Fiorentina Sack Coach Delio Rossi For Attacking Own Player Adem Ljajic In Dugout vs Novara (Video)

By Chris Wright

Fiorentina have a pretty lousy season in Serie A, languishing down in the lower reaches of the table, just six perilous points above the relegation zone with two games to play. Morale is thin on the ground.

Last night, Fiorentina played second-bottom Novara and, with his side going 2-0 down after just thirty minutes, coach Delio Rossi was forced into making a change; hauling off midfielder Adem Ljajic (the name may ring bells for Man Utd fans) after just 32 minutes.

Ljajic then chose to give Rossi the old ‘sarcastic clap’ treatment as he trudged toward the bench, throwing in a ‘thumbs up’ from the dugout to really put the icing on the dog turd.

This didn’t go down well with Rossi, who duly clambered down into the dugout and slapped seven shades out of the young Serbian midfielder…

The game actually finished 2-2 thanks to a brace from Riccardo Montolivo, but Rossi was sacked by Fiorentina shortly after.

Said Viola president Andrea Della Valle:

“In a few seconds, months of stress came out. I am sorry because [Rossi] has never committed acts of this kind. For his own good to make him understand he has made a mistake I had to take this decision (to sack him). No provocation justifies this reaction.”

“We will also take proportionate measures against Ljajic. Rossi has not justified it to me but he is someone who has never done anything like this.

“I believed this evening we would have achieved safety, certainly not that I would have to take a decision like this.”

Incredible. In the truest sense of the word.

Posted in FAIL, Hardmen, Serie A, Videos

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15 Comments

  1. ds. says:

    i don’t know if this is worth noting, but Roy Hodgson would never do that.

  2. Liam says:

    He deserved a slap. The managers decision is final. He obviously didnt justify a place on the pitch and had to be replaced.

  3. Al says:

    Ha ha, Ljajic street cred has taken a serious hit, taken off after half an hour then bitch slapped for being a smart ass, by an old man and not a particularly physically imposing old man either, fail.

  4. Nick says:

    Italian football seems to be engulfed in a new scandal every week at the moment. Managers battering players, players being forced to hand over their shirts to the fans, any number of strange occurences week in, week out. It’s hard to tell whether it’s incredibly exciting or actually a bit sad…

  5. frank says:

    Guess he had to be sacked after that or there would be outrage but im not surprised he did it and it was actually nice to see. some wee brat of a player doing that would wind me up no end! no respect and needs to be brought back down to earth. even if he is a crap manager or the team is doing bad, no doubt ljajic wasnt pulling his weight.

  6. sameertheprince says:

    Imagine Alex Fergie and Rio fighting like this.

  7. bombs says:

    i think ljajic fully deserved to get his ass beat.

  8. Mona says:

    Coach of the Year!!

  9. syndex says:

    england need an assistant coach and player discipline was an issue in South Africa.

  10. dbm says:

    He deserved to lose his job. You do this shit in private not on the field or dugout and embarrass the club. Both of them should be ashamed.

  11. WildScotsman6 says:

    meh… both got what was coming. A smack for being a sack … A sack for delivering a smack.

  12. RyanSSL says:

    @ Nick

    Serie A is the most exciting league both on and off the pitch. The Milan Derby should be a cracker this Sunday. The most interesting thing about the EPL is City under Mancini and Balotelli. Both Italians.

  13. BallToHand says:

    At least Fergie waits until they’re in the changing rooms.

  14. Giancarlo says:

    Apparently Ljajic insulted Delio Rossi’s handicapped son, so Rossi nailed him. I think it’s fully deserved. Little prima donna footballers deserve a bringing back to Earth for saying something like that.

  15. Waterboy says:

    Goddamn nutcase Italian.

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