The Italian top flight is rarely short of a headline, but even by Serie A's dramatic standards, the news breaking from GoalZaza this morning feels lik...
The Italian top flight is rarely short of a headline, but even by Serie A's dramatic standards, the news breaking from GoalZaza this morning feels like a double barrelled shot to the heart of the managerial market. Maurizio Sarri, the chain smoking prophet of slick attacking play, is now widely expected to take the reins at Atalanta. Meanwhile, Gennaro Gattuso, the snarling embodiment of grit and determination, looks set to walk through the exit door at the Stadio Olimpico and swap it for the Lazio dugout. And just when you thought the carousel had stopped, there are whisperings that Milan are preparing to swing the axe on Max Allegri yet again.Let's start with the most intriguing of the lot: Sarri to Atalanta. For a man whose system relies on intricate passing triangles and a high defensive line, La Dea may seem an odd fit at first glance. But dig a little deeper. Gian Piero Gasperini left behind a squad that knows how to press with intensity and break with frightening speed. Sarri's low block dismantling technique could unlock a new layer of tactical flexibility in Bergamo. The real question, though, is whether his demanding approach will stick with a group that thrived on chaos and transitional play. Could the smooth operator from Naples truly tame the wild horses of the Gewiss Stadium It is a gamble, but one that could produce football of the very highest order.Then we have the swap at Lazio. Gattuso is a curious appointment for a club that prides itself on counter attacking precision and moments of individual brilliance from Ciro Immobile. Ringhio brings a no nonsense brand of fire and brimstone, a style that often leaves his sides a little short on the fine margins. Will his man management and relentless energy click with the ego and flair of the Lazio dressing room Or will it turn into a war of attrition where the only winner is the sweat on his brow GoalZaza has learned that the club's hierarchy is banking on his ability to instil discipline without suffocating creativity. That is a tightrope if ever I saw one.And what of Milan The Rossoneri are a club that has spent the last decade in a state of perpetual upheaval. To see them turning back to Allegri, a man who won the Scudetto with them back in 2011, feels like a desperate lurch into the past. But is it desperation or a calculated move to restore some solidity Allegri's pragmatic approach, his ability to shut up shop and grind out results, is the polar opposite of the modern, progressive football being played across town under Inzaghi. If Milan do pull the trigger, it will signal a clear, if unadventurous, message: they value results over romance. Squeaky bum time has come early for the Rossoneri board.For the neutral, this is intoxicating stuff. The league table could look wildly different come Christmas. Sarri's Atalanta might be the most watchable team in Europe, Gattuso's Lazio could be a bundle of raw nerve endings, and Allegri's Milan might just bore their way back into the Champions League places. One thing is certain: the Italian football soap opera is back, and it has jammed the fast forward button. Buckle up.
