Claudio Ranieri linked with return to management

1986. That’s the year in which Claudio Ranieri first got a taste for coaching at Italian amateur side Vigor Lamezia. 

Lamezia were top of the table and unbeaten in 12 matches when Ranieri resigned because an agent friend of the President brought in a load of players whom Ranieri didn’t want to play. 

Ranieri has since been a very busy manager, having had a further 20 spells in the dugout in Italy, England, Spain, France, and Greece.

His most spectacular and memorable achievement was of course leading 5,000/1 shots Leicester City to the Premier League title in 2016, while he’s since managed Nantes, Fulham, Roma, and most recently Sampdoria whom he oversaw between October 2019 and June 2021.

Three months later and Ranieri is already being linked with a return to Serie A with Bologna, who are reportedly considering the veteran manager as a replacement for the under-fire Sinisa Mihajlovic.

Bologna are currently 11th in the table, but after a bright start in which saw them register seven points from three games, the club has since suffered heavy defeats to Inter Milan (6-1) and Empoli (4-2) with a 2-2 draw against Genoa sandwiched in between.

The alarming amount of goals conceded during that three-game period (12) is said to have concerned President Joey Saputo, Sky Sport Italy reports that a negative result against Lazio this weekend could spell the end for Mihajlovic; the former manager of AC Milan and Fiorentina.

The Serbian was appointed Bologna boss for a second time in January 2019 and has since finished 10th, and 12th twice.

He’ll be more than wary that the international break proceeds the Lazio fixture, which could well instigate the return of Ranieri.