Sampdoria have had one of the worst seasons ever last term, sleepwalking towards relegation with a terrible record, financial problems, and an inability to pay players and staff. There was a realistic chance the club would fold. But Andrea Radrizzani, the infamous businessman, bought the club and appointed his number one target as head coach. Andrea Pirlo is the new Samp coach.After a spell managing Fatih Karagumruk in Turkey, Pirlo returns to his homeland, where his only job was the unspectacular year in charge of Juventus. The 44-year-old icon will put his name and reputation on the line in an attempt to win promotion back to Serie A.What do Leeds and Sampdoria have in common? This guy!One of the finest playmakers ever hoping for a third-time charm in the second tierSorry Sampdoria: Killed by karma, buried by gloating neighboursPirlo is still considered one of the finest passers of the ball ever to grace a football pitch – but he won’t be able to help Sampdoria with the skills he once had as a player.”Being a footballer is one thing. Being a coach is another. These are two completely different professions. When I started doing this job, I had the chance to start at the highest level. But that wasn’t my original goal because usually, you start at the bottom and work your way up. I had this chance which was a bit rushed.”Indeed, it’s uncommon to see a coach start his journey by managing a club as big as Juventus. Regardless, Pirlo’s Bianconeri secured Champions League football by finishing fourth in the Serie A. He also won the Coppa Italia and the Super Cup – but was still sacked at the end of the 2020/21 season.##NAJAVA_MECA_7342445##After a season’s hiatus, in June 2022, he took over Fatih Karagumruk, an Istanbul team in the Turkish Super Lig. But this experience also ended three days before the end of the season, in May, when the club was 9th in the standings.”I went to Turkey to start from scratch, looking for stimulation, looking to learn, looking for great motivation, because I had little chance of doing a good job. I went there with a great desire to get involved. And for me, Sampdoria is a great opportunity because I consider it a great club for their fans, for what they have been in the past.”𝙂𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙞𝙨 🔙 🇮🇹📹 @sampdoria#Pirlo #Sampdoria #DAZN pic.twitter.com/bTcVrzx6CZ— DAZN Italia (@DAZN_IT) June 28, 2023 Matteo Manfredi, who together with Radrizzani, supported the weight of the Sampdoria rescue, indicated that the plan envisages “financial and football sustainability, respecting the history of this club”. The club has been saved from plunging into the abbyss, but returning to the top tier is what the fans want. Sampdoria won its only title in 1990/91 season, making the supporters’ expectations forever higher. And Pirlo knows the club they don’t settle for scraps in Genoa.”I grew up with the legend of Vialli and Mancini, it was always a pleasure to come and play at Marassi against Sampdoria.”Pirlo was cool personified on and off the pitch. Tomorrow, he will start in his new role, trying to transfer some of his magic to the wounded Samp.
