Palermo sack untried manager

Italian club Palermo have sacked manager Stefano Pioli before he had the chance to take charge of a competitive game.

The club's president Maurizio Zamparini said that the 45-year-old had lost the backing of the Serie A side.

"I saw that the team was no longer following the coach so I had to intervene and sack him," Zamparini said.

"There was no confidence in him and I was worried that we would be heading in the wrong direction."

Devis Mangia has been promoted from his youth-team coaching role to take charge of the team on a caretaker basis.

“At the moment Mangia is in charge and, if he leads Palermo to an amazing victory over Inter, then maybe he’ll continue," added Zamparini.

It is reported, however, that Zamparini will move for previous coach Delio Rossi or former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri, who left his job as Roma manager in February.