Davide Ballardini has been fired by Genoa for the third time, although 2017-18 was the first time he started a season at Marassi.
The tactician was given the push today and replaced by his predecessor Ivan Juric, despite picking up four wins and three defeats in seven rounds.
It’s not a new experience for Ballardini, who hasn’t seen out a complete season since Sambenedettese in Serie C in 2004-05.
Davide Ballardini has been fired by Genoa for the third time, although 2017-18 was the first time he started a season at Marassi.
The tactician was given the push today and replaced by his predecessor Ivan Juric, despite picking up four wins and three defeats in seven rounds.
It’s not a new experience for Ballardini, who hasn’t seen out a complete season since Sambenedettese in Serie C in 2004-05.
Above all, it may well be the final chapter in his long and complicated relationship with Genoa President Enrico Preziosi.
Ballardini was first appointed to Genoa on November 8 2010, almost precisely eight years ago.
He oversaw 12 wins, seven draws and 11 defeats, replacing Gian Piero Gasperini to take them from the edge of the drop zone to a 10th-place finish.
Ballardini was dismissed at the end of the season and went on to an experience at Cagliari, which lasted from November 2011 to March 2012.
He came back to Genoa in January 2013 to see out the campaign after Gigi Del Neri’s sacking, picking up four wins, nine draws and four losses to barely scrape Serie A safety.
Once again, it wasn’t enough for Preziosi to keep him in the job and he was released in June.
After Bologna (20 games), Palermo (a combination of 17 matches with a dismissal in January 2016 and recall in April), Ballardini was again brought in to rescue Genoa’s season on November 6, 2017.
The 54-year-old Coach had 11 wins, five draws and 12 defeats, taking over from Juric with the team in the relegation zone and finishing in 12th, comfortably mid-table.
Preziosi hesitated for several days, but finally offered Ballardini the opportunity to start the season with Genoa for the first time.
It lasted just seven rounds, as Genoa have a game in hand to be played against Milan on October 31.