The Montreal Impact’s sweeping search for their next head coach has grown to include two veteran Italian managers, according to a report from an Italian journalist.
The Impact are considering Francesco Guidolin and Walter Mazzarri, two experienced coaches with Serie A and English Premier League pedigree, according to a tweet from Corriere di Bologna’s Daniele Labanti on Monday.
Labanti added in subsequent tweets that former Impact defender and Italian international Alessandro Nesta, currently in charge of the NASL's Miami FC, is on the list, as well as former Montreal boss Marco Schallibaum.
Guidolin bears some three decades of coaching experience and most recently led Swansea City before making way for the short Swans tenure of American Bob Bradley. Mazzarri orchestrated Watford’s survival in the Premier League last season but parted company with the London club at the end of the campaign in May.
Montreal, who dismissed coach Mauro Biello at the close of their season after missing out on the Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs, have also been linked to former Argentina international Gabriel Heinze as well as other potential candidates.
Last month Impact owner Joey Saputo said the search for a new coach actually began in July and has already encompassed discussions with “a Swiss coach, a Frenchman, a German, a Spaniard, two Italians and three Argentines.”
Saputo also said he’s seeking a coach with “at least five years at a high level, and someone who won trophies,” citing playing philosophy as a key facet of the hire as well.
“I want to be sure we hire someone able to make the difference,” he said.
“We’ve invested in players, in the organization, in the structure. I think that now we realize that to go to the next level, we have to invest in a coach. I won’t tell you names, but when we will name the coach, you will realize that it’s not anything that we’ve had before. We go to another level, totally.”
