It all started eight years ago, in June 2016. Davide was appointed manager of the Serie A newcomers Crotone, who seemed predestined to return to the second tier almost instantly. Therefore, the long-haired, charismatic tactician used the opportunity to give a unique, one could say even bizarre promise – he’ll ride a bicycle from Crotone to his home in Turin, 1,300km away, if they avoid relegation.Less than a year later, Crotone finished in 17th place, two points above the relegation zone and ahead of Empoli on the final matchday of the season. The Italian press hailed it as a football miracle, as Crotone had collected only nine points in the whole first half of the season. Fulfilling the promise, Davide really rode 1,300km from Crotone to Turin on a bicycle.Davide Nicola:✅ In 2017, he saved Crotone from relegation✅ In 2020, he saved Genoa from relegation✅ In 2021, he saved Torino from relegation✅ In 2022, he saved Salernitana from relegation✅ In 2024, he’s saved Empoli from relegation pic.twitter.com/n2rigNmjJ2— Italian Football News 🇮🇹 (@footitalia1) May 26, 2024 And that was just the beginning of unusual story of Davide Nicola. A few years later, on December 2019, this former player of several modest Italian teams was appointed as a new manager of Genoa. So he pulled off the same thing like he previously did with Crotone, saving Genoa from relegation.In January 2021, then already established escape specialist moved to his hometown, Torino, and achieved something that can be labelled as a three-peat – he guided three different teams to narrowly escaped relegation.##NAJAVA_MECA_8139434##What also remained a pattern when it came to the 51-year-old Nicola was his almost immediate exit from the club following a successful battle to stay in the top flight. He did the same with Torino, before being hired by another Serie A struggler Salernitana in February 2022. He was given a contract until the end of that season with just one goal – to save them, too. So, that’s what Davide did, as Salernitana obtained 18 points in the remaining 15 matches and avoided relegation. That was his fourth escape, hailed as a miracle by the media.Davide Nicola Relegation specialist. 5-0 in the last 5 relegation dogfights. Italian Big Sam. pic.twitter.com/qyIQuc8tXq— Nate💥💥🇬🇧 (@4ubam3gangbang) May 28, 2024 Last but not least, he pulled it off again a few days ago, as Empoli survived against all the odds in the final seconds of the campaign. He was hired as their third coach of the season in January 2024, and led the struggling team to the shores of safety.”This is the one that has made me the happiest – more for other people than for myself,” said Nicola after the last game of the season, as he thanked the fans for giving his team a lift, the players for raising their levels and the board for their support.”Empoli are an example that ought to be studied. They have the setup of a big club, but they remain humble. This group of lads will go down in history.”And, Davide, so are you.
