Longo is new Torino manager as Mazzarri steps down
Walter Mazzarri stepped down as Torino coach yesterday after his club conceded 11 goals over its last two matches, and Moreno Longo was hired as his replacement.
After an embarrassing 7-0 rout at home by Atalanta, Torino lost 40 at relegation-threatened Lecce on Sunday to stretch its losing streak to three games.
"President Urbano Cairo and coach Walter Mazzarri, after a thorough analysis of the current situation, have decided to end their professional relationship," the club said in a statement. "Torino Football Club announces therefore the consensual resolution of Walter Mazzarri's contract."
Longo is a former Torino player and youth squad coach who also coached Pro Vercelli and Frosinone.
Torino is in 12th place in Serie A, 11 points above the relegation zone.
Formerly at Watford, Mazzarri took over at Torino midway through last season.
New Torino coach Moreno Longo has pledged to reconnect with the fans at the Grande Torino and insisted he knows "how much they can help the players".
He was unveiled yesterday and told the reporters that he will be looking to change the Granata’s mentality and “approach” the future with “courage and self-esteem”.
“I thank the President and the board for giving me this huge opportunity that I didn't have to think twice about before I accepted,” he told at a press conference. “We must have the strength to start thinking differently, approaching the training tonight with courage and self-esteem.
“This team has a duty to demonstrate the quality it possesses.”
He is highly regarded at the club and the fans have a special connection to the former player coming through their own ranks.
Now, he hopes to use his history at the club to fix a complicated relationship between the club and the fans.
“I know the fans and I know how much they can help the players,” he said. “I hope that my arrival can be a reason to recreate the positive atmosphere that must exist between the team and the fans. We will have to be the first to fuel this enthusiasm.
“The first thing I will have to do is find the right key to rekindle the heart and stomach of my players. Already on Saturday, I want to see a performance with the persuasion.”
Mazzarri left Torino after four consecutive defeats across all tournaments, sitting 12th in Serie A. Longo’s first game in charge will be against Sampdoria in Turin this weekend.