November was the month in which the trigger fingers of several chairmen became too itchy to bear: Potenza, Venezia, Benevento and Foligno all dispensed with the services of their managers. Of the four, the dismissal of Venezia’s Sereni is the least surprising. His team, expected to challenge for the play-offs at least, sat second from bottom when he got his P-45. Replacing him is local boy Stefano Cuoghi, who is yet to make an impression on the squad: Venezia are now dead last, behind even the upstart tadpoles Portosummaga from down the road.
At the right end of 1-A, Pro Patria remain top after riding through their blip. Round 11’s 3-1 win over Cesena was the 1,000th in their history. Spal and a much-improved Padova lie one and two points back respectively, the Biancoscudati having impressively seen off Cremonese 3-2 in the match of Round 12.
But it’s 1-B that has seen the majority of this month’s bloodletting. After just nine matches in charge, five of them defeats, Potenza have decided that Carmine Gautieri is not the man for the job. Replacing him is Pasquale Arleo, who previously oversaw Potenza's promotion to the third tier in 2007. He faces a stern task with his team two points adrift from Foligno at the bottom.
Foligno, the ‘Little Falcons’ from Umbria, are another of the clubs who made a change at the top. Paolo Indiani, who readers may remember from his brief role in the sitcom that is Perugia, is the new boss, presumably chosen because the directors wouldn’t have to find him a new house. His appointment means that all three of 1-B’s bottom sides now have new men in charge.
None of them, though, are in nearly as much trouble as Pescara. Having previously refused to train in protest at a million euros’ worth of unpaid salaries – a tactic that saw them climb the table to 7th – the club's players have now threatened not to play at all. Questions are now being asked as to how the team was allowed to compete in the Lega Pro with such catastrophic finances. It could get even worse for the Dolphins, though – miss three games and the club will face expulsion from all professional competition, which, as fans of Messina and Spezia will tell you, is no fun at all.
At the right end of 1-A, Pro Patria remain top after riding through their blip. Round 11’s 3-1 win over Cesena was the 1,000th in their history. Spal and a much-improved Padova lie one and two points back respectively, the Biancoscudati having impressively seen off Cremonese 3-2 in the match of Round 12.
But it’s 1-B that has seen the majority of this month’s bloodletting. After just nine matches in charge, five of them defeats, Potenza have decided that Carmine Gautieri is not the man for the job. Replacing him is Pasquale Arleo, who previously oversaw Potenza's promotion to the third tier in 2007. He faces a stern task with his team two points adrift from Foligno at the bottom.
Foligno, the ‘Little Falcons’ from Umbria, are another of the clubs who made a change at the top. Paolo Indiani, who readers may remember from his brief role in the sitcom that is Perugia, is the new boss, presumably chosen because the directors wouldn’t have to find him a new house. His appointment means that all three of 1-B’s bottom sides now have new men in charge.
None of them, though, are in nearly as much trouble as Pescara. Having previously refused to train in protest at a million euros’ worth of unpaid salaries – a tactic that saw them climb the table to 7th – the club's players have now threatened not to play at all. Questions are now being asked as to how the team was allowed to compete in the Lega Pro with such catastrophic finances. It could get even worse for the Dolphins, though – miss three games and the club will face expulsion from all professional competition, which, as fans of Messina and Spezia will tell you, is no fun at all.
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