Francesco Cozza (footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Francesco Cozza

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|1|19|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Cariati, Italy

| height = {{Height|m=1.81}}

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 = 1992–1994 | youthclubs1 = Milan

| years1 = 1994 | caps1 = 3 | goals1 = 0 | clubs1 = Reggiana

| years2 = 1994–1995 | caps2 = 18 | goals2 = 2 | clubs2 = Vicenza

| years3 = 1995 | caps3 = 0 | goals3 = 0 | clubs3 = Torino

| years4 = 1995–1996 | caps4 = 28 | goals4 = 6 | clubs4 = Lucchese

| years5 = 1996–1997 | caps5 = 28 | goals5 = 3 | clubs5 = Cagliari

| years6 = 1997–1998 | caps6 = 27 | goals6 = 2 | clubs6 = Lecce

| years7 = 1999–2004 | caps7 = 146 | goals7 = 27 | clubs7 = Reggina

| years8 = 2004 | caps8 = 5 | goals8 = 0 | clubs8 = Genoa

| years9 = 2005–2007 | caps9 = 29 | goals9 = 4 | clubs9 = Siena

| years10 = 2005–2006 | caps10 = 32 | goals10 = 9 | clubs10 = → Reggina (loan)

| years11 = 2007–2009 | caps11 = 52 | goals11 = 10 | clubs11 = Reggina

| years12 = 2009–2010 | caps12 = 15 | goals12 = 4 | clubs12 = Salernitana

| totalcaps = 383 | totalgoals = 67

| manageryears1 = 2011–2013 | managerclubs1 = Catanzaro

| manageryears2 = 2013–2014 | managerclubs2 = Pisa

| manageryears3 = 2014 | managerclubs3 = Reggina

| manageryears4 = 2015–2016 | managerclubs4 = Reggina

| manageryears5 = 2016–2017 | managerclubs5 = Sicula Leonzio

| manageryears6 = 2017 | managerclubs6 = Taranto

| manageryears7 = 2018–2019 | managerclubs7 = Team Altamura

| manageryears8 = 2020–2021 | managerclubs8 = San Luca

| manageryears9 = 2021 | managerclubs9 = Biancavilla

| manageryears10 = 2022–2023 | managerclubs10 = San Luca

}}

Francesco Cozza (born 19 January 1974) is an Italian football manager and former player, who played as a playmaker in the role of attacking midfielder.

Playing career

Born in Cariati, Calabria, Cozza started his career at A.C. Milan. He first signed for Reggiana in 1994, and in November left for Vicenza.

Cozza signed for Genoa C.F.C. at summer 2004, but left for A.C. Siena in January 2005. He returned to Reggina on loan for the 2005–06 season. Cozza returned to Siena in summer 2006, but left for Reggina again in summer 2007, in exchange with Alessandro Lucarelli.

Coaching career

On 29 June 2010, he signed a one-year contract with his former club Reggina, but as one of the coach assistant of youth team.{{cite news|url=http://www.regginacalcio.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2434&Itemid=15|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240524042521/https://www.webcitation.org/5BJfhRTlH?url=http://www.regginacalcio.com/index.php%3Foption=com_content&task=view&id=2434&Itemid=15|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 May 2024|title=Francesco Cozza collaboratore dello staff tecnico|date=29 June 2010|accessdate=6 July 2010|work=Reggina Calcio|language=Italian}}

On 2 July 2011, it was confirmed Cozza had accepted an offer to become new head coach of Catanzaro in the Lega Pro Seconda Divisione (fourth division),{{cite news|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/notizie-ultima-ora/Atri_sport/Ciccio-Cozza-allenatore-Catanzaro/02-07-2011/2-A_000133814.shtml|title=Ciccio Cozza allenatore del Catanzaro|date=2 July 2011|accessdate=2 July 2011|work=La Gazzetta dello Sport|language=Italian|archive-date=18 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118164534/https://www.gazzetta.it/notizie-ultima-ora/Atri_sport/Ciccio-Cozza-allenatore-Catanzaro/02-07-2011/2-A_000133814.shtml|url-status=dead}} he recently passed the coach exam.{{cite web |url=http://english.gazzetta.it/Football/18-07-2011/baggio-s-new-life-802081638321.shtml |title=Baggio's new life, as a professional coach - Football - la Gazzetta dello Sport |accessdate=2011-07-20 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722114856/http://english.gazzetta.it/Football/18-07-2011/baggio-s-new-life-802081638321.shtml |archivedate=2011-07-22 }}

After guiding Calabrian Serie D amateurs San Luca during the 2020–21 season, on 25 September 2021 Cozza was hired by Biancavilla, another Serie D club.{{cite web|publisher=Biancavilla|url=https://www.facebook.com/CalcioBiancavilla1990/posts/4558372297555334|title=Francesco Cozza Nuovo Tecnico del Calcio Biancavilla|date=25 September 2021|accessdate=1 December 2021|language=it}} He was fired by Biancavilla on 5 November 2021 after gaining 4 points in 7 games under his helm.{{cite web|publisher=Biancavilla|url=https://www.facebook.com/CalcioBiancavilla1990/posts/4689296874462875|title=Esonerato Francesco Cozza|date=5 November 2021|accessdate=1 December 2021|language=it}}

On 8 July 2022, Cozza agreed to return to guide San Luca for the 2022–23 Serie D season.{{cite web |language=it |date=8 July 2022 |accessdate=15 December 2022 |title=San Luca, è ufficiale il ritorno dell'ex bandiera della Reggina |url=https://www.seried24.com/news/san-luca-nuovo-allenatore-francesco-cozza-8-luglio/ |publisher=SerieD24.com}} He was sacked on 15 January 2023, just a mere few hours before the Serie D league game against Catania.{{cite web |language=it |date=15 January 2023 |accessdate=15 January 2023 |title=Cozza esonerato ma lui "non lo sa" e va in panchina contro il Catania |url=https://www.itasportpress.it/calcio/serie-d/cozza-esonerato-ma-lui-non-lo-sa-e-va-in-panchina-contro-il-catania/?intcmp=gazzanet-cozza |publisher=ItaSportPress}}

References

External links

[http://www.lega-calcio.it/it/Serie-A-TIM/Giocatore.page?idplayer=77253038-2F25-48CF-9B31-BB3EFB4A69A9 lega-calcio.it]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
[http://www.gazzetta.it/speciali/statistiche/2008_nw/giocatori/1133.shtml gazzetta.it]
{{Soccerway coach|francesco-cozza/203700}}

Category:Living people

Category:1974 births

Category:Footballers from the Province of Cosenza

Category:Men's association football midfielders

Category:Italian men's footballers

Category:Italy men's under-21 international footballers

Category:AC Milan players

Category:AC Reggiana 1919 players

Category:LR Vicenza players

Category:Lucchese 1905 players

Category:Cagliari Calcio players

Category:US Lecce players