Luigi Simoni
Encyclopedia
Luigi "Gigi" Simoni is an Italian
football manager, currently in office with Gubbio
of Serie B
, and a former player.
(Emilia-Romagna
).
A good footballer, who played for Mantova
, SSC Napoli
, Torino
, Juventus
, Brescia
and Genoa
, Simoni started his successful managing career with Genoa itself, in season 1974/1975. The next year, he was able to bring the rossoblu back to Serie A
.
After a long series of promotions, with Pisa
, Brescia
and Cremonese
among them, and good results with outsider teams (Cremonese again, and Napoli), Simoni was called by Massimo Moratti
to coach Internazionale of Milan
in 1997. With a good-shape Ronaldo
on his side, Simoni won a UEFA Cup
and gained a controversial second place in the Serie A division when Internazionale lost against Juventus.
Simoni was fired by Internazionale on November 30, 1998, even though being still appreciated and well-remember by the team fans.
After a few other experiences, included a brief disappointing one in Bulgaria
with CSKA Sofia, Gigi Simoni has led Ancona Calcio to Serie A in 2003, but has surprisingly been fired before the start of the new season. His Serie A comeback, in 2004, with Siena
, was not particularly good, as he was again fired during the season. In late 2005, Simoni took the head coaching role of Serie C1 team Lucchese
with little success.
On February 2009, at the age of 70, Simoni accepted a job at Lega Pro Seconda Divisione's Gubbio
, where he will serve as technical director until the end of the season. He was later confirmed to his role also for the 2009–10 season, with former Genoa defender Vincenzo Torrente
acting as "on-pitch" head coach. Under the guidance of Simoni and Torrente, Gubbio ensured a historic promotion to Serie B that year; after Torrente decided to accept an offer from Bari
, Simoni and Gubbio agreed to appoint Fabio Pecchia
as new head coach. Pecchia's term as Gubbio boss turned out however unsuccessful, and on 18 October 2011 Simoni agreed to serve as caretaker head coach for a Serie B game against his former club, league toppers Torino
. The game ended in a surprising 1–0 win for his side, and led the club to keep Simoni in charge as long as a valid replacement coach would be found. The following two games led Gubbio to win four more points, a draw and a win.
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...
football manager, currently in office with Gubbio
A.S. Gubbio 1910
Associazione Sportiva Gubbio 1910 is an Italian association football club, based in Gubbio, Umbria.They currently play in Serie B. The team's colors are dark blue and red.Their home field is the Stadio Pietro Barbetti, a 5,300 capacity all-seater stadium....
of Serie B
Serie B
Serie 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...
, and a former player.
Biography
Luigi Simoni was born at CrevalcoreCrevalcore
Crevalcore is a town and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region near Bologna, Italy.-External links:*...
(Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna
Emilia–Romagna is an administrative region of Northern Italy comprising the two historic regions of Emilia and Romagna. The capital is Bologna; it has an area of and about 4.4 million inhabitants....
).
A good footballer, who played for Mantova
A.C. Mantova
Mantova Football Club is an Italian football club, based in Mantua, Lombardy. Mantova had played consecutively in the Italian Serie B from the 2005–06 season to 2009–10 as Associazione Calcio Mantova, when they were relegated after ending the season in 20th place.During the summer 2010, the club...
, SSC Napoli
S.S.C. Napoli
Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli, commonly referred to as Napoli, is a professional Italian football club based in Naples and founded in 1926. The club has spent most of its history in Serie A, where it currently plays its 2011–12 season....
, Torino
Torino F.C.
Torino Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Torino, is a professional Italian football club based in Turin, Piedmont, that was founded in 1906. The club has spent most of its history in the top tier in Italian football....
, Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
, Brescia
Brescia Calcio
Brescia Calcio , known simply as Brescia, is the largest football club in the Lombard city of Brescia, where it was founded in 1911.In the 2009–10 season, in the return leg of the Serie B playoff final, they defeated Torino 2-1 at home , returning to Serie A after a 5-year absence...
and Genoa
Genoa C.F.C.
Genoa Cricket and Football Club, commonly referred to simply as Genoa , is a professional Italian football club based in the city of Genoa, Liguria...
, Simoni started his successful managing career with Genoa itself, in season 1974/1975. The next year, he was able to bring the rossoblu back 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...
.
After a long series of promotions, with Pisa
Pisa Calcio
Associazione Calcio Pisa 1909 is an Italian association football club, based in Pisa, Tuscany. The club was founded in 1909 as Pisa Sporting Club and refounded in 1994 as A.C. Pisa , after the cancellation of the old one because of economical troubles...
, Brescia
Brescia Calcio
Brescia Calcio , known simply as Brescia, is the largest football club in the Lombard city of Brescia, where it was founded in 1911.In the 2009–10 season, in the return leg of the Serie B playoff final, they defeated Torino 2-1 at home , returning to Serie A after a 5-year absence...
and Cremonese
U.S. Cremonese
Unione Sportiva Cremonese is an Italian football club, based in Cremona. The club was founded in 1903. Cremonese played the 2005/2006 season in Serie B, having won Serie C1/A the previous season. However, in the 2005/2006 Serie B campaign, Cremonese came out twenty-first, being therefore relegated...
among them, and good results with outsider teams (Cremonese again, and Napoli), Simoni was called by Massimo Moratti
Massimo Moratti
Massimo Moratti is an Italian oil tycoon. He is the owner and President of Italian football team Football Club Internazionale Milano, and Chief Executive Officer of Saras S.p.A.-Life and career:...
to coach Internazionale of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
in 1997. With a good-shape Ronaldo
Ronaldo
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima , commonly known as Ronaldo, is a retired Brazilian footballer who last played for Corinthians. Ronaldo is widely considered to be the greatest 'pure' striker in the history of the modern game, and by some accounts, in the history of football. Ronaldo was one of the...
on his side, Simoni won a UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
and gained a controversial second place in the Serie A division when Internazionale lost against Juventus.
Simoni was fired by Internazionale on November 30, 1998, even though being still appreciated and well-remember by the team fans.
After a few other experiences, included a brief disappointing one in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
with CSKA Sofia, Gigi Simoni has led Ancona Calcio to Serie A in 2003, but has surprisingly been fired before the start of the new season. His Serie A comeback, in 2004, with Siena
A.C. Siena
Associazione Calcio Siena is an Italian football club based in Siena.The club currently plays in Serie A, having gained promotion from Serie B at the end of the 2010-2011 season....
, was not particularly good, as he was again fired during the season. In late 2005, Simoni took the head coaching role of Serie C1 team Lucchese
A.S. Lucchese-Libertas
Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica Football Club Lucca 2011 is an Italian football club, based in Lucca, Tuscany that currently plays in Eccellenza Tuscany.The club was founded in 1905 and having last been in Serie A in 1952....
with little success.
On February 2009, at the age of 70, Simoni accepted a job at Lega Pro Seconda Divisione's Gubbio
A.S. Gubbio 1910
Associazione Sportiva Gubbio 1910 is an Italian association football club, based in Gubbio, Umbria.They currently play in Serie B. The team's colors are dark blue and red.Their home field is the Stadio Pietro Barbetti, a 5,300 capacity all-seater stadium....
, where he will serve as technical director until the end of the season. He was later confirmed to his role also for the 2009–10 season, with former Genoa defender Vincenzo Torrente
Vincenzo Torrente
Vincenzo Torrente is an Italian football coach and former defender. He is currently head coach of Serie B side Bari.-Playing career:...
acting as "on-pitch" head coach. Under the guidance of Simoni and Torrente, Gubbio ensured a historic promotion to Serie B that year; after Torrente decided to accept an offer from Bari
A.S. Bari
Associazione Sportiva Bari is an Italian football club founded in 1908, they are based in Bari, Apulia and plays in Serie B. The club have spent many seasons bouncing between the top two divisions in Italian football, Serie A and Serie B....
, Simoni and Gubbio agreed to appoint Fabio Pecchia
Fabio Pecchia
Fabio Pecchia is an Italian football former midfielder and coach, last in charge of Serie B club Gubbio.-Playing career:...
as new head coach. Pecchia's term as Gubbio boss turned out however unsuccessful, and on 18 October 2011 Simoni agreed to serve as caretaker head coach for a Serie B game against his former club, league toppers Torino
Torino F.C.
Torino Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Torino, is a professional Italian football club based in Turin, Piedmont, that was founded in 1906. The club has spent most of its history in the top tier in Italian football....
. The game ended in a surprising 1–0 win for his side, and led the club to keep Simoni in charge as long as a valid replacement coach would be found. The following two games led Gubbio to win four more points, a draw and a win.