The Italian coaching carousel continues to spin with purpose. According to information gathered by GoalZaza, Sassuolo have identified Alberto Aquilani...
The Italian coaching carousel continues to spin with purpose. According to information gathered by GoalZaza, Sassuolo have identified Alberto Aquilani as their preferred candidate to take over the first team. The former Roma and Liverpool midfielder, who has been plying his trade in the youth ranks and most recently with Fiorentina's Primavera, now appears ready for the step up to senior management.This is a fascinating move for the Neroverdi. Aquilani has long been tipped as a sharp tactical mind, a product of the Coverciano academy of thought that prizes possession and structured build up play. He has shown real tactical flexibility with his youthful squads, often switching between a fluid 4. 3. 3 and a more compact 4. 2. 3. 1. If he can impose that same coherence on a senior side that has sometimes looked a little ragged in transitional play, Sassuolo might just have found themselves a gem.What makes this narrative even more compelling is the knock on effect at Torino. With Aquilani off the table, the Granata have turned their attention to Ignazio Abate. Now there is a man who knows a thing or two about handling pressure and demanding high standards from his back line. Abate, another product of the Milan academy coaching pathway, has done impressive work with the Rossoneri's youth side. His teams are organised, aggressive without the ball, and clinical in transition. For a Torino side that has often lacked that bit of bite in the final third, his approach could be just the tonic.Let's be honest here. Both appointments carry an element of risk. Handing the keys to a man who has never managed in Serie A is a gamble, plain and simple. But it is a calculated one. Sassuolo, under the ownership of Squinzi and Carnevali, have a history of trusting young coaches with a clear identity. They did it with De Zerbi. They did it with Dionisi. Now they are betting on Aquilani.Is it the right call Only time and a few squeaky bum moments in the dugout will tell. But you cannot fault the ambition. And for neutrals who enjoy watching a coach grow in real time, this is the kind of story that makes the Italian game so bloody compelling.Torino, meanwhile, need a steady hand. Abate offers that. He is not flashy, but he is effective. If he can instil that defensive solidity and a bit of pace on the break, the fans at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino might finally have something to cheer about beyond the usual mid table drift.
