Italian coach Giuseppe Iachini has emerged as a shock candidate to take over the vacant managerial role at Sheffield Wednesday, according to journalist Alan Nixon.
The Owls are on the look out for a new manager following Darren Moore’s sudden departure earlier this week, a move that seemingly came out of nowhere after the 49-year-old guided the Yorkshire club back to the Championship with a dramatic play-off final victory over Barnsley last month.
Rumours of disagreements on the club’s recruitment policy immediately surfaced, although that has been vehemently denied by Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri.
The club have now started the search for a new manager, with names such as Paul Ince, Nathan Jones and Steven Gerrard all linked.
Who is Giuseppe Iachini?
Iachini is a manager with over 20 years experience in Italy and has previously managed teams such as Fiorentina, Udinese and most recently, Parma. At 59-years-old, he has never taken on a role outside his home country and has been out of a job for over a year since leaving his latest position in May 2022.
Having managed mainly in Serie A and Serie B, he has twice won the title in Italy’s second tier, first with Chievo Verona in 2008 and then with Palermo in 2014. However, he was sacked from both clubs the following season after struggling with life in Serie A.
His career to date has seen him take charge of over 600 matches, although he has an overall win percentage of just 37.9%. Interestingly, Iachini has managed to record over 30 games at the helm in just one of his last seven jobs, dating back to 2015.
What has been said?
Alan Nixon revealed last week that the Italian was keen on trying his luck in England, despite interest from Sampdoria. There is a past relationship between the two, with Iachini having managed the Genoa-based club between 2011 and 2012 and there are rumours from the continent that they are interested in a reunion in an attempt to return to Serie A.
The journalist also stated that he is desperate to work in England and has put out feelers to sound out potential interest.
Nixon has now further claimed that the journeyman has identified Sheffield Wednesday as a potential destination, although it remains to be seen if that feeling is reciprocated.
Writer’s View
Despite his extensive CV, Iachini is unlikely to be Sheffield Wednesday’s next manager. The Owls’ will be keen to ensure they cement their place in the Championship next season and would surely be unwilling to take a punt on a manager who is untested in this country.
His record at Italian clubs over the past decade is unlikely to give him an edge, particularly with proven managers such as Paul Ince and Nathan Jones linked with a move.
This is likely to be an attempt to get his name into the mainstream as he searches for a position in England, although I am of the opinion that a move to Hillsborough is a non-starter.
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