Italian Legend Gennaro Gattuso Hopes Scotland Stint Can Boost Managerial Profile
One of the most recognisable sights in European football in the 2000s was Italian midfield general Gennaro Gattuso sprinting, snarling and shouting his way into challenges and referees' notebooks.
The AC Milan legend, a two-time Champions League winner and World Cup champion with Italy in 2006, retired from playing in 2013 to begin his managerial career. Though it hasn't quite gone to plan so far, he hopes that a return to Scotland can show his worth in the dugout.
Gattuso has applied for the vacant spot at Scottish Premiership side Hamilton Academical, according to the Scottish edition of the Daily Mail, in the hopes that the league and team suit his style of management, making success for all.
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"John Hartson and Gennaro Gattuso have expressed interest in the Hamilton Academical job.
— Transfer Central TNC (@TransferNewsCen) January 16, 2015"
As Player, As Boss
Scotland will be nothing new for Gattuso. Before making his name in Italy's biggest club at the time, he signed to Glasgow Rangers in 1997. He spent only a year-and-a-half at the club, coming in and out of the side and playing out of position at times, but his talents were already evident, and that difficult time no doubt contributed plenty to the player he would become.
An aggressive, combative midfielder, Gattuso's reputation was built on fighting for everything—something he would have had to grow into at Rangers, where game time was far from guaranteed and the rugged nature of the SPL would have been a million miles from the then-gorgeous overall style of Serie A.
"A bit late, not like his tackles! HappyBirthday Rino #Gattuso #weareacmilan #noidelmilan pic.twitter.com/Mvc7koIqHs
— Jesmond Saliba (@SalibaJes) January 10, 2015"
Gattuso retains family in Scotland and so is no stranger to the scenery or the league. He has intimated his familiarity with Hamilton, lauding the "great academy" and "impressive" results this season, per the Mail.
The Accies are fifth in the table at present, eight points off top spot but only two behind third-place Dundee United.
Struggles
Many notable players stroll into a relatively high-profile position when they move from playing to managing, but that hasn't been the case with Rino. Gattuso has already managed at Switzerland, the second flight in Italy and in Greece—despite only moving into management 23 months ago.
He lasted less than three months with Sion, the last team he played for before stepping up to coach, but as he was the fifth manager of the first team in the 2012-13 campaign, it was hardly a move that provided immediate stability.
Palermo was the first Italian side he managed. He took over in summer 2013 but he was gone by September. Again, Palermo are hardly renowned for managerial stability and longevity; they have had 12 different head coaches in just the past four years.
Gattuso's stint at Crete in Greece lasted close to seven months, his longest spell at a team to date. Financial problems seemed the root cause of his exit:
"Gennaro Gattuso, who recently quit Greek side OFI Crete, had given 50k euros to unpaid players and for other team expenses, via @YanniRamone
— Ted Philipakos (@tphilipakos) January 10, 2015"
It is not difficult to see, then, why Hamilton Academical might appeal to Gattuso. After struggling at poorly run, inconsistent clubs so far, joining a club with more stability and reputation for producing from within is no bad thing.
Scot Progress
Of course, Gattuso is focused on his career and improving his chances of being a top manager, not on helping Hamilton or Scottish football—but there's little doubt that doing well in Scotland can often be a pathway to better things.
The obvious frame of reference is Alex Ferguson, European champion with Aberdeen before moving to Manchester United, but the Scottish league and the wider football world is very different these days.
More recently, Celtic's successful boss Neil Lennon departed and eventually landed the job at Bolton Wanderers in the English second tier. Hamilton's own former boss, Alex Neil, also moved to the Championship just weeks ago, to Norwich City.
Being a success in the Scottish Premiership is far from a guaranteed route to a big club, but it can be a stepping stone to a better league and a more high-profile job. And in turn, sustained success can lead to better offers.
Having opted to take the road to the top by starting somewhere far below, Gattuso now needs to settle at one club and make his first steps toward being a success as a manager. Scotland might offer him the chance to do just that, much as it did during his playing days.
