How Dundee’s Ivano Bonetti era came to a crashing end 20 years ago

DUNDEE FC’s Ivano Bonetti era was ended in a single sentence 20 years ago.

Chief executive Peter Marr called time on manager Ivano’s Dens Park tenure, along with his brother Dario, the assistant boss, and club co-ordinator Dario Magri.

The end, when it finally came, on July 2 2002, was without ceremony.

The news was broken to the assembled media just minutes after Ivano had left a meeting held at the ground between his entourage and the board.

Marr said: “After discussions with the Bonettis and the management team, it has been decided to mutually terminate their contracts forthwith.”

It was a dramatic end to a dramatic day, which saw the Italian trio shock many onlookers by turning up for the first day of pre-season training at Caird Park.

Now all that was left of the most colourful and star-studded era in the club’s history was bittersweet memories and losses of more than £9 million between 2000-2002.

Ivano was in charge for 90 games which brought 29 wins, 40 losses and 21 draws.

The former Juventus and Sampdoria midfielder replaced Jocky Scott as manager before the 2000-2001 season and pledged attractive football and big-name signings.

He brought brother Dario with him as his assistant, although the pair’s management skills were unproven beyond the semiprofessional level in Italy.

It became evident that what they lacked in top-flight managerial experience they would more than make up for in terms of their enviable and extensive list of contacts.

Ivano signed a string of players from all across Europe and beyond including Fabian

Caballero, Juan Sara, and, perhaps most famously, Claudio Caniggia.

It also signalled soaring bills and spiralling debt.

Back then, however, few voices could be heard raising concerns that the road the directors were following would end in an almighty financial crash.

The first season brought a top-six finish, international headlines and as attractive a brand of football as was being seen anywhere in the country.

Ivano rated the top-six success as equal to anything he had achieved in his illustrious playing career which had included

Sampdoria’s Serie A triumph in 1991.

Caniggia’s time was up after just one season and he joined Rangers.

There was positive news with a good start to the 2001-2002 campaign that prompted Peter Marr to express his delight at the club’s progress under Ivano.

He started discussions to look at extending his existing threeyear contract until 2006 before things took a turn for the worse following the early positivity.

Dundee were knocked out of the League Cup in October by lower league Ross County after a slump in form.

Further high-profile signings like Temuri Ketsbaia and Chinese skipper Fan Zhiyi were brought in on big wages to stem the tide but failed to improve results.

A Scottish Cup third round draw against Falkirk in January 2002 was followed by a 4-2 defeat to relegation-threatened Motherwell at Fir Park.

Ivano was back home in Italy arranging his wedding and missed the defeat which left Dundee sitting uncomfortably on the edge of the relegation zone.

Peter Marr rubbished any talk of a crisis. He blamed injuries and gave his manager the dreaded vote of confidence.