Genoa have shocked Serie A, or not, and rehired former manager Alberto Malesani. Genoa club president Enrico Preziosi has had three months to think it over, and after some early results, has realised his mistake.
Though Genoa have not been completely awful during the second half of the season, I felt—now former manager—Pasquale Marino deserved the benefit of the doubt. Genoa are always in a state of adding and subtracting players, and club had produced some good football since Marino’s arrival. It must be remember Genoa’s form was good until Alberto Gilardino got injured in early February and missed the next month of action. Since his return the club haven’t been able to rekindle that form.
The club added five new players to the team in January, and all have played significantly since then. Those players looked like a good deal when the club picked up nine out of 15 points between January 8 and February 5. Yet, since February 5 the club have only picked up four points.
Again, I want to give Marino the benefit of the doubt. Though it must be said I was beginning to worry.
Watching the club’s epic 5-4 defeat to Inter on Sunday, Marino looked like a lost puppy on the sidelines. While Inter boss Andrea Stramaccioni—if Inter don’t want him, may be Genoa can hire him for a few months—coached his team from the sidelines, moving players around and shouting tactical nuances. While Marino just watched.
To put things into perspective, Genoa were in 10th place when Malesani was relieved of his managerial duties on December 19, 2011. Since that time the club as only won three matches, and since their last win they’ve only picked up four points—13 points in the second half of the season all together.
They are currently six points above the relegation zone, and have a massive six pointer Saturday when they travel to Novara.
Everything I’ve written in the past couple months about finding an identity and having roster stability is now out the door. The most important thing now is to stay in Serie A. This vicious cycle of top-flight preservation is what keeps this club in their constant state of change and inconsistency.
Now that Preziosi has brought Malesani back for his second spell of the season, it must be a two-horse race for the Worst Italian Club President of the Year Award. Obviously, he and Inter president Massimo Moratti are the two finalists.
Preziosi seems to have the ability to take something that’s going somewhat well, as the club was doing prior to Christmas, and completely turn it upside down. To be fair, Genoa had lost five out of six matches leading up to Christmas, and the day before Malesani’s dismissal the club were humiliated 6-1 in Naples. Obviously, Preziosi felt he had to act at the time. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
However, I argue that Malesani had nowhere near the talent that was brought in following his departure. Malesani had to rely solely on Rodrigo Palacio to score, create, pass, defend, wash kits, clean the stadium and even sell the tickets on match day. Malesani had much less support than Marino, and produced better results with a inferior amount of talent.
Malesani now returns to a very difficult situation. He had the club in mid-table and looking decent prior to the 2012, however, now only Fiorentina separate them from the relegation zone. With only eight matches left this season Lecce are within distance, and their survival could be at the expense of the Grifone.
Genoa may join Sampdoria in Serie B for next season, and the Derby della Lanterna could be renewed.
One thing’s for sure it’s never boring at the Marassi.
Follow Drew Farmer on Twitter @Calciofarmer
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