His knowledge of the team and opponents influenced his appointment. In the first four months of the championship Andrea Dossena was intercepted several times in the Piola stands to observe Novara’s matches. Being based in Milan, while waiting for the right call the coach was also able to take notes on the competitors in the group. Then when the Italian club stepped forward to sign him in place of Andrea Zanchetta, who was sacked on 23 December after the home defeat against Ospitaletto (0-3), Dossena immediately opened up to the proposal: the first telephone contacts with sporting director Federico Boveri which took place during the holidays were followed on Friday by a long, fundamental meeting to define the agreement. The coach from Lodi, former defender of Udinese and Napoli, will join Novara until the end of the championship.
Football, Serie C: the paths of Andrea Zanchetta and Novara split, sacking the coach
Philip Massara
Training behind closed doors
The agreement reached with the club does not provide for the inclusion in the contract of particular clauses for renewal linked to the achievement of certain ranking objectives. In the absence of formal constraints, the club and coach will be free to discuss a possible confirmation on the bench if and when they deem it appropriate. The appointment is expected to be made official today, as the composition of the technical staff is being defined. In the afternoon Dossena will have the opportunity to lead his first training session at Piola (it will be behind closed doors), where on 16 March 2024 he snatched a 2-2 draw in full injury time in the only derby he faced away from home as coach of Pro Vercelli (the first leg ended 3-3 at home).
Football, Serie C: Novara’s home defeat against Ospitaletto, Azzurri defeated 0-3
Previous experiences
In the previous season at Renate, his first experience on a professional bench after starting in D with Crema and Ravenna, Dossena had collected one victory and one defeat. Then the coach accepted Spal’s offer, an experience that ended in February with his dismissal while the team found itself in 16th position also due to a 3 point penalty. The new adventure that awaits him at the helm of a C team is his first as a substitute during the current season.
Football, Serie C: Zanchetta is increasingly in the balance. At Novara there are hours of reflection
Filippo Massara
Defensive choices
In fact, in all three previous matches Dossena had been hired in the summer, thus being able to set up his preparation. In the vast majority of his more than 100 benches among the professionals, the coach has fielded the team with a four-man defence. In Ferrara he also proposed the three-way solution, the system on which the new approach in blue will be based. At least in the first phase there is no intention to overturn the tactical approach.
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