It's not easy! The former head coach of the national football team has been re-employed in Europe! His debut will be against a Premier League giant!
If we simply compare achievements, Guangzhou Evergrande is undoubtedly the most successful club in the domestic league. Besides investing heavily to introduce excellent domestic and foreign players, the coaches are also very distinguished. "Silver Fox" Marcello Lippi and "Big Phil" Luiz Felipe Scolari are both World Cup-winning coaches. Even Fabio Cannavaro, who was a young coach, had numerous honors during his playing career, including World Cup winner, FIFA World Player of the Year, and UEFA Footballer of the Year.
Compared to the aforementioned predecessors, Cannavaro's coaching resume seems quite "thin." During his tenure in the Chinese Super League, he led Guangzhou Evergrande to win the 2018 Super Cup and the 2019 Chinese Super League championship, making him a meritorious coach in the history of the club. Additionally, he also served as the interim head coach of the national team.
However, upon returning to Europe, he seemed to have been playing the role of a firefighter. First, in September 2022, he became the head coach of Benevento in Serie B, but unfortunately, due to poor results (3 wins, 7 draws, 7 losses), he was sacked by the club.
Then in April 2024, he took over Udinese in Serie A in a precarious situation, helping them secure relegation with a record of 2 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss, finishing 15th. However, he did not receive a contract renewal. It is reported that Cannavaro signed a 1+1 contract, with the second year being an option for the club, but Udinese chose not to trigger the clause, clearly indicating their intention to discard him after a brief period of joy, leaving him unemployed again.
In an interview previously, Cannavaro openly stated that he felt discriminated against, saying, "Many people do not respect my coaching experience in China, but I am a coach, and I want to coach. Even if I return to Italy, I continue to study and improve myself." After being unemployed for more than half a year, Cannavaro finally found a new job.
Recently, Croatian powerhouse Dinamo Zagreb officially announced that Italian football legend Fabio Cannavaro would become the team's new head coach, which is undoubtedly another opportunity for him to prove himself.
Dinamo Zagreb is undoubtedly a powerhouse in Croatia, always performing strongly in the domestic league, but rarely achieving much in European competitions. Currently, Dinamo Zagreb ranks third in the Croatian First League, seven points behind the top two, and the title race looks challenging. Cannavaro's arrival is seen as an "important piece" for the club to make a push for the Champions League and better domestic league results.
Cannavaro's coaching style is known for its pragmatism and tenacity, focusing on defense and team cohesion. His tactical concepts and management skills will bring new ideas to Dinamo Zagreb. The club's sports director, Marco Márkic, holds Cannavaro in high regard, believing that he possesses great charm and rich match experience, capable of leading the team to regain their title-winning confidence.
Cannavaro will officially join Dinamo Zagreb on January 3, 2025, and will make his debut in the Champions League in mid-January, facing English Premier League giants Arsenal. Taking on a tough challenge right after taking office, the difficulty of winning is indeed significant. If he can lead Dinamo Zagreb to breakthroughs in European competitions and catch up in the domestic league, it will be another highlight in his coaching career and could effectively counter external doubts.
It is worth mentioning that Guangzhou FC was able to enter the second batch of the debt-clearing list recently, and Cannavaro played a key role. It was his willingness to compromise that saved Guangzhou FC from danger. Regardless, we still wish the former Guangzhou meritorious coach and former national team head coach success in creating outstanding achievements and truly proving himself in the European arena!
