Former Udinese manager Francesco Guidolin has been appointed as Swansea head coach until the end of the season.
The 60-year-old will work alongside interim boss Alan Curtis, but it will be the Italian who has the final say when it comes to team selection.
It is Guidolin's first managerial role since he left Udinese in May 2014 after four years in charge of the Serie A club, twice leading them into the Champions League qualifying rounds.
He has signed an initial contract with Swansea until the end of the 2015-16 campaign, with his long-term future to be discussed at the end of the season.
Guidolin will be in the stands for Swansea's Premier League clash against Watford at the Liberty Stadium tonight, with the Welsh club requiring a win to get out of the relegation zone.
The Swans have won just one of their last 11 top flight matches.
“We are very pleased with the appointment," Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins said. “His experience and knowledge will be a huge asset to the club.
"Although we recently appointed Alan Curtis as manager until the end of the campaign, he was aware and comfortable with the fact that we were still looking to bring someone in to assist if we found the right person.
"We believe we have found that person in Francesco. He has an excellent record, especially with Udinese over the last few years. He created an Udinese side from a relatively small budget - compared to the rest of the league - that competed with the big teams in Serie A.
"He instilled a belief and motivation to compete and beat the best Italy had to offer. It is similar to what this football club is trying to do in the Premier League.
“He also has a wealth of knowledge of players throughout Europe which will be a big boost on our recruitment side; something we have been reviewing in a lot more depth over the last few months.
“When the need arose to look for a new manager or head coach, those characteristics stood out from a number of other potential candidates, together with the enthusiasm he has shown to come in and help us turn our season around and retain our Premier League status."
Comments
Post a Comment