Ex-Milan boss Montella urges Pirlo to join him in Turkey

Former Milan coach Vincenzo Montella has urged Andrea Pirlo to move to Turkey and kickstart his managerial career.

Following an impressive start to life in management as Montella secured top-four finishes – at the time worth a Europa League spot – in each of his three seasons with Fiorentina.

But has since struggled to replicate that success and has since been dismissed by Milan, Sevilla and following a second spell with La Viola.

Now manager of Adana Demirspor, he told La Gazzetta dello Sport the Turkish Super League is the perfect place to start again. He said: “I really wanted to show that a couple of difficult seasons had not diminished by desire to be a manager.

“The errors, because I, too have committed them, did not beat me but worked as a moment of reflection and growth.

“It’s that the ball moving is what gives me the most energy and adrenaline. I wanted to start again and I wasn’t afraid to do it in Turkey with a team that had just been promoted and had just sacked their manager.”

Former Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo, who was dismissed after just one season – his first in management – is heavily linked with a move to Karagumruk, who finished eighth in last season’s Turkey Super Lig.

Asked whether he thought that would be a good move, he added: “I’d like that. The Turkish league is a good level, with the small details decisive here as well and us Italian managers can help it grow even more.

“I’m not saying we are the best but we bring a great level of tactical knowledge with us.”

Montella started his managerial career in 2011 and won the Supercoppa with Milan in 2016.