Football club Atalanta has named ex-Southampton coach Juric as the successor to Gasperini.
New bloke, Ivan Juric, is taking the helm at Atalanta, replacing the legendary Gian Piero Gasperini. This Croatian coach inked a two-year deal just a couple of months after vacating Southampton following their relegation from the Premier League.
Atalanta, basking in the tough task of filling Gasperini's eight-year void - a period that saw the club reach unprecedented heights - has opted for his old pupil and assistant, Juric.
With 49 candles on his cake, Juric has a solid history dancing with Gasperini at Crotone and Genoa before joining his mentor's coaching staff at Inter Milan and later at Palermo. You could say it's a bit of a cliché that Juric has replaced Gasperini more than once – specifically, in 2016, after Gasperini bolted for Atalanta, and briefly at Genoa before Gasperini's exit.
Juric's career has seen its fair share of ups and downs. Last season, he took on the Roma managerial gig following the sacking of Daniele De Rossi, but he didn't last long before they showed him the door. In December 2023, he found himself in the Premier League hot seat with Southampton, but his struggle to turn things around resulted in his tenure ending in April, well before relegation was confirmed.
Now, Juric faces a tough mission to uphold Gasperini's legacy, who orchestrated Atalanta’s transformation from relegation candidates into constant European competitors, clinching the Europa League in 2024.
Atalanta wrapped up third place in Serie A last season, putting Juric on the threshold of his initial Champions League managerial stint. In the same league, he'll lock horns with Gasperini, who picked up the AS Roma managerial gig on the same day.
In the big leagues, Juric's track record is spotty, but it's not all doom and gloom. He guided Crotone to their first-ever promotion to Serie A back in the 2015-16 season, earning the Panchina d'Argento award for his stellar work that season. However, his stints at Genoa and Southampton were marred by successive dismissals.
As a coach, Juric has managed several clubs, with varying degrees of success. His tenure with Mantova is shrouded in mystery, while his time with Hellas Verona and Torino was met with limited fanfare.
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As Ivan Juric takes up the coaching position at Atalanta, he faces a challenging task of maintaining Gasperini's legacy, considering his past role as Gasperini's assistant in European-leagues like Serie-A at Inter Milan, Palermo, and Crotone. In the upcoming season, Juric will be competing against his mentor Gasperini, who has also moved to Serie-A to manage AS Roma.
