Delio Rossi

Delio Rossi (born November 26, 1960 in Rimini) is an Italian association football manager.

Playing career

Rossi's playing career was not a bright one, as he reached his personal top from 1981 to 1983, playing Serie B with U.S. Foggia, where he spent most of his footballing time. He retired in 1989, after a season played with Fidelis Andria of Serie C2.

Managerial career

Early years and Serie A debut with Salernitana

Rossi, a sports science graduate with honours, took his first coaching job in 1990, aged 29, at Torremaggiore, of Promozione league, immediately winning the championship. The next year he joined Foggia as youth coach. In 1993, Rossi signed for Salernitana of Serie C1, and led the team to a Serie B promotion. After an unlucky comeback to Foggia, and a sixth place in Pescara, Rossi returned to coach Salernitana in 1997, leading the team to its second Serie A promotion in history. Rossi guided the team in Serie A too, but was fired in March 1999, as he was unable to lead Salernitana out of the relegation positions.

Minor teams in Serie A and Serie B

A troubled year in Genoa and a poor comeback to Pescara were followed by three seasons with Lecce. Rossi, appointed as Lecce's coach in February 2002, was not able to avoid relegation to Serie B, but led the team back to Serie A just the next season, and maintained a place in the division the next year. He left Lecce in 2004 to be replaced by his maestro Zdenek Zeman, who was head coach at Foggia during Rossi's...
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