Leonardo Semplici

Leonardo Semplici (born 18 July 1967) is an Italian professional football coach, who most recently managed Serie A side SPAL.

Leonardo Semplici
Semplici as SPAL's coach in 2017
Personal information
Date of birth (1967-07-18) 18 July 1967
Place of birth Florence, Italy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1987–1988 Lucchese 1 (0)
1988–1989 Sorso 33 (2)
1989–1990 Cecina 19 (1)
1999–2000 Sangimignano
2000–2002 Poggibonsi 32 (2)
2002–2003 Grosseto 8 (0)
Teams managed
2004–2005 Sangimignano
2005–2009 Figline
2009–2010 Arezzo
2010–2011 Pisa
2014–2020 SPAL
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

His playing career mostly consisted of amateur and minor league players with Tuscan teams such as Lucchese.

Coaching career

In 2004 Semplici took over from Eccellenza Tuscany club Sangimignano, bringing them back to Serie D. He successively took over at Figline, bringing the Eccellenza amateurs all the way up to Lega Pro Prima Divisione in his four years at the helm of the team. He then had two short stints as head coach of two more Tuscan teams, Arezzo and Pisa, before Fiorentina decided to appoint him as their new youth coach.

In December 2014[1] he took over at SPAL, guiding the Lega Pro club to Serie B promotion in 2016 and then to a surprising run for a Serie A promotion spot in his first Serie B season. On 13 May 2017, SPAL became the first team to win promotion from the 2016–17 Serie B, thus ensuring a spot in the 2017–18 Serie A, the first time in the top flight since 49 years for the small Ferrara-based club.[2] The club remained in Serie A for the 2018-19 season, finishing in 13th position with 42 points. The following season proved difficult for the club, however, and after achieving just 15 points after twenty-three Serie A matches, Semplici was sacked as SPAL coach on 10 February 2020.[3]

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References
  1. "Semplici è il nuovo allenatore della Spal" (in Italian). La Nuova Ferrara. 8 December 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  2. "Spal in A, Semplici: "Ci davano per retrocessi. Dedicato a mio padre"" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  3. "LEONARDO SEMPLICI SOLLEVATO DA RESPONSABILE DELLA PRIMA SQUADRA SPAL". S.P.A.L. - Società Polisportiva Ars et Labor (in Italian). 2020-02-10. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
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