Sean Sogliano
Encyclopedia
Sean Luca Sogliano is an Italian
retired football player, last in charge as director of football of Serie A
club Palermo
.
He is the son of former footballer Riccardo Sogliano
.
club Varese
at the age of 18. In 1991 he joined Serie B
outfit Ancona
, with whom he won a historical first promotion to Serie A
for the small club from Marche
and made his personal top-flight debut in 1992. In 1994 he joined Torino
, where he played a single season with little success. After a few minor league experiences with Lucchese and Ravenna
, he returned to play at Serie A level with Perugia
in 1998. In 2003, aged 32, Sogliano left Perugia to join Napoli
, then in Serie B, in what turned to be the club's final season before being declared bankrupt; his experience in Naples
proved to be rather unsuccessful, with only six appearances until January 2004, when he was sold to Serie A club Ancona
. After playing 11 games with the Dorici, Sogliano retired from active football in June at the age of 33.
after the club was declared bankrupt and then admitted to the Eccellenza
league (sixth level of Italian football) under a new ownership that also included his father Riccardo
as vice-president and member of the consortium that controlled the club. Under his tenure as general manager, Sogliano was a key factor in acquiring many of the players that led the club back into professionalism through two consecutive promotions.
In 2008 entrepreneur Antonio Rosati took over the club from the previous owners but confirmed Sogliano as general manager: a few weeks after the beginning of the season, after a series of disappointing results, Sogliano agreed to remove Pietro Carmignani
as head coach and hire Giuseppe Sannino
as replacement. The appointment proved to be a turning point in the season, as well as in Varese's future fortunes, as the club won two successive promotions to Serie B
in 2009 and 2010 under the new head coach, also thanks to Sogliano's interventions during the transfer market windows. In 2010–11, Varese gained national news as the team completed the regular season in fourth place and won a place in the promotion playoffs, then lost to fifth-placed Padova
in the semi-finals.
Sogliano's impressive work at Varese became popular nationwide and led to a serious interest from Maurizio Zamparini
, chairman and owner of ambitious Serie A
club Palermo
, who offered him the director of football position that was left vacant in November 2010 after the resignation of Walter Sabatini
. On 8 June 2011 Palermo officially announced to have hired Sogliano as the club's new director of football. During his stay, Sogliano also appointed then-unknown youth coach Devis Mangia
in charge of first team duties. He resigned on 2 November 2011 due to his strained relationship with Zamparini, as confirmed by the latter.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
retired football player, last in charge as director of football of Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
club Palermo
U.S. Città di Palermo
Unione Sportiva Città di Palermo is an Italian football club from Palermo, Sicily which currently plays in Serie A, the top level of Italian football. Formed in 1900 as Anglo Panormitan Athletic and Football Club, the club had various names before assuming its final form in 1987 and is currently...
.
He is the son of former footballer Riccardo Sogliano
Riccardo Sogliano
Riccardo Sogliano is a retired Italian professional football player.He played for 7 seasons in the Serie A for Varese F.C. and A.C. Milan....
.
Playing career
Sogliano started his career with Serie C2Serie C2
Lega Pro Seconda Divisione is the name of the fourth highest football league in Italy, the lowest with a professional status. Usually it consists of 54 teams, but in the season 2010–11 the teams are only 49 divided geographically into three divisions of 17, 16 and 16 teams each...
club Varese
A.S. Varese 1910
A.S. Varese 1910 is an Italian football club from Varese, founded 22 March 1910. It currently plays in Serie B, ranked one division below Serie A in the Italian football league.-History:...
at the age of 18. In 1991 he joined Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
outfit Ancona
A.C. Ancona
Associazione Calcio Ancona was a professional Italian football club, based in Ancona, Marche. It was founded in 1905 as Unione Sportiva Anconitana, changing its name to Ancona Calcio 1905 in 1981 and being refounded in 2004 with its last denomination....
, with whom he won a historical first promotion to Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
for the small club from Marche
Marche
The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...
and made his personal top-flight debut in 1992. In 1994 he joined Torino
Torino F.C.
Torino Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Torino, is a professional Italian football club based in Turin, Piedmont, that was founded in 1906. The club has spent most of its history in the top tier in Italian football....
, where he played a single season with little success. After a few minor league experiences with Lucchese and Ravenna
Ravenna Calcio
Ravenna Calcio is an Italian association football club, based in Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna. The club was founded in 1913 and refounded in 2001....
, he returned to play at Serie A level with Perugia
Perugia Calcio
Associazione Calcistica Perugia Calcio is an Italian association football club based in Perugia, Umbria, direct heir of the old Perugia Calcio and A.C. Perugia, excluded from Italian football because of financial troubles....
in 1998. In 2003, aged 32, Sogliano left Perugia to join Napoli
S.S.C. Napoli
Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli, commonly referred to as Napoli, is a professional Italian football club based in Naples and founded in 1926. The club has spent most of its history in Serie A, where it currently plays its 2011–12 season....
, then in Serie B, in what turned to be the club's final season before being declared bankrupt; his experience in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
proved to be rather unsuccessful, with only six appearances until January 2004, when he was sold to Serie A club Ancona
A.C. Ancona
Associazione Calcio Ancona was a professional Italian football club, based in Ancona, Marche. It was founded in 1905 as Unione Sportiva Anconitana, changing its name to Ancona Calcio 1905 in 1981 and being refounded in 2004 with its last denomination....
. After playing 11 games with the Dorici, Sogliano retired from active football in June at the age of 33.
Post-playing career
In the summer of 2004 Sogliano accepted to become general manager of VareseA.S. Varese 1910
A.S. Varese 1910 is an Italian football club from Varese, founded 22 March 1910. It currently plays in Serie B, ranked one division below Serie A in the Italian football league.-History:...
after the club was declared bankrupt and then admitted to the Eccellenza
Eccellenza
Eccellenza is the sixth level of Italian football. It is a regional league, composed of 28 divisions divided geographically. All 20 regions are represented by at least one division except for Piedmont and Aosta Valley which share 2 divisions...
league (sixth level of Italian football) under a new ownership that also included his father Riccardo
Riccardo Sogliano
Riccardo Sogliano is a retired Italian professional football player.He played for 7 seasons in the Serie A for Varese F.C. and A.C. Milan....
as vice-president and member of the consortium that controlled the club. Under his tenure as general manager, Sogliano was a key factor in acquiring many of the players that led the club back into professionalism through two consecutive promotions.
In 2008 entrepreneur Antonio Rosati took over the club from the previous owners but confirmed Sogliano as general manager: a few weeks after the beginning of the season, after a series of disappointing results, Sogliano agreed to remove Pietro Carmignani
Pietro Carmignani
Pietro "Gedeone" Carmignani is an Italian professional football coach and a former player. He is best known for his playing career as a goalkeeper and, later, for being one of most trusted assistants of Arrigo Sacchi throughout his career.-Honours:* As a player** Serie A champion: 1971/72.** Coppa...
as head coach and hire Giuseppe Sannino
Giuseppe Sannino
Giuseppe Sannino is an Italian football coach and former midfielder. He is currently head coach of Serie A side Siena.-Playing career:...
as replacement. The appointment proved to be a turning point in the season, as well as in Varese's future fortunes, as the club won two successive promotions to Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
in 2009 and 2010 under the new head coach, also thanks to Sogliano's interventions during the transfer market windows. In 2010–11, Varese gained national news as the team completed the regular season in fourth place and won a place in the promotion playoffs, then lost to fifth-placed Padova
Calcio Padova
Calcio Padova is an Italian football club, based in Padua, Veneto. The club was founded in 1910. Padova is playing in Serie B, having last been in Serie A in 1996...
in the semi-finals.
Sogliano's impressive work at Varese became popular nationwide and led to a serious interest from Maurizio Zamparini
Maurizio Zamparini
Maurizio Zamparini is an Italian businessman and the current owner and chairman of Serie A club U.S. Città di Palermo....
, chairman and owner of ambitious Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
club Palermo
U.S. Città di Palermo
Unione Sportiva Città di Palermo is an Italian football club from Palermo, Sicily which currently plays in Serie A, the top level of Italian football. Formed in 1900 as Anglo Panormitan Athletic and Football Club, the club had various names before assuming its final form in 1987 and is currently...
, who offered him the director of football position that was left vacant in November 2010 after the resignation of Walter Sabatini
Walter Sabatini
Walter Sabatini is an Italian former association football player turned director of football, currently working for Italian club AS Roma.He is the brother of Carlo Sabatini.-Playing career:...
. On 8 June 2011 Palermo officially announced to have hired Sogliano as the club's new director of football. During his stay, Sogliano also appointed then-unknown youth coach Devis Mangia
Devis Mangia
Devis Mangia is an Italian association football manager, currently in charge as head coach of Serie A club Palermo.-Early years:...
in charge of first team duties. He resigned on 2 November 2011 due to his strained relationship with Zamparini, as confirmed by the latter.