Stefano Colantuono
Encyclopedia
Stefano Colantuono is an Italian
football
manager, currently in charge as head coach of Atalanta
.
, started his playing career for Serie D
side Velletri in 1981. In 1983 he moved to Ternana
of Serie C1
, then Arezzo
of Serie B
, and finally made his Serie A
debut for Pisa
. He played Serie A until 1990 for several teams. In 1991 he accepted to play in the national futsal
league for BNL Roma, winning a scudetto. Following this experience, Colantuono played mostly at lower levels, especially Serie C2 and Serie D, and even Eccellenza
for Sambenedettese
in 1994–1995. After a long list of experiences in different Italian regions, Colantuono returned to play for Sambenedettese in November 2000, leading his team to an immediate promotion to Serie C2.
, Colantuono, a player for the team, was appointed to manage Sambenedettese together with Gabriele Matricciani for the last nine matches. Surprisingly, Colantuono managed to win all these nine matches, leading his team to a fifth place, qualifying and successively even winning the promotion playoffs.
Colantuono's Serie C1 coaching debut, in 2002–2003, ended in another fifth place, securing a place in the promotion playoff, then lost to Pescara
. In the meanwhile, Luciano Gaucci
, owner of Sambenedettese, Serie B
team Catania
and Serie A
team Perugia
at the time, appointed Colantuono at the helm of the Sicilian side. Colantuono, again supported by Matricciani because of his lack of a regular coaching license, led Catania to a fairly good season in ninth place. In 2004–2005, after Catania was sold by the Gaucci family, Colantuono, finally authorized to act as first team coach, signed for Perugia, just relegated to Serie B. He led the team to a spot in the promotion playoff, then lost to Torino
. After the cancellation of Perugia, in 2005–2006 Colantuono accepted the offer of Atalanta
, leading the nerazzurri to a clear Serie B
win. In the season 2006–2007 he led Atalanta to an impressive seventh place in the Serie A table.
On May 31, 2007, he was announced as new Palermo
head coach to replace Francesco Guidolin
. However after a number of unimpressive performances ended by a crushing 5–0 loss to Juventus
persuaded club chairman Maurizio Zamparini
to sack him on November 26, 2007. He was once again recalled on March 24, 2008 to replace Guidolin as head coach of Palermo. However, Colantuono was sacked again after just one game of the 2008–2009 season, and was replaced by Davide Ballardini on September 4.
On June 15, 2009 he was appointed as new head coach of Torino
, replacing Giancarlo Camolese
. He will guide the granata through their 2009–10 Serie B campaign, with the aim to promptly lead the historical Turin club back into the top flight. He was however fired on November 29 due to poor results and replaced by Mario Beretta
. On January 10, 2010 he was then reappointed as head coach to replace Beretta himself. He announced his resignation after losing the promotion playoff finals to Brescia
, contemporaneously confirming he was in talks for the vacant coaching post at his previous club Atalanta. Colantuono's comeback at Atalanta was officially announced the next day. Under his tenure, Atalanta promptly won promotion back to the top flight in his first season in charge.
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
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
manager, currently in charge as head coach of Atalanta
Atalanta B.C.
Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly known as just Atalanta, Atalanta Bergamo or the abbreviation Atalanta BC, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy.They are nicknamed the Nerazzurri and the orobici...
.
Playing career
Colantuono, a centre backDefender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
, started his playing career for 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...
side Velletri in 1981. In 1983 he moved to Ternana
Ternana Calcio
Ternana Calcio is an Italian football club based in the city of Terni, Umbria.The team's colours are red and green.The club was founded in 1925 and refounded in 1993. In its history, Ternana have twice played in Serie A...
of Serie C1
Serie C
The 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...
, then Arezzo
A.C. Arezzo
Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica Atletico Arezzo is an Italian association football club based in Arezzo, Tuscany...
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 finally made his 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...
debut for 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...
. He played Serie A until 1990 for several teams. In 1991 he accepted to play in the national futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
league for BNL Roma, winning a scudetto. Following this experience, Colantuono played mostly at lower levels, especially Serie C2 and Serie D, and even 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...
for Sambenedettese
S.S. Sambenedettese Calcio
Unione Sportiva Sambenedettese is an Italian association football club, based in San Benedetto del Tronto, Marche. The club was founded in 1923. Sambenedettese currently plays in Serie D, having last been in Serie B in 1989. The team's colors are red and blue....
in 1994–1995. After a long list of experiences in different Italian regions, Colantuono returned to play for Sambenedettese in November 2000, leading his team to an immediate promotion to Serie C2.
Managing career
The 2001–2002 Serie C2 season for Sambenedettese was going to be very hard, with two coaches fired throughout the season. After the sack of third coach Enrico NicoliniEnrico Nicolini
Enrico Nicolini is an Italian professional former footballer and manager. He currently assists CFR Cluj coach Andrea Mandorlini.-Footballer:He grew up in U.C. Sampdoria youth team and made his debut in Serie A in 1972...
, Colantuono, a player for the team, was appointed to manage Sambenedettese together with Gabriele Matricciani for the last nine matches. Surprisingly, Colantuono managed to win all these nine matches, leading his team to a fifth place, qualifying and successively even winning the promotion playoffs.
Colantuono's Serie C1 coaching debut, in 2002–2003, ended in another fifth place, securing a place in the promotion playoff, then lost to Pescara
Pescara Calcio
Delfino Pescara 1936 is an Italian football club based in Pescara, Abruzzo.The club was formed in 1936 and currently plays in Italian Serie B. Pescara has competed in 5 seasons in Serie A...
. In the meanwhile, Luciano Gaucci
Luciano Gaucci
Luciano Gaucci is an Italian entrepreneur and sportsman. He was the owner of various clubs:* Perugia Calcio, a football club based in Perugia, Umbria.* Viterbese Calcio, a football club based in Viterbo, Lazio.* S.S...
, owner of Sambenedettese, 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...
team Catania
Calcio Catania
Calcio Catania is an Italian football club founded in 1908 and based in Catania, Sicily. The club has spent much of its history in Serie B, gaining promotion to Italy's top league Serie A five times...
and 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...
team Perugia
Perugia Calcio
Associazione Calcistica Perugia Calcio is an Italian association football club based in Perugia, Umbria, direct heir of the old Perugia Calcio and A.C. Perugia, excluded from Italian football because of financial troubles....
at the time, appointed Colantuono at the helm of the Sicilian side. Colantuono, again supported by Matricciani because of his lack of a regular coaching license, led Catania to a fairly good season in ninth place. In 2004–2005, after Catania was sold by the Gaucci family, Colantuono, finally authorized to act as first team coach, signed for Perugia, just relegated to Serie B. He led the team to a spot in the promotion playoff, then lost to 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....
. After the cancellation of Perugia, in 2005–2006 Colantuono accepted the offer of Atalanta
Atalanta B.C.
Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly known as just Atalanta, Atalanta Bergamo or the abbreviation Atalanta BC, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy.They are nicknamed the Nerazzurri and the orobici...
, leading the nerazzurri to a clear 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...
win. In the season 2006–2007 he led Atalanta to an impressive seventh place in the Serie A table.
On May 31, 2007, he was announced as new Palermo
U.S. Città di Palermo
Unione Sportiva Città di Palermo is an Italian football club from Palermo, Sicily which currently plays in Serie A, the top level of Italian football. Formed in 1900 as Anglo Panormitan Athletic and Football Club, the club had various names before assuming its final form in 1987 and is currently...
head coach to replace Francesco Guidolin
Francesco Guidolin
Francesco Guidolin is an Italian football manager and former player, currently serving as head coach of Serie A outfit Udinese.-Playing career:...
. However after a number of unimpressive performances ended by a crushing 5–0 loss to 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...
persuaded club chairman Maurizio Zamparini
Maurizio Zamparini
Maurizio Zamparini is an Italian businessman and the current owner and chairman of Serie A club U.S. Città di Palermo....
to sack him on November 26, 2007. He was once again recalled on March 24, 2008 to replace Guidolin as head coach of Palermo. However, Colantuono was sacked again after just one game of the 2008–2009 season, and was replaced by Davide Ballardini on September 4.
On June 15, 2009 he was appointed as new head coach of 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....
, replacing Giancarlo Camolese
Giancarlo Camolese
Giancarlo Camolese is an Italian football manager and former player. He is currently without a club.-Playing:...
. He will guide the granata through their 2009–10 Serie B campaign, with the aim to promptly lead the historical Turin club back into the top flight. He was however fired on November 29 due to poor results and replaced by Mario Beretta
Mario Beretta
Mario Beretta is an Italian association football manager, last serving as head coach of Brescia in the Serie A league.-Career:Beretta had a short career as footballer, playing only for Pro Patria of Serie D....
. On January 10, 2010 he was then reappointed as head coach to replace Beretta himself. He announced his resignation after losing the promotion playoff finals to 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...
, contemporaneously confirming he was in talks for the vacant coaching post at his previous club Atalanta. Colantuono's comeback at Atalanta was officially announced the next day. Under his tenure, Atalanta promptly won promotion back to the top flight in his first season in charge.