The managerial carousel is already spinning, and Alberto Aquilani's name has emerged as a serious contender for the Torino hot seat. GoalZaza has lear...
The managerial carousel is already spinning, and Alberto Aquilani's name has emerged as a serious contender for the Torino hot seat. GoalZaza has learned that the former Roma and Liverpool midfielder, fresh from a near miss in Serie B with Catanzaro, is being targeted by the Granata hierarchy.Aquilani's stock has risen sharply after a season that defied expectations. He took a side tipped for mid table obscurity and very nearly dragged them into the promised land of Serie A. That he fell short at the final hurdle, losing in the playoff final to Venezia, feels almost cruel. But let's be honest, the very fact that Catanzaro were in that position at all speaks volumes about his coaching acumen.What would Aquilani bring to Turin Torino need a refresh. After Ivan Juric's intense, high pressing approach plateaued, the club craves a more cultured, possession based identity. And that is precisely Aquilani's calling card. His Catanzaro side were not just a functional outfit; they played with a certain tempo, a willingness to control the middle third and build from the back. They did not just park the bus and hope for a smash and grab. They tried to play on the front foot, even against more fancied opponents.Of course, the jump from Serie B to a club with Torino's history and fanbase expectations is a different beast entirely. This is not about squeaky bum time in a playoff semi final. This is about facing Juventus in the Derby della Mole, about managing the political pressure of a president like Urbano Cairo, and about getting the best out of players like Duvan Zapata and Raoul Bellanova. Can a man who has only really had one full season as a head coach handle thatThe answer is maybe. But that is the risk that makes football so compelling. Aquilani is a gambler's choice, a statement of intent that Torino want to evolve beyond the blood and thunder of recent years into a more nuanced, technically proficient side. If he can replicate even a fraction of his Catanzaro magic, they might just have pulled off the smartest appointment of the summer. If not, well, the division is littered with promising managers who found the top flight a step too far. For now, the rumour has real legs.
