Former Celtic midfielder Massimo Donati has been named as the new manager of notable Italian club Sampdoria.
Donati began his foray into management with Serie D outfit Sambenedettese in 2021. It was a brief stint in the dugout as he was dismissed after a poor start to the season, a matter of months later. Next, the ex-Celt took the hotseat at Legnago Salus and guided the club to Serie C; following that promotion up with a surprisingly high finish in the third tier play offs.
Donati’s spell at Legnago indicated that he may have something about him, beyond his talents on the pitch as a player. That view was held by the ownership of Athens Kallethia, who appointed him as boss of their newly promoted Greek Super League side last June. Despite the Greek minnows being relegated last term, Donati has seemingly impressed the Blucerchiati hierarchy and landed a one year contract to take up the managerial role at Sampdoria.
A huge name, but a club in dissarray, Sampdoria narrowly avoided relegation to Serie C via the play offs last season. Massimo Donati will need to draw on all of his experience, as a player with 314 Italian top flight appearances, to navigate his former club to a more stable position. Indeed, the former Celtic star played 19 games for ‘La Samp’ as an AC Milan loanee back in 2003/04.
Donati’s appointment is certainly a surprising and interesting one at this young stage of the 44 year old’s career in management. No doubt many Celtic fans will keep a keen eye on his progression, after all he is still fondly remembered for his late, dramatic winning goal against Shaktar Donetsk in the Champions League back in 2007!
He is also well known throughout Scottish Football due to his spells as a player for Hamilton Academicals and St Mirren, as well as briefly undertaking a position as Kilmarnock’s assistant manager in 2019.
