Hail to the Chief - Giancarlo Italiano, New Phoenix Head Coach

Nelfoos

Consistency is something we've lacked at times and this obviously maintains it. Looking forward to seeing how much of the strong recent recruitment was Uffie and how much was the other club staff. 

Chiefy was heavily involved in scouting the players we signed from what I gather.

Wellington Phoenix have announced assistant coach Giancarlo Italiano as Ufuk Talay's replacement. Has signed a two-year deal from next season. Chairman Rob Morrison said Italiano helped unearth a number of players who have gone on to become "fan favourites".

— Phillip Rollo (@ByPhillipRollo) April 18, 2023

MetalLegNZ

meh.
Underwhelming, because it was anticipated.
I'd be interested to see who else they reached out to, it's not like they openly advertised the role to see who was available.

Hang on - a football organisation making a coaching announcement on time and to schedule, with a 'preferred' candidate who doesn't have ill relatives and who has actually signed their contract, is now underwhelming?  Did I miss something?

Awesome news! All the best for the next few seasons Chiefy.

Intrigued to see how the recruitment side of things goes this off season as it will be a semi decent rebuild he has on his hands.

recruitment is going to be crucial!
the dude's gonna need some better players with the right personalities

Well, I mean, the Nix are undefeated with Chiefy in charge...
Here's that press conference from March 2022 🫡

@youngheart, he's wearing a suit!

Will be interesting who the assistant coach will now be. Greenacre?

this appointment potentially means that the club have reached a whole new level of maturity

we are well run, have good financial backing. our facilities are great. our academy is pumping. the coaching and support staff are first rate. and now we have an internal promotion to the first team manager role.

we have things to work on, but that's a heck of a lot of things that we are doing right

not sure how he will go as a coach, but I know for a fact he's certainly the most Italian sounding and looking guy I have ever seen

Nixieboys222

not sure how he will go as a coach, but I know for a fact he's certainly the most Italian sounding and looking guy I have ever seen

super-mario-bros-movie-2-1665087675.png 1.08 MB

Doloras

Nixieboys222

not sure how he will go as a coach, but I know for a fact he's certainly the most Italian sounding and looking guy I have ever seen

super-mario-bros-movie-2-1665087675.png 1.08 MB

He's more Italian than that Mario!

reg22

@youngheart, he's wearing a suit!

Chief 🫡

💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/2Mskkvwp2y

— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) April 18, 2023

Just seen it. Top lad 🙌

The all black is a bit Rudan-esque for my liking, but Hey Mambo!

Oska

The all black is a bit Rudan-esque for my liking, but Hey Mambo!

Bet he doesn't have the white sneakers to go with it though 🤭

Good newd I guess.
Are we allowed to blame the Chiefy for bad games while Uffi is still in charge? Is a good cop, bad cop situation?

Khalil Media

MetalLegNZ

meh.
Underwhelming, because it was anticipated.
I'd be interested to see who else they reached out to, it's not like they openly advertised the role to see who was available.

Hang on - a football organisation making a coaching announcement on time and to schedule, with a 'preferred' candidate who doesn't have ill relatives and who has actually signed their contract, is now underwhelming?  Did I miss something?

some people are never gonna be happy with any announcement.

I’ll be interested next season to see if he is fighting with the opposition bench or as someone else said yelling at his players 

He looks a cool guy however so really hope it is all good 

He's half Peruvian! Like him already.

coochiee

He's half Peruvian! Like him already.

7ijjkk.jpg 81.44 KB

Good luck to the guy! Dome taken the cheap option!

If he does the business in this mediocre comp then fair play. Do i think he will be an improvement? no. Time will tell. 

Showtime Nixie

Good luck to the guy! Dome taken the cheap option!

If he does the business in this mediocre comp then fair play. Do i think he will be an improvement? no. Time will tell. 

Are you ever actually happy with anything the nix do? Surely this is a good sign that the club has the skills to develop their own coaching and recruitng people after 15+ years in the league. Who would you have preferred if not Cheify?

Can the apprentice surpass the master? Hopefully

I’m happy with this news. As others have said, consistency is something the nix club or fan base have known. I like him, team has performed well when he’s been in charge. Roll on next season 👍 fingers crossed he can unearth a few others! 

Rudan recommended Talay to Welnix. It's the only decent thing he did as he broke contract for 'family reasons'. Sure no finals wins as yet under Uffie, but a possible 3 finals appearances in 4 seasons, makes Talay a success in the overall history of the club.

So the club's owners have decided to almost repeat that, again plumping for an ALM assistant coach recommended by the departing one. They have gone low risk, after being burnt badly by the Kalezic high risk experiment.

Edit - If you include the Rudan campaign, it could well be 4 finals appearances in 5 seasons under youngest Aussie coaches given their first ALM head coaching gig. They will be hoping Italiano can continue that trend. 

How many other ALM clubs have been in finals 4 or more of the last 5 seasons? 
Be an interesting little stat. And yes realise Nix ain't there yet this season.

theprof

Showtime Nixie

Good luck to the guy! Dome taken the cheap option!

If he does the business in this mediocre comp then fair play. Do i think he will be an improvement? no. Time will tell. 

Are you ever actually happy with anything the nix do? Surely this is a good sign that the club has the skills to develop their own coaching and recruitng people after 15+ years in the league. Who would you have preferred if not Cheify?

Personally i would've gone for a Danny Hay (who was about to be assistant of Sydney before All Whites appt). Potentially Sam Wilkinson or a Jose Figueira or some one more local. This new fellas inexperienced and i guess so are my choices but i think the Nix have missed an opportunity to connect to the wider fan base, especially the National League. If the womens side is happy to promote and develop a kiwi then why havent the men? just a thought anyway. 

Showtime Nixie

theprof

Showtime Nixie

Good luck to the guy! Dome taken the cheap option!

If he does the business in this mediocre comp then fair play. Do i think he will be an improvement? no. Time will tell. 

Are you ever actually happy with anything the nix do? Surely this is a good sign that the club has the skills to develop their own coaching and recruitng people after 15+ years in the league. Who would you have preferred if not Cheify?

Personally i would've gone for a Danny Hay (who was about to be assistant of Sydney before All Whites appt). Potentially Sam Wilkinson or a Jose Figueira or some one more local. This new fellas inexperienced and i guess so are my choices but i think the Nix have missed an opportunity to connect to the wider fan base, especially the National League. If the womens side is happy to promote and develop a kiwi then why havent the men? just a thought anyway. 

Do any of Hay, Wilkinson or Figueira possess the required badges? It's a very very small group of 'Kiwis' (incl UK expats like Greenacre) that do.

coochiee

Showtime Nixie

theprof

Showtime Nixie

Good luck to the guy! Dome taken the cheap option!

If he does the business in this mediocre comp then fair play. Do i think he will be an improvement? no. Time will tell. 

Are you ever actually happy with anything the nix do? Surely this is a good sign that the club has the skills to develop their own coaching and recruitng people after 15+ years in the league. Who would you have preferred if not Cheify?

Personally i would've gone for a Danny Hay (who was about to be assistant of Sydney before All Whites appt). Potentially Sam Wilkinson or a Jose Figueira or some one more local. This new fellas inexperienced and i guess so are my choices but i think the Nix have missed an opportunity to connect to the wider fan base, especially the National League. If the womens side is happy to promote and develop a kiwi then why havent the men? just a thought anyway. 

Do any of Hay, Wilkinson or Figueira possess the required badges? It's a very very small group of 'Kiwis' (incl UK expats like Greenacre) that do.

Not sold on that this Italiano guys connects to the NZ football community. Maybe a good start will but give him a sugar hit but i thought the guy was a kit man.  The Prof thought Ufuk Talay was god....he will argue with me til the world ends. Im just stating opinion. 

Would love to know what others think? Football in this country relies on connections in my opinion. 

Showtime Nixie

coochiee

Showtime Nixie

theprof

Showtime Nixie

Good luck to the guy! Dome taken the cheap option!

If he does the business in this mediocre comp then fair play. Do i think he will be an improvement? no. Time will tell. 

Are you ever actually happy with anything the nix do? Surely this is a good sign that the club has the skills to develop their own coaching and recruitng people after 15+ years in the league. Who would you have preferred if not Cheify?

Personally i would've gone for a Danny Hay (who was about to be assistant of Sydney before All Whites appt). Potentially Sam Wilkinson or a Jose Figueira or some one more local. This new fellas inexperienced and i guess so are my choices but i think the Nix have missed an opportunity to connect to the wider fan base, especially the National League. If the womens side is happy to promote and develop a kiwi then why havent the men? just a thought anyway. 

Do any of Hay, Wilkinson or Figueira possess the required badges? It's a very very small group of 'Kiwis' (incl UK expats like Greenacre) that do.

Not sold on that this Italiano guys connects to the NZ football community. Maybe a good start will but give him a sugar hit but i thgough the guy was a kit man.  The Prof thought Ufuk Talay was god....he will argue with me til the world ends. Im just stating opinion. 

Would love to know what others think? Football in this country relies on connections in my opinion. 

as always totally wrong!
I did not think Talay was gid, just defending his record from unfounded, biased attacks from yourself. As pointed ut by others,you never seem happy with anyhting the nix do. Add this announcement to the list. The three you've listed as other options seem odd, given Hay's dismissal from the AW's over bullying etc, his tactic werent exactly positive. Not sure about the other two but I'm guessing they dont have the badges. Italiano obviously does and he has spent time tihin the Nix organisation so he'll know plenty about the NZ football talent pool. 

Talay & Rudan had zero connection to NZ before arriving. Italiano has been at the Nix what for now 4 seasons? He would have watched plenty of Weenix/Central League games.

Of greater importance is a knowledge of the A League itself. The other 11 teams, and half your games are in Australia. Alot of the Nix players are Australian, and new players will always be recruited from other ALM teams or NPL clubs. A NZ (or foreign) head coach with no experience of the ALM or football scene in Australia would immediately be on the back foot.

Knowledge of the NZ scene ain't that important, and other staffers like Gill, Greenacre have plenty of that.

Edit - my limited knowledge of League and the Warriors is they have only made a Grand Final with an Aussie as coach. Yet nearly all their players are Kiwis??

coochiee

Talay & Rudan had zero connection to NZ before arriving. Italiano has been at the Nix what for now 4 seasons? He would have watched plenty of Weenix/Central League games.

Of greater importance is a knowledge of the A League itself. The other 11 teams, and half your games are in Australia. Alot of the Nix players are Australian, and new players will always be recruited from other ALM teams or NPL clubs. A NZ (or foreign) head coach with no experience of the ALM or football scene in Australia would immediately be on the back foot.

Knowledge of the NZ scene ain't that important, and other staffers like Gill, Greenacre have plenty of that.

That's my point - crowds are done , engagement is down. Lets be honest even inside welly interest is down....before any one blames wellington rugby.

I think the Nix have missed a trick here. 

Look back at your most successful years? what's the common dominator....

go on then tell us what the common demonominator is? 
you clearly have all the answers.

kiwis. coach and squad. Can you argue that? nup. Engagment was through the roof!!

Good luck to this fella...he's worked hard. I hope it works. 

Just doesn't have me tuning in anymore than the last flop.

Showtime Nixie

coochiee

Talay & Rudan had zero connection to NZ before arriving. Italiano has been at the Nix what for now 4 seasons? He would have watched plenty of Weenix/Central League games.

Of greater importance is a knowledge of the A League itself. The other 11 teams, and half your games are in Australia. Alot of the Nix players are Australian, and new players will always be recruited from other ALM teams or NPL clubs. A NZ (or foreign) head coach with no experience of the ALM or football scene in Australia would immediately be on the back foot.

Knowledge of the NZ scene ain't that important, and other staffers like Gill, Greenacre have plenty of that.

That's my point - crowds are done , engagement is down. Lets be honest even inside welly interest is down....before any one blames wellington rugby.

I think the Nix have missed a trick here. 

Look back at your most successful years? what's the common dominator....

Yawn.

What we need is to make the whole league sharke and bring back Tiatto, Muscat, waterlogged pitches, nut punching, Frank Farina, Victory/Adelaide/Sydney primacy and Gold Coast United! 

What did I miss…

Oh, yeah- Tony Warner. What a gent.

Stop developing players and send them all to the States first? 

Enuff engaging with this half baked stuff.

Hail to Chief!

martinb

Enuff engaging with this half baked stuff.

Hail to Chief!

 


Neither Rob Morrison nor David Dome fell off the back of a truck. They are very smart operators and will have their due diligence before making this decision.

It is the correct one. 

Press Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erd9JP3g8-w

Showtime Nixie

kiwis. coach and squad. Can you argue that? nup. Engagment was through the roof!!

Good luck to this fella...he's worked hard. I hope it works. 

Just doesn't have me tuning in anymore than the last flop.

Didn't seem to work so well for the women did it? In such a small, non footballing country we would be extremely lucky to find an all kiwi squad and be competitive. 

Our kiwis are either too good/expensive or not good enough, very few in the sweet spot such as Rufer that are happy to stay. You can hardly tie down the likes of Waine & Lewis.

Also this has never been an issue in the past, we've had plenty of foreigners in the team. Can you not be happy that this kiwi football outfit is now capable enough to develop (hopefully, if Chiefy goes well) managers as well as players. The Nix are single handedly (basically) pushing the sport forward in NZ

New Zealand is 30% immigrants, one of the highest immigrant population in the world.

In my mind anyone that calls this country home is a kiwi.