Gabriele Cioffi

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Gabriele Cioffi

| image = Gabriele Cioffi Wikipedia.jpg

| image_size =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|9|7|df=y}}

| birth_place = Florence, Italy

| height = 1.96 m

| position = Defender

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Sestese

| years1 = 1992–1996

| clubs1 = Sestese

| caps1 = 77

| goals1 = 2

| years2 = 1996–1997

| clubs2 = Marsala

| caps2 = 12

| goals2 = 2

| years3 = 1996–1997

| clubs3 = Poggibonsi

| caps3 = 10

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1997–1999

| clubs4 = Spezia

| caps4 = 55

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 1999–2001

| clubs5 = Arezzo

| caps5 = 19

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2001–2002

| clubs6 = Taranto

| caps6 = 4

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2002–2005

| clubs7 = Novara

| caps7 = 72

| goals7 = 7

| years8 = 2005–2006

| clubs8 = Mantova

| caps8 = 52

| goals8 = 5

| years9 = 2006–2007

| clubs9 = Torino

| caps9 = 18

| goals9 = 1

| years10 = 2007–2009

| clubs10 = Ascoli

| caps10 = 39

| goals10 = 3

| years11 = 2010

| clubs11 = AlbinoLeffe

| caps11 = 18

| goals11 = 1

| years12 = 2010–2012

| clubs12 = Carpi

| caps12 = 52

| goals12 = 6

| totalcaps = 428

| totalgoals = 30

| manageryears1 = 2013

| managerclubs1 = Gavorrano

| manageryears2 = 2018–2019

| managerclubs2 = Crawley Town

| manageryears3 = 2021–2022

| managerclubs3 = Udinese

| manageryears4 = 2022

| managerclubs4 = Hellas Verona

| manageryears5 = 2023–2024

| managerclubs5 = Udinese

| caption = Cioffi in 2023

}}

Gabriele Cioffi (born 7 September 1975) is an Italian professional football manager and former player who played as a defender.

Playing career

As a player, Cioffi was a defender.{{cite web|publisher=Tutto Calciatori|title=Carriera di Gabriele Cioffi|url=http://www.tuttocalciatori.net/Cioffi_Gabriele|access-date=31 December 2008}} He started his career with Tuscan amateurs Sestese, which was followed by several other experience in the minor Italian leagues of Serie C1 and Serie C2. In January 2005 he joined Mantova, with whom he became a fan favourite, won a Serie C1 title and made his Serie B debut during the 2005–06 season. After an impressive Serie B campaign with Mantova, he was subsequently signed by Torino, with whom he made his Serie A debut during the 2006–07 season.

He left Torino after one season to join Ascoli, which he left in 2010 for AlbinoLeffe as a free agent.{{cite news|url=http://www.albinoleffe.com/societa/archivio-news/1618-acquistato-gabriele-cioffi.html|title=Acquistato Gabriele Cioffi|date=13 January 2010|access-date=20 January 2010|publisher=UC AlbinoLeffe|language=Italian}} He retired in 2012 after two seasons with Carpi where he won the league as captain getting the promotion from Lega Pro 2 to Lega Pro 1. In his last season with the club, he lost the final for promotion to Serie B.

Managerial career

=Early years=

After his retirement, he stayed in Carpi as an assistant coach for the 2012–13 season. In July 2013, he was announced as the new head coach of Lega Pro Seconda Divisione club Gavorrano;{{cite news |url=https://www.ilgiunco.net/2013/07/10/calcio-gabriele-cioffi-si-presenta-gavorrano-e-il-mio-real-madrid/ |publisher=Il Giunco |access-date=7 September 2018 |date=10 July 2013 |language=Italian |title=Calcio, Gabriele Cioffi si presenta: "Gavorrano è il mio Real Madrid"}} he was fired later in November and following his departure the squad had a poor run of results. It was widely understood that the club called him back with a few games remaining in the season, and relegation being a formality, although Gabriele refused to return.{{cite news |url=http://iltirreno.gelocal.it/grosseto/cronaca/2013/11/04/news/esonerato-cioffi-e-masi-il-nuovo-mister-del-gavorrano-1.8052477 |publisher=Il Tirreno |access-date=7 September 2018 |date=4 November 2013 |language=Italian |title=Esonerato Cioffi, è Masi il nuovo mister del Gavorrano

}}

He subsequently relocated to Australia and worked for two years as youth coach for Eastern United, before moving back to Italy in November 2015 to accept an offer as youth coach for the Berretti team of third division club Südtirol.{{cite news |url=http://www.fc-suedtirol.com/it/fc-s%C3%BCdtirol/gabriele-cioffi-nuovo-allenatore-della-formazione-berretti/54-76849.html |publisher=FC Südtirol |access-date=7 September 2018 |language=Italian |title=GABRIELE CIOFFI NUOVO ALLENATORE DELLA FORMAZIONE BERRETTI}}{{cite news |url=http://www.tuttomantova.it/rassegna-stampa/l-ex-mantova-cioffi-allenatore-della-berretti-del-sudtirol-7293 |publisher=TuttoMantova.it |access-date=7 September 2018 |date=10 November 2015 |language=Italian |title=L'ex Mantova Cioffi allenatore della Berretti del Sudtirol}} He left the club in February 2016 to join Henk Ten Cate's coaching staff as assistant head coach at Al Jazira.{{cite news |url=http://ricerca.gelocal.it/gazzettadimodena/archivio/gazzettadimodena/2016/02/25/modena-l-ex-capitano-e-allenatore-gabriele-cioffi-entra-nello-staff-tecnico-dell-al-jazira-42.html |publisher=Gazzetta di Modena |access-date=7 September 2018 |date=25 February 2016 |language=Italian |title=L'ex capitano e allenatore Gabriele Cioffi entra nello staff tecnico dell'Al-Jazira |archive-date=7 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907221434/http://ricerca.gelocal.it/gazzettadimodena/archivio/gazzettadimodena/2016/02/25/modena-l-ex-capitano-e-allenatore-gabriele-cioffi-entra-nello-staff-tecnico-dell-al-jazira-42.html |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |url=https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/serie-a/tmw-radio-cioffi-al-jazira-top-l-ambiente-poco-ritmo-ma-il-talento-c-e-889662 |publisher=Tuttomercatoweb.it |access-date=7 September 2018 |date=14 October 2016 |language=Italian |title=TMW RADIO – Cioffi: "Al Jazira, top l'ambiente. Poco ritmo, ma il talento c'è"}}

After being an integral part of leading Al-Jazira to the President's Cup in 2016,{{Cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/en-ar/news/19652/uae/2016/05/30/24092102/sheikh-mohammed-crowned-al-jazira-after-their-presidents-cup|title=Sheikh Mohammed crowned Al-Jazira after their President's Cup triumph|website=Goal.com|access-date=13 December 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/al-jazira-edge-al-ain-on-penalties-to-win-president-s-cup-1.181762|title = Al Jazira edge al Ain on penalties to win President's Cup|website=Thenationalnews.com|date = 29 May 2016}} and steering the club into returning to the Asian Champions League, Gabriele was headhunted in December 2016 and he joined the coaching staff of Gianfranco Zola at English Championship club Birmingham City.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/gary-rowett-sacked-birmingham-city-championship-seventh-next-manager-odds-a7474256.html |newspaper=The Independent |access-date=7 September 2018 |date=14 December 2016 |title=Birmingham City: Gianfranco Zola confirmed as manager just hours after Gary Rowett is sacked}} Following Zola's resignation on 17 April 2017, his entire backroom staff, including Cioffi, left Birmingham too.{{cite news |url=http://www.itv.com/news/central/update/2017-04-19/birmingham-city-announce-backroom-departures/ |publisher=ITV |access-date=7 September 2018 |date=19 April 2017 |title=Birmingham City announce backroom departures}}

In October 2017, he signed as assistant manager for Al Dhafra, fighting relegation at the time. His first match on the touchline was against his previous team, Al Jazira.{{Cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2017/10/13/united-arab-emirates/premier-league/al-dhafra/al-jazeera-abu-dhabi/2567855/|title=Al Dhafra vs. Al Jazira - 13 October 2017 - Soccerway|website=Int.soccerway.com|access-date=13 December 2021}} The team, thanks to his work, was able to achieve safety from relegation, and to have a stable position in the table.

=Crawley Town=

He had been widely accredited as being instrumental as an assistant at his previous clubs, and having been earmarked and interviewed for several clubs after leaving Al Dhafra, the opportunity finally arose for him to take on a role as head coach. In September 2018, he was named as new head coach of EFL League Two club Crawley Town who was fighting the relegation area, succeeding Harry Kewell.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45446778 |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=7 September 2018 |date=7 September 2018 |title=Gabriele Cioffi: Crawley Town appoint Italian as head coach}}

Cioffi achieved the objective laid out for him comfortably, saving the club from relegation with several games of the season left, and was confirmed for a second season, during which Cioffi took on two historic cup runs, the first being the club reaching the fourth round of the League Cup for the first time, and beating Premier League opposition for the first time in the process, as well as reaching the second round of the FA Cup for the first time in nearly a decade. At the same time, several unfortunate injuries to key players led to a run where the club struggled to score and win despite creating chances. His players supported Cioffi after the loss to League One team Fleetwood Town in the FA Cup,{{Cite web|url=https://www.midsussextimes.co.uk/sport/football/i-dont-understand-why-he-would-be-getting-kind-abuse-ollie-palmer-passionately-defends-gabriele-cioffi-after-calls-crawley-boss-be-sacked-1329245|title = 'I don't understand why he would be getting that kind of abuse' - Ollie Palmer passionately defends Gabriele Cioffi after calls for Crawley boss to be sacked|website=Midsussextimes.co.uk}} but, despite this, Cioffi and Crawley Town parted ways by mutual consent shortly thereafter.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50634047|title=Gabriele Cioffi: Crawley Town part company with head coach after 14 months|website=Bbc.co.uk|date=2019-12-02|access-date=2019-12-05|language=en-GB}} He was succeeded by John Yems.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50674232|title=John Yems: Crawley Town reappoint former manager until end of season|website=Bbd.co.uk|date=2019-12-05|access-date=2019-12-05|language=en-GB}}

=Udinese=

In September 2020, he joined Serie A club Udinese as an assistant coach to manager Luca Gotti.{{cite news |url=https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/altre-notizie/udinese-gabriele-cioffi-nello-staff-tecnico-sara-il-vice-di-luca-gotti-1429188 |website=TuttoMercatoWeb.com |language=Italian |access-date=29 November 2020 |date=3 September 2020 |title=Udinese, Gabriele Cioffi nello staff tecnico: sarà il vice di Luca Gotti}} Cioffi settled in quickly at Udinese and when Gotti was beset with COVID-19, Cioffi was placed in interim charge, including a famous away victory at Lazio.{{Cite web|url=https://calcio.occhionotizie.it/serie-a-lazio-udinese-successo-friulani-olimpico/|title=Serie A: Lazio-Udinese 1-3, successo esterno dei friulani all'Olimpico|website=Calcio.occhionotizie.it|date=29 November 2020}} Although some media outlets strongly credited him with the plan for the victory, Cioffi humbly deferred to, and dedicated the victory to his boss.{{Cite web|url=https://www.corrieredellosport.it/news/calcio/serie-a/udinese/2020/11/29-76911696/udinese_cioffi_dopo_la_sgambetto_alla_lazio_e_la_vittoria_di_gotti_|title = Udinese, Cioffi dopo la sgambetto alla Lazio: "È la vittoria di Gotti"|website=Corrieredellosport.it| date=29 November 2020 }}

On 7 December 2021, following Gotti's sacking at Udinese, Cioffi became the caretaker head coach for the team.{{Cite web|title=Udinese, Gotti esonerato: Cioffi allenatore ad interim|url=https://sport.sky.it/calcio/serie-a/2021/12/07/udinese-gotti-esonero-news|access-date=2021-12-07|website=SKY Sport|date=7 December 2021 }} Under his tenure, Cioffi managed to guide Udinese out of the relegation zone, ending the season in twelfth place with 47 points; despite this, on 23 May 2022, one day after the final matchday of the season (a 4–0 away win at Salernitana), Udinese announced they would not extend Cioffi's contract with the club, due to expire on 30 June 2022.{{Cite web|title=Comunicato ufficiale: Gabriele Cioffi|url=https://www.udinese.it/Apps/WebObjects/Udinese.woa/wa/viewSection?id=59385&lang=ita|access-date=2022-05-23|date=2022-05-23|website=Udinese Calcio}}

=Hellas Verona=

In June 2022, Cioffi signed as manager for Serie A club Hellas Verona with a contract lasting until 2024.{{Cite web|title=Gabriele Cioffi è il nuovo allenatore dell'Hellas Verona|url=https://www.hellasverona.it/it/news/gabriele-cioffi-e-il-nuovo-allenatore-dellhellas-verona|date=2022-06-14|language=it-IT|website=Hellas Verona F.C.|access-date=2022-06-14|archive-date=2022-09-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220901115031/https://www.hellasverona.it/it/news/gabriele-cioffi-e-il-nuovo-allenatore-dellhellas-verona|url-status=dead}} On 11 October 2022, Cioffi was dismissed from his job after achieving only five points in the first nine games of the Serie A season.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-11 |title=Comunicato del Club: Gabriele Cioffi |url=https://www.hellasverona.it/it/news/comunicato-del-club-gabriele-cioffi |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=Hellas Verona F.C. |language=it-IT |archive-date=2022-10-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221014103328/https://www.hellasverona.it/it/news/comunicato-del-club-gabriele-cioffi |url-status=dead }}

=Second stint at Udinese=

On 25 October 2023, Udinese announced the appointment of Cioffi in charge of the first team, following the dismissal of Andrea Sottil, on a contract until the end of the season with an option to extend it for one further year.{{cite web |language=it |date=2023-10-25 |accessdate=2023-10-25 |url=https://www.udinese.it/news/squadra/bentornato-mister |title=Bentornato Mister |publisher=Udinese Calcio}} He was dismissed on 22 April 2024, leaving Udinese just above the relegation zone.{{cite news |publisher=Udinese Calcio |language=it |date=22 April 2024 |accessdate=22 April 2024 |title=Nota ufficiale: Gabriele Cioffi |url=https://www.udinese.it/news/squadra/nota-ufficiale-gabriele-cioffil}}

Managerial statistics

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" \|+ Managerial record by team and tenure
rowspan="2" \|Team ! rowspan="2" \|From ! rowspan="2"\|To ! colspan="8" \|Record
{{Tooltip\|G\|Games managed}} !{{Tooltip\|W\|Games won}} !{{Tooltip\|D\|Games drawn}} !{{Tooltip\|L\|Games lost}} !{{Tooltip\|GF\|Goals for}} !{{Tooltip\|GA\|Goals against}} !{{Tooltip\|GD\|Goal difference}} !{{Tooltip\|Win %\|Winning percentage}}
align=left\|Gavorrano \|align=left\|6 July 2013 \|align=left\|4 November 2013 {{WDL\|13\|2\|5\|6\|for=12\|against=19\|diff=yes}}
align=left\|Crawley Town \|align=left\|7 September 2018 \|align=left\|2 December 2019 {{WDL\|72\|21\|15\|36\|for=85\|against=115\|diff=yes}}
align=left\|Udinese \|align=left\|7 December 2021 \|align=left\|30 June 2022 {{WDL\|24\|9\|7\|8\|for=44\|against=32\|diff=yes}}
align=left\|Hellas Verona \|align=left\|1 July 2022 \|align=left\|11 October 2022 {{WDL\|10\|1\|2\|7\|for=9\|against=21\|diff=yes}}
align=left\|Udinese \|align=left\|25 October 2023 \|align=left\|22 April 2024 {{WDL\|25\|4\|10\|11\|for=27\|against=38\|diff=yes}}
colspan="3"\|Total {{WDLtot\|144\|37\|39\|68\|for=177\|against=225\|diff=yes}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

|+ Managerial record by team and tenure

rowspan="2" |Team

! rowspan="2" |From

! rowspan="2"|To

! colspan="8" |Record

!{{Tooltip|W|Games won}}

!{{Tooltip|D|Games drawn}}

!{{Tooltip|L|Games lost}}

!{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}}

!{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}}

!{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}}