if the club survives another campaign in the top flight.
Di Francesco will have another shot at Serie A survival after suffering successive relegations with Venezia and Frosinone.
Pisa named Alberto Gilardino as the man to replace his former Italy and AC Milan teammate Filippo Inzaghi.
Inzaghi resigned after leading the Tuscan club to promotion and his younger brother Simone also left his job, with his departure from Inter Milan causing a ripple effect.
Inter appointed Cristian Chivu as Inzaghi's replacement, and the Romanian's exit from Parma led to them naming Carlos Cuesta as coach, the 29-year-old Spaniard's first managerial role having worked under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal for five years.
Surprisingly, after much media speculation to the contrary, champions Napoli remain under the guidance of Antonio Conte, but most of their expected challengers next season, like Inter, will have new men at the helm.
Milan sacked Sergio Conceicao after an eighth-place finish last season left them without European football, and Massimiliano Allegri returns for a second spell in charge, having led Milan to the league title in 2011.
Another manager making a comeback is Maurizio Sarri, in charge at Lazio having left the club last year, and he replaces Marco Baroni who is now at Torino.
Atalanta, after nine seasons under Gian Piero Gasperini, go into the new season with Ivan Juric as manager.
Juric had a turbulent time last season, leaving Southampton in April with the club bottom of the Premier League and before that he lasted less than two months at AS Roma.
Roma appointed Gasperini to replace Claudio Ranieri, the 73-year-old who appears to have finally retired from management but has a senior advisory role at Roma and recently turned down the Italy job.
Italy, after the sacking of Spalletti, went with Gennaro Gattuso, as another contender for the role, Stefano Pioli, appears set to take one of the two vacant spots left in Serie A.
Fiorentina had given Raffaele Palladino a contract extension in May, but Palladino left just three weeks later, and Pioli, who parted ways on Wednesday with Saudi club Al-Nassr, is expected to return for a second spell in Florence.
Promoted Cremonese have also yet to name their new coach, with Davide Nicola expected to land the job after he left Cagliari and was replaced by Fabio Pisacane.
Serie A will have a much-altered landscape next season, and with the new campaign still almost two months away, further changes cannot be ruled out.
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