Claudio Ranieri has remarkably returned to Roma for a third spell as head coach – six months after announcing his retirement.
Ranieri could not resist the call from his beloved Roma when asked to take the reins as their third head coach of the 2024-25 season following the sackings of Daniele De Rossi and Ivan Juric.
After a number of other candidates were considered, including names like Roberto Mancini and Vincenzo Montella, Roma have instead appointed Ranieri, who becomes only the second coach – after Nils Liedholm – to manage them over three separate spells.
The most recent was at the end of the 2018-19 season, when Ranieri took charge of the final 12 games in an attempt to steady the ship at a club disillusioned by poor transfer choices and an under-pressure ownership.
And now Ranieri inherits an arguably tougher challenge, with many similar factors in the background but Roma’s starting position at the time of his appointment being lower (12th) and much more of the season ahead.
Claudio Ranieri is the new Head Coach of the First Team.
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) November 14, 2024
Welcome home, coach! 💛❤️
📄 https://t.co/CNtUTOH6vz#ASRoma pic.twitter.com/cWJt1IOI92
His contract will last until the end of the campaign, after which he will take on an advisory role with the club, including in their search for his permanent successor.
At 73, he has become Roma’s oldest coach since Liedholm’s fourth and final spell in 1997, when the Swedish tactician was 74.
Ranieri reunited with Lorenzo Pellegrini, Bryan Cristante and Stephan El Shaarawy from his previous Roma spell, and also Eldor Shomurodov from his most recent spell with Cagliari.
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