Gennaro Gattuso’s coaching career has taken another hit with Olympique Marseille’s decision to fire him, leaving the former footballer in a difficult situation.
Since his debut in first-team football with FC Sion and Palermo in 2013, the former Milan hardman has established himself as an intriguing figure in the bench.
It took him a few years to find his groove, including a stint at Crete renowned for his humorous news conferences and a vaguely promising time at AC Pisa from 2015 to 2017.
Gattuso shown humility in July 2017, when he stood down from first-team coaching and returned to Primavera level with his former club Milan. Following a strong 12-game run, he was unexpectedly handed an opportunity with the Rossoneri senior team.
In the end, the former midfield player fared reasonably well during his two years as manager, leading them to sixth place in his first season and a bitter fifth place in his second, both of which were only one point behind rivals Inter.
Even though he was unable to return them to the Champions League, Gattuso succeeded in turning things around after a disorganized three-year period in which six coaches took charge after Massimiliano Allegri’s 2014 departure.
Gattuso succeeded Carlo Ancelotti at Napoli in December 2019 after being hired due to his performance. Given his well-known fiery demeanor and Partenopei president Aurelio De Laurentiis’s unpredictable disposition, his selection was met with considerable humor.
The Italian coach won the Coppa Italia, defeating Juventus on penalties to win their sixth domestic cup and first since the 2013–14 season, however he only achieved a seventh-place finish in Serie A during his first season in command.
In the subsequent season, Gattuso came agonizingly close to qualifying for the Champions League once more, as his Napoli team finished one point shy of rival Juventus. De Laurentiis showed him the door as a result, but it appeared that he had great expectations.
After three years, everything has changed. Gattuso appears to be more of a former star whose talent on the field didn’t transcend to the dugout than an intriguing young coach with strong man management abilities.
Gattuso was now in a precarious situation, thus his next coaching action was critical. Former Milan player Filippo Inzaghi was taking on the challenge of finding the appropriate project to prove himself at the greatest level, following in the footsteps of Andrea Pirlo, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, and Filippo Inzaghi.
In the end, he decided to relocate to France for his next journey, signing on with the notorious Olympique Marseille in September 2023. Gattuso was seen as a sleeping giant, and there was optimism that he could propel Les Olympiens back to the top of Ligue 1 or at the very least, give Paris Saint-Germain a competitive match.
Gattuso did not meet his expectations. The Italian coach led the team to ninth place in the table after 22 games, but in his 16 league games, he only achieved five victories and six draws. He was unable to forge a strong team identity or stay up with the competition in the battle for a European finish.
Gattuso has failed miserably in his last two stints in the dugout, and it’s safe to conclude that his coaching abilities are waning. As a result, clubs searching for a new coach in the summer may find themselves facing a significant risk in hiring him.
In a world where managers such as Vincenzo Italiano, Roberto De Zerbi, and Simone Inzaghi have flourished, Gattuso faces a genuine risk of disappearing from view and having only a few minor league teams vying for his services.