Gianluca Festa
Encyclopedia
Gianluca Festa is an Italian
footballer former defender
turned coach
, AS Roma
and Middlesbrough
, being one of the first Italians to play in the Premier League. Festa arrived at Middlesbrough
from Inter Milan in the midst of a relegation battle to add steel to the defence. Festa scored on an impressive winning debut. Festa had been an accomplished martial arts
master, a junior Italian
tennis champion and captain of the Army team when he did his national service. He had shrewd positional sense, was tough in the tackle, a dominating figure in the air and got forward on occasions to score the odd important goal. One that could have been historic was ruled out when Festa’s header in the 1997 FA Cup Final was deemed offside. That was one of three Wembley appearances he made in his first 18 months at the club. When many of Middlesbrough's players left following relegation, Festa stayed and helped win promotion back to the top flight. His performances earned him the Middlesbrough player of the year award in 1998. Festa was squeezed out by the arrivals of England
internationals Gareth Southgate
and Ugo Ehiogu
but remained as a squad player before leaving for a short spell at Portsmouth
, where he scored once against Bradford City and was part of the squad that won the Championship
and gained promotion the Premier League.
In 2003 he returned to Sardinia
, joining Cagliari
and helping the rossoblu to win promotion to Serie A
. In 2004 he joined then-Eccellenza
side F.C. Nuorese Calcio
, serving as team captain and leading the club to two consecutive promotions and an unsuccessful appearance in the Serie C2
campaign playoffs in his third season. He agreed to leave Nuorese by mutual consent on September 2007. He then signed for Tavolara
of Serie D
, coached by his former teammate Vittorio Pusceddu.
. Later in July he was appointed as technical area member at the same club.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
footballer former defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
turned coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
Playing career
Festa played with several notable teams, including InternazionaleF.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
, AS Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
and Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, being one of the first Italians to play in the Premier League. Festa arrived at Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
from Inter Milan in the midst of a relegation battle to add steel to the defence. Festa scored on an impressive winning debut. Festa had been an accomplished martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
master, a junior Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
tennis champion and captain of the Army team when he did his national service. He had shrewd positional sense, was tough in the tackle, a dominating figure in the air and got forward on occasions to score the odd important goal. One that could have been historic was ruled out when Festa’s header in the 1997 FA Cup Final was deemed offside. That was one of three Wembley appearances he made in his first 18 months at the club. When many of Middlesbrough's players left following relegation, Festa stayed and helped win promotion back to the top flight. His performances earned him the Middlesbrough player of the year award in 1998. Festa was squeezed out by the arrivals of England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
internationals Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate in Crawley, West Sussex is a retired English footballer and ex-manager. He is known as the "Penalty Misser of '96." He served as manager of Middlesbrough from June 2006, until he was dismissed in October 2009...
and Ugo Ehiogu
Ugo Ehiogu
Ugochuku "Ugo" Ehiogu is an English former footballer who played as a centre back, most recently for Sheffield United...
but remained as a squad player before leaving for a short spell at Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, where he scored once against Bradford City and was part of the squad that won the Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
and gained promotion the Premier League.
In 2003 he returned to Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, joining Cagliari
Cagliari Calcio
Cagliari Calcio is an Italian football club based in Cagliari, Sardinia. The club was formed in 1920 and currently plays in Italian Serie A, having spent a large part of recent years mainly in Serie A and Serie B....
and helping the rossoblu to win promotion to Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
. In 2004 he joined then-Eccellenza
Eccellenza
Eccellenza is the sixth level of Italian football. It is a regional league, composed of 28 divisions divided geographically. All 20 regions are represented by at least one division except for Piedmont and Aosta Valley which share 2 divisions...
side F.C. Nuorese Calcio
F.C. Nuorese Calcio
U.S.D. Nuorese Calcio are an Italian association football club from Nuoro, Sardinia, founded in 1930. The club was known as A.S. Nuorese Calcio until 2006, and F.C...
, serving as team captain and leading the club to two consecutive promotions and an unsuccessful appearance in the Serie C2
Serie C2
Lega Pro Seconda Divisione is the name of the fourth highest football league in Italy, the lowest with a professional status. Usually it consists of 54 teams, but in the season 2010–11 the teams are only 49 divided geographically into three divisions of 17, 16 and 16 teams each...
campaign playoffs in his third season. He agreed to leave Nuorese by mutual consent on September 2007. He then signed for Tavolara
S.S. Tavolara Calcio
Società Sportiva Tavolara Calcio is an Italian association football club located in Olbia, Sardinia.Its colors are green and white.-History:...
of Serie D
Serie D
Serie D is the top level of the Italian non-professional football association called Lega Nazionale Dilettanti. The association represents over a million football players and thousands of football teams across Italy. Serie D ranks just below Lega Pro Seconda Divisione , and is thus considered the...
, coached by his former teammate Vittorio Pusceddu.
Coaching career
On April 14, 2010 he was appointed as assistant to newly-appointed head coach Giorgio Melis at his former club CagliariCagliari Calcio
Cagliari Calcio is an Italian football club based in Cagliari, Sardinia. The club was formed in 1920 and currently plays in Italian Serie A, having spent a large part of recent years mainly in Serie A and Serie B....
. Later in July he was appointed as technical area member at the same club.
Teams and clubs
- 1986-1987: CagliariCagliari CalcioCagliari Calcio is an Italian football club based in Cagliari, Sardinia. The club was formed in 1920 and currently plays in Italian Serie A, having spent a large part of recent years mainly in Serie A and Serie B....
(Serie BSerie BSerie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
) - 1987-1988: Fersulcis (Serie DSerie DSerie D is the top level of the Italian non-professional football association called Lega Nazionale Dilettanti. The association represents over a million football players and thousands of football teams across Italy. Serie D ranks just below Lega Pro Seconda Divisione , and is thus considered the...
) - 1988-1993: Cagliari (Serie C1Serie CThe Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico , commonly known as Lega Pro , is the governing body that runs the third and fourth highest football divisions in Italy, the Prima Divisione and Seconda Divisione respectively. It also includes the sole professional club of San Marino...
88/89, Serie B 89/90, Serie ASerie ASerie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
90-93) - 1993-January 1994: Internazionale Milano F.C. (Serie A)
- January–June 1994: AS RomaA.S. RomaAssociazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
(Serie A) - June 1994-January 1997: Inter (Serie A)
- January 1997-2002: MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough F.C.Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
(FA Premier LeagueFA Premier LeagueThe Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
96/97, Football League ChampionshipFootball League ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
1997/1998, FA Premier League 1998-2002) - 2002-2003: PortsmouthPortsmouth F.C.Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
(Football League Championship) - 2003-2004: Cagliari (Serie B)
- 2004-2007: NuoreseF.C. Nuorese CalcioU.S.D. Nuorese Calcio are an Italian association football club from Nuoro, Sardinia, founded in 1930. The club was known as A.S. Nuorese Calcio until 2006, and F.C...
(Eccellenza 04/05, Serie D 05/06, Serie C2 06/07, 07/08) - October 2007-2008 TavolaraS.S. Tavolara CalcioSocietà Sportiva Tavolara Calcio is an Italian association football club located in Olbia, Sardinia.Its colors are green and white.-History:...
(Serie D 07/08)