Francesco Guidolin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Francesco Guidolin

Guidolin as Udinese manager in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Francesco Guidolin
Date of birth	(1955-10-03) 3 October 1955 (age 69)
Place of birth	Castelfranco Veneto, Italy
Position(s)	Midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1975–1984	Hellas Verona	102	(14)
1977–1978	→ Sambenedettese (loan)	35	(3)
1979–1980	→ Pistoiese (loan)	35	(5)
1982–1983	→ Bologna (loan)	24	(1)
1984–1986	Venezia	41	(1)
Total		237	(24)
International career
1976–1977	Italy U21	5	(0)
Managerial career
1986–1988	Giorgione (youth team)
1988–1989	Giorgione
1989–1990	Treviso
1990–1991	Fano
1991–1992	Empoli
1992–1993	Ravenna
1993	Atalanta
1994–1998	Vicenza
1998–1999	Udinese
1999–2003	Bologna
2004–2005	Palermo
2005	Genoa
2005–2006	Monaco
2006–2007	Palermo
2007	Palermo
2007–2008	Palermo
2008–2010	Parma
2010–2014	Udinese
2016	Swansea City
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Francesco Guidolin (born 3 October 1955) is a famous Italian football manager and a former player. He has coached many Italian teams in Serie A, which is Italy's top football league. He even won the 1996–97 Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) with Vicenza. Guidolin also led teams like Vicenza, Udinese, Bologna, and Palermo in European competitions. He also managed Ligue 1 club Monaco in France.

Playing Career Highlights

Francesco Guidolin started his professional football career in 1975. He played for Hellas Verona, a team in Italy's top league, Serie A. He spent most of his playing time with Verona. During this period, he also played for other teams like Sambenedettese, Pistoiese, and Bologna on loan.

After playing for Verona, he joined Venezia for two seasons. He then retired from playing football in 1986. Guidolin also represented his country, playing for the Italy national under-21 team between 1976 and 1977.

Coaching Journey Begins

Guidolin started his coaching career in 1988. His first job was managing Giorgione, a team from his hometown. From 1989 to 1993, he coached several other teams in Italy's lower leagues. These teams included Treviso, Fano, Empoli, and Ravenna.

First Big Club: Atalanta

After successfully leading Ravenna to promotion, Guidolin got a chance to coach a Serie A team. He became the head coach of Atalanta on 1 July 1993. However, his time there was short, as he was let go after only ten matches.

Success with Vicenza

The next season, Guidolin joined Vicenza, a team in Serie B. He helped the team improve a lot. At the end of the 1994–95 Serie B season, Vicenza earned promotion to Serie A. In the next season, they finished in the middle of the league table.

Winning the Coppa Italia

During the 1996–97 season, Vicenza even led the league for a while. They ended up finishing eighth in Serie A. More importantly, they won the 1997 Coppa Italia (Italian Cup). They beat Napoli 3–1 over two games in the final. This was the club's first major trophy in Italy.

European Adventure

Winning the Coppa Italia meant Vicenza got to play in a European competition. In the 1997–98 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, they reached the semi-finals. They played against Chelsea, who eventually won the tournament. In the league season that year, Vicenza finished just above the relegation zone.

Managing Udinese

After his successful time at Vicenza, Guidolin became the head coach of Udinese for the 1998–99 season. Udinese had finished third the previous season, which qualified them for the 1998–99 UEFA Cup. However, they were knocked out early in the competition. In the league, Guidolin guided them to a mid-table finish. He was then let go just before the next season began.

Time at Bologna

In the middle of the 1999–2000 season, Guidolin joined Bologna, a club he had played for. Bologna had qualified for the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup. Guidolin led them to the third round of the UEFA Cup, where they were eliminated by Galatasaray. In the Serie A season, they finished 11th.

The next season saw them finish ninth. Then, in 2001–02, they improved to seventh place. This earned them a spot in the 2002 UEFA Intertoto Cup, a summer tournament. They lost in the final stage to Fulham. The 2002–03 season started well but ended with a disappointing 11th-place finish.

Palermo's Rise to Serie A

Guidolin returned to coaching with Palermo in January 2004. This was halfway through the Serie B season. He used Luca Toni as a key striker. Guidolin led Palermo to win the division, bringing the team back to Italy's top league, Serie A, for the first time since 1973.

In the next Serie A season, he guided Palermo to a sixth-place finish. This earned them their first-ever qualification for the UEFA Cup. However, he decided to leave the club at the end of that season.

Short Stint at Monaco

In October 2005, Guidolin took on his first coaching job outside Italy. He joined Ligue 1 club Monaco in France. He signed a two-year contract. In his only season there, the club finished 10th.

Returning to Palermo

On 30 May 2006, Guidolin made a surprising move and was rehired by his former club, Palermo. They had qualified for the 2006–07 UEFA Cup. Guidolin's Serie A season started well. However, after their star player Amauri got injured, the team went over two months without a win. In the UEFA Cup, they did not make it past the group stage.

Guidolin was sacked on 23 April 2007 after a home defeat. His assistant took over, but when the team continued to struggle, Guidolin was brought back on 14 May. Palermo finished fifth, qualifying for the 2007–08 UEFA Cup. Guidolin was then sacked again and replaced by another coach.

In November 2007, Guidolin was unexpectedly re-appointed by Palermo for a record fourth time. However, after gaining only 18 points in 17 matches, he was sacked again on 24 March 2008.

Parma's Promotion

On 30 September 2008, Guidolin signed a contract with Serie B team Parma. He guided them to second place in the 2008–09 season. This earned Parma promotion back into the top league. The next Serie A season started well, with the team often in the top ten. They eventually finished in the middle of the table.

Second Time at Udinese

Guidolin managing Udinese in April 2011

After two seasons at Parma, Guidolin resigned to become the head coach of Udinese for a second time. Udinese had recently finished 15th in Serie A.

After a slow start to the 2010–11 Serie A season, the team achieved their highest points total ever. They finished in fourth place, earning a spot in the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League qualifying round. Guidolin famously did a little dance on the pitch to celebrate. Later that year, he won the Panchina d'Oro award, given to the best coach in the league.

In the next season, Udinese could not qualify for the Champions League after losing to Arsenal. However, they reached the round of 16 in the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League. They finished the 2011–12 Serie A in third place, which was the club's best result ever. This again earned them a place in the qualifying round for the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League. In his third season at Udinese, Guidolin again failed to reach the Champions League. They also finished last in their group in the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League. In the Serie A table, the club finished fifth, reaching the Europa League qualifying round for a third time.

During the 2013–14 season, Guidolin's Udinese reached the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia. They were eliminated by Fiorentina.

Becoming a Club Consultant

On 20 May 2014, Guidolin decided to stop coaching for a while. He stayed connected with Udinese by becoming a technical supervisor for the club's chairman, Giampaolo Pozzo. This role also involved overseeing Pozzo's other clubs, Granada in Spain and Watford in England.

Swansea City Experience

On 18 January 2016, Guidolin was named head coach of Swansea City. At that time, Swansea was struggling in the 2015–16 Premier League, just two points above the relegation zone. He worked alongside interim manager Alan Curtis. Some experts were surprised by this choice. Swansea's chairman explained that Guidolin's success at Udinese with a smaller budget was similar to what Swansea wanted to achieve. When he was appointed, Guidolin was not well-known in English football. The team captain, Ashley Williams, even admitted he had to "Google" his new manager.

Guidolin's first game was on 24 January 2016. Swansea City won 2–1 against Everton, which was their first-ever league win against them. On 1 May, Guidolin made sure Swansea would stay in the Premier League for the next season. They defeated Liverpool 3–1. On 11 May 2016, Guidolin signed a new two-year contract with Swansea. The club's board was impressed by his achievements.

However, after a poor start to the next season, Guidolin was sacked on 3 October 2016, his 61st birthday. He was replaced by Bob Bradley.

Later Years

After his time at Swansea, Guidolin decided to move away from managing football teams. Since 2018, he has been working with DAZN, a sports streaming service. He works as a football expert and commentator, sharing his knowledge during matches.

Coaching Style

Francesco Guidolin won the Panchina d'oro award in 2011. This showed he was considered one of the best Italian coaches of his time. Early in his career, he was known for using a 4–4–2 formation. This is a common setup with four defenders, four midfielders, and two forwards.

Later, he became known for being very flexible and smart with his tactics. He could change his team's system to best suit his players. He used many different formations throughout his career. These included 4–3–2–1, 3–4–1–2, 4–3–3, 4–5–1, 3–4–3, and 3–5–2. A former player, Giovanni Cornacchini, said Guidolin was the best coach he ever had. He described him as very well-prepared on the field.

At Udinese, Guidolin's teams played an exciting, attacking style of football. They focused on keeping possession of the ball. However, they could also score quickly from counter-attacks. His teams were known for being strong in defense and flexible in their formations. They also used their wing-backs effectively. Players like Antonio Di Natale and Alexis Sánchez were key to their attacking play. Udinese's performances under Guidolin were highly praised.

At Swansea, Guidolin continued to use an energetic and free-flowing style. His teams focused on keeping the ball and passing it well. This was similar to the style used by previous successful managers at the club.

Managerial Statistics

Honours and Awards

Francesco Guidolin has won several important titles as a manager:

Team Honours

• Ravenna
  • Serie C1: 1992–93 (a lower Italian league title)
• Vicenza
  • Coppa Italia: 1996–97 (Italy's main cup competition)
• Palermo
  • Serie B: 2003–04 (Italy's second division title)

Individual Awards

• Panchina d'Oro: 2011 (Award for the best coach in Italian football)

See also

In Spanish: Francesco Guidolin para niños