Cagliari have managed to land their top choice after firing Leonardo Semplici. The club announced the hiring of Walter Mazzarri Tuesday morning. They are embarking on a new long-term project as he inked a three-year contract.
Mazzarri has been without a team since February 2020, when Torino sacked him after 22 rounds. He finished 7th and 9th in the two seasons with the Granata. He had taken over in January in the 2017/2018 one. The gaffer is mostly known for his tenures at Napoli and Inter. He guided the Partenopei to a third and a second-place finish during his four years at the helm. Instead, he concluded his lone full campaign with the Nerazzurri, where he replaced Andrea Stramaccioni, in 5th position. He got the ax in November the following season.
The veteran also coached Reggina and Sampdoria in Serie A. He has accrued over 450 matches in the top Italian League. He also spent a year in the Premier League, at Watford, before his Torino stint. The Hornets avoided relegation by picking up 11 wins, 7 draws, and 20 losses, but they did not retain him.
Mazzarri generally relies on a gritty 3-5-2, which is the same scheme Cagliari has been using for some time. He was one of the early adopters of a three-man defense, which has become widespread in recent years. Cagliari have collected just one point in the first three matches. They lost to Milan and Genoa and drew with Spezia in the early going. Hence, the management moved on from Semplici despite last season’s impressive finish.