Francesco Farioli: the Italian coach beloved abroad and waiting for an opportunity in A
Francesco Farioli on the crest of the wave
The Italian coach capable of reviving Ajax and returning it to the top of the standings after 833 days è Francesco Farioli. Born in 1989 in Barga (Lucca), he has taken an unusual path compared to that of many of his colleagues.
In 2008, while enrolled in the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Florence, he decided to give up competitive activity to devote himself to teaching soccer. He began his journey with five seasons as an assistant coach in Serie D at Fortis Juventus, before receiving a call from the Aspire Academy in Qatar. There he works as a trainer of young goalkeepers ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
After two years abroad, Farioli returned to Italy, where Roberto De Zerbi called him onto his staff between 2017 and 2020. During this time, he served as goalkeeping coach first at Benevento and then at Sassuolo.
When the experience with De Zerbi ended, he accepted the proposal of Cagdas Atan, who wanted him as deputy at Alanyaspor, Turkey. The big break comes soon after: in 2021 he becomes the coach of Fatih Karagumruk at only 31 years old.
In early 2022 he returns to Alanyaspor, this time as head coach, and here he proves his worth. He leads the Turkish team to fifth place in Super Lig with 64 points, setting a record in the club’s history.
After this excellent season, comes the call from France: on June 30, 2023, he is announced as the new coach of Nice. Despite some setbacks after a great start, Farioli still managed to bring the team back to the top five, winning the Europa League qualification, which had been missing for five years.
Last summer the Tuscan coach was chosen by Ajax to lift the team after two disappointing seasons. He thus becomes the first Italian coach in the history of the Amsterdam club and the first foreign coach since Dane Morten Olsen in 1997. This season he has given space to numerous youngsters, making the debut of three youngsters from the youth academy in the last two weeks alone, and enhanced veterans such as former Inter player Klaassen, who arrived as a free agent in the summer.
Just last weekend, Ajax è returned to the top of the standings and fans resumed dreaming of the title, although the goal declared by Farioli (whose name had been approached to that of Napoli before Antonio Conte’s arrival in the Azzurri) in a press conference remains Champions League qualification.
