Marco Simone
{{short description|Italian footballer and manager (born 1969)}}
{{for|the golf course|Marco Simone Golf and Country Club}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Marco Simone
| image = Marco Simone (5038454279) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Simone in early 2000s
| full_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|1|7|df=y}}
| birth_place = Castellanza, Italy
| height = 1.70 m
| currentclub =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1986–1989
| clubs1 = Como
| caps1 = 36
| goals1 = 6
| years2 = 1987–1988
| clubs2 = → Virescit (loan)
| caps2 = 33
| goals2 = 15
| years3 = 1989–1997
| clubs3 = AC Milan
| caps3 = 168
| goals3 = 49
| years4 = 1997–1999
| clubs4 = Paris Saint-Germain
| caps4 = 59
| goals4 = 22
| years5 = 1999–2001
| clubs5 = Monaco
| caps5 = 69
| goals5 = 28
| years6 = 2001–2002
| clubs6 = AC Milan
| caps6 = 9
| goals6 = 1
| years7 = 2002–2003
| clubs7 = Monaco
| caps7 = 5
| goals7 = 0
| years8 = 2004
| clubs8 = Nice
| caps8 = 7
| goals8 = 0
| years9 = 2005–2006
| clubs9 = Legnano
| caps9 = 1
| goals9 = 0
| totalcaps = 387
| totalgoals = 120
| nationalyears1 = 1988–1990
| nationalteam1 = Italy U21
| nationalcaps1 = 16
| nationalgoals1 = 7
| nationalyears2 = 1992–1996
| nationalteam2 = Italy
| nationalcaps2 = 4
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| manageryears1 = 2011–2012
| managerclubs1 = Monaco
| manageryears2 = 2014–2015
| managerclubs2 = Lausanne-Sport
| manageryears3 = 2015–2016
| managerclubs3 = Tours
| manageryears4 = 2016–2017
| managerclubs4 = Laval
| manageryears5 = 2017–2018
| managerclubs5 = Club Africain
| manageryears6 = 2019
| managerclubs6 = Ratchaburi Mitr Phol
| manageryears7 = 2019
| managerclubs7 = Mohammédia
| manageryears8 = 2021
| managerclubs8 = Châteauroux
}}
Marco Simone ({{IPA|it|ˈmarko siˈmoːne}}; born 7 January 1969) is an Italian professional football manager and former player. As a player, he was a striker and winger.
He most prominently played for Milan, with whom he won four Serie A championships and two UEFA Champions League titles, as well as in France's Ligue 1 for Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco. At international level, Simone played four games for the Italy national team.
As a manager, Simone has coached Monaco, Tours, Laval and Châteauroux. He also had brief spells in Switzerland, Tunisia, Thailand and Morocco.
Club career
=Early career=
Simone was born in Castellanza. He debuted in Serie A for Como on 11 January 1987. After a few appearances in the top-flight Serie A, he was put on loan at Virescit Boccaleone in the secondary Serie C1 league. He scored 15 goals for Virescit in the 1987–88 season, and finished as top scorer of the Serie C1 league.{{cite web|title=Marco Simone|url=http://www.magliarossonera.it/protagonisti/Gioc-Simone.html|publisher=Maglia Rossonera|access-date=13 May 2015|language=it}}
He returned to Como for the 1988–89 Serie A season, in which he scored 6 goals. Como finished dead last in the tournament, and was relegated to Serie B.
=AC Milan=
In the summer of 1989, Simone was brought into the squad of third-place finishers AC Milan by manager Arrigo Sacchi. His stay at Milan would be long and successful, as he won the 1990 European Cup under manager Sacchi, as well as four Serie A titles in five years from 1992 to 1996 and the 1994 UEFA Champions League under the management of Fabio Capello.{{cite web|url=https://www.acmilan.com/en/marco-simone|title=A.C. Milan Hall of Fame: Marco Simone|website=acmilan.com|access-date=1 April 2015}}
His best season for AC Milan came during the 1994–95 Serie A season, where he scored 17 goals in 30 games, as well as 4 in the Champions League, for a total of 21 goals in all competitions, as Milan reached the 1995 UEFA Champions League Final, only to be defeated by Ajax. He also managed 11 goals in all competitions during the 1995–96 season, 8 of which came in Serie A, finishing as the club's second highest goalscorer behind George Weah as Milan won the Serie A title. Despite competing for the attacking spots at Milan with the three FIFA World Player of the Year award winners Marco van Basten (1992), Roberto Baggio (1993) and George Weah (1995) (as well as the presence of Ruud Gullit, Dejan Savićević, Daniele Massaro, Paolo Di Canio, Jean-Pierre Papin, Christophe Dugarry, and Brian Laudrup), he scored a total of 74 goals in 245 games in all competitions for Milan.{{in lang|da}} [http://www.acmilandk.net/club/index.php?module=pagesetter&func=viewpub&tid=3&pid=4 Marco Simone] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928125702/http://www.acmilandk.net/club/index.php?module=pagesetter&func=viewpub&tid=3&pid=4 |date=28 September 2007 }} at ACMilan.dk
=Later career in France, Monaco and return to Italy=
In 1997, Simone moved abroad to play for French club Paris Saint-Germain, with whom he won both domestic cups in his first season. He scored in both the Coupe de la Ligue final and the Coupe de France final against Bordeaux and Lens respectively.{{cite news
|url=https://archivesparisfootball.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/psg-bordeaux-2-2-4-2-tab-040498-coupe-de-la-ligue-97-98/
|title=PSG – Bordeaux 2-2 (4-2 tab), 04/04/98, Coupe de la Ligue 97-98
|publisher=archivesparisfootball.wordpress.com
|access-date=3 January 2020}}{{cite news
|url=https://archivesparisfootball.wordpress.com/2014/05/03/psg-lens-2-1-020598-coupe-de-france-97-98/
|title=PSG – Lens 2-1, 02/05/98, Coupe de France 97-98
|publisher=archivesparisfootball.wordpress.com
|access-date=3 January 2020}} He transferred to Monaco in 1999. He scored 21 goals and made 15 assists in 34 games during the 1999–2000 season, and helped Monaco win the Ligue 1 championship in 2000. He returned to Milan for parts of the 2001–02 Serie A season, scoring his last goal with the Rossoneri in Coppa Italia against Lazio in 2002. He returned to Monaco, but rarely played during the 2002–03 Ligue 1 season.
Following an unsuccessful season playing for Nice, he retired from football in 2004, at the age of 35. He made a short come-back as he played a single game for Serie C2 club Legnano in 2005.
International career
During his time with Milan, Simone also made his senior debut for the Italy national team on 19 December 1992, under then national team manager Arrigo Sacchi, in a 2–1 away win in a 1994 World Cup qualifier against Malta. He would go on to play four games in total for the national team between 1992 and 1996, but did not score any goals for Italy.{{cite web|title=Nazionale in cifre: Simone, Marco|url=http://www.figc.it/nazionali/DettaglioConvocato?codiceConvocato=27&squadra=2|access-date=13 May 2015|publisher=FIGC|language=it}}
Style of play
Simone was a diminutive forward, gifted with pace, good movement, an eye for goal, and excellent technique. He was capable of playing in several attacking positions, and was best used as a second striker, due to his small stature and slender physical build, although he was also capable of playing in a central role as a main striker, or even as a winger.{{cite web |url=https://www.milannews.it/terza-pagina-milanday/l-uomo-in-piu-36089 |title=L'uomo in più |publisher=MilanNews.it |language=it |date=9 October 2010 |access-date=21 March 2020 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.football-italia.net/68275/simone-appointed-tours |title=Simone appointed at Tours |publisher=Football Italia |date=25 June 2015 |access-date=21 March 2020 }}
Managerial career
= Monaco =
On 12 September 2011, Simone got his first managerial job at former club Monaco, succeeding Laurent Banide at a club 17th in Ligue 2.{{cite news |title=Simone entraîneur de Monaco|trans-title=Simone Monaco manager |url=https://rmcsport.bfmtv.com/football/simone-entraineur-de-monaco-180476.html |access-date=17 April 2020 |publisher=BFM TV |date=12 September 2011 |language=fr}} He was fired at the end of the season with the club having finished 8th and not met their aim of instant promotion, despite the investment of billionaire new owner Dmitry Rybolovlev.{{cite news |title=Monaco fire Simone after second tier flop |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/monaco-fire-simone-after-second-tier-flop |access-date=17 April 2020 |work=FourFourTwo |date=19 May 2012}}
= Lausanne-Sport =
Simone became Technical Director at Lausanne-Sport of the Swiss Challenge League in November 2013, and 11 months later he replaced Francesco Gabriele as manager.{{cite news |title=Simone appointed at Lausanne |url=https://www.football-italia.net/57178/simone-appointed-lausanne |access-date=17 April 2020 |publisher=Football Italia |date=13 October 2014}} He was sacked on 24 March 2015 with the team in seventh having earned one point from six games in the calendar year.{{cite news |title=Marco Simone remercié à Lausanne, Celestini nouvel entraîneur|trans-title=Marco Simone sacked at Lausanne, Celestini new manager |url=https://www.rtbf.be/sport/football/etranger/detail_marco-simone-remercie-a-lausanne-celestini-nouvel-entraineur?id=8939169 |access-date=17 April 2020 |publisher=RTBF |date=24 March 2015 |language=fr}}
= Tours and Laval =
On 25 June 2015, Simone returned to France's second tier with Tours FC.{{cite news |title=Simone appointed at Tours |url=https://www.football-italia.net/68275/simone-appointed-tours |access-date=17 April 2020 |publisher=Football Italia |date=25 June 2012}} He finished the season in 9th, and quit despite having a year left on his contract, due to disputes with the board.{{cite news |last1=Conte |first1=Pierre-Alexandre |title=Marco Simone quitte son poste d'entraîneur du Tours FC|trans-title=Marco Simone leaves his position as manager of Tours FC |url=https://www.eurosport.fr/football/ligue-2/2015-2016/ligue-2-marco-simone-quitte-son-poste-d-entraineur-du-tours-fc_sto5571499/story.shtml |access-date=17 April 2020 |publisher=Eurosport |date=14 May 2016 |language=fr}}
Still in the same league, Simone was hired at 18th-placed Laval on 8 November 2016.{{cite news |title=Ligue 2. Marco Simone nouvel entraîneur de Laval |trans-title=Ligue 2. Marco Simone new manager of Laval|url=https://www.letelegramme.fr/football/ligue-2-marco-simone-nouvel-entraineur-de-laval-08-11-2016-11284941.php |access-date=17 April 2020 |work=Le Télégramme |date=8 November 2016 |language=fr}} The following 11 April he was dismissed, with the team in last position.{{cite news |title=Laval : Marco Simone limogé |trans-title=Laval: Marco Simone sacked|url=https://www.eurosport.fr/football/ligue-2/2016-2017/laval-marco-simone-limoge_sto6126626/story.shtml |access-date=17 April 2020 |publisher=Eurosport |date=11 April 2017}}
= Club Africain =
In July 2017, Simone joined Club Africain in Tunisia.{{cite news |title=Club Africain appoint AC Milan legend Marco Simone |url=https://www.espn.co.uk/football/tunisia/story/3158812/club-africain-appoint-ac-milan-legend-marco-simone |access-date=17 April 2020 |publisher=ESPN FC |date=16 July 2017}} Four months into a two-year contract, he quit the 12th-placed club.{{cite news |title=Club africain : Séparation à l'amiable avec Marco Simone|trans-title=Club Africain: Mutual separation with Marco Simone|url=http://kapitalis.com/tunisie/2017/11/23/club-africain-separation-a-lamiable-avec-marco-simone/ |access-date=17 April 2020 |publisher=Kapitalis |date=23 November 2017 |language=fr}} Through FIFA, he sued the club for the remainder of his salary, and won €630,000 in July 2019.{{cite news |title=Marco Simone gagne son litige avec le Club Africain|trans-title=Marco Simone wins his lawsuit against Club Africain |url=https://www.sofoot.com/marco-simone-gagne-son-litige-avec-le-club-africain-471374.html |access-date=17 April 2020 |publisher=So Foot |date=2 July 2019 |language=fr}} In April 2018 he was one of 77 applicants for the vacant Cameroon national team job.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43869356|title=77 applicants for vacant Cameroon coaching position|date=23 April 2018|access-date=27 April 2018|author=Oluwashina Okeleji|publisher=BBC Sport}}
= Ratchaburi Mitr Phol and Mohammédia =
Simone became manager of the Thai Premier League's Ratchaburi Mitr Phol F.C. on 25 March 2019.{{cite news |title=Football: Milan great Simone signs on as Ratchaburi manager in trigger-happy Thailand |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/football-milan-great-simone-signs-on-as-ratchaburi-manager-in-trigger-happy-thailand |access-date=17 April 2020 |work=Straits Times |date=25 March 2019}} He left in July, with a record of eight wins from 18 games, as he said he had an offer from a European club.{{cite news |last1=Chittinand |first1=Tor |title=Simone says he left on his own volition |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/sports/1713064/simone-says-he-left-on-his-own-volition |access-date=17 April 2020 |work=Bangkok Post |date=16 July 2019}} He instead joined SCC Mohammédia in Morocco's Botola 2.{{cite news |last1=Bounouar |first1=Jalal |title=Former Milan player Marco Simone will coach in Morocco's second tier |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49095684 |access-date=17 April 2020 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=24 July 2019}} Within another four months, he was dismissed despite the team leading the league, and refused a backroom job with the club.{{cite news |last1=Jaquin |first1=Alexandre |title=Maroc: en tête de la D2, Marco Simone est écarté par le Chabab Mohammedia|trans-title=Morocco: at the top of second division, Marco Simone is sacked by Chabab Mohammedia|url=https://rmcsport.bfmtv.com/football/maroc-en-tete-de-la-d2-marco-simone-est-ecarte-par-le-chabab-mohammedia-1804194.html |access-date=17 April 2020 |publisher=BFM TV |date=11 November 2019 |language=fr}}
= Châteauroux =
On 10 March 2021, Simone became the manager of Ligue 2 club Châteauroux. He was appointed following the takeover by Saudi prince Abdullah bin Musa'ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and his United World Group.{{Cite web|title=Official {{!}} Châteauroux sold to Abdullah Bin Mosaad, bring in Michel Denisot & Marco Simone {{!}} Get French Football News|url=https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2021/official-chateauroux-sold-to-abdullah-bin-mosaad-bring-in-michel-denisot-marco-simone/|access-date=24 March 2021|website=www.getfootballnewsfrance.com|date=9 March 2021 }} Châteauroux was in last place at the time he was hired, and remained in that position until the end of the season, getting relegated to the third-tier Championnat National. He was fired by Châteauroux on 11 October 2021, following a home loss to Concarneau, with the club in the middle of the table.{{cite web|publisher=Châteauroux|url=https://www.berrichonne.net/actualites/saison-2021-2022/actu/3015/communique-officiel|title=COMMUNIQUÉ OFFICIEL|date=11 October 2021|accessdate=7 December 2021|language=fr}}
Career statistics
=Club=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes Coppa Italia, Coupe de France}} !colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes Coupe de la Ligue}} !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="9"|Milan
|rowspan="8"|Serie A |21 | 1 | 3 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | 5{{efn|name=EC|Appearances in European Cup}} | 1 | 3{{efn|One appearance in Intercontinental Cup, two appearances in European Super Cup}} | 0 | 32 | 3 | ||
| 1990–91
|14 | 4 | 6 | 2 | colspan="2"|– | 2{{efn|name=EC}} | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 22 | 6 | |||
| 1991–92
|15 | 7 | 4 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 19 | 8 | ||||
| 1992–93
|13 | 5 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 8{{efn|name=UCL|Appearances in UEFA Champions League}} | 4 | colspan="2"|– | 25 | 9 | |||
| 1993–94
|25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 7{{efn|name=UCL}} | 2 | 1{{efn|name=SCI|Appearance in Supercoppa Italiana}} | 1 | 34 | 6 | ||
| 1994–95
|30 | 17 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 9{{efn|name=UCL}} | 4 | 3{{efn|One appearance in Intercontinental Cup, one appearance in European Super Cup, one appearance in Supercoppa Italiana}} | 0 | 45 | 21 | ||
| 1995–96
|27 | 8 | 3 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | 5{{efn|name=UCL}} | 1 | colspan="2"|– | 35 | 10 | |||
| 1996–97
|23 | 4 | 3 | 2 | colspan="2"|– | 6{{efn|name=UC|Appearances in UEFA Cup}} | 4 | 1{{efn|name=SCI}} | 0 | 33 | 10 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!168 | 49 | 27 | 7 | colspan="2"|– | 42 | 16 | 8 | 1 | 245 | 73 | ||
| rowspan="3"|Paris Saint-Germain
|rowspan="2"|Division 1 |28 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 6{{efn|name=UCL}} | 4 | colspan="2"|– | 41 | 22 | ||
| 1998–99
|31 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Cup Winners' Cup}} | 1 | 1{{efn|name=TDC|Appearance in Trophée des Champions}} | 0 | 37 | 10 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!59 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 78 | 32 | |
| rowspan="4"|Monaco
|rowspan="3"|Division 1 |34 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7{{efn|name=UC}} | 6 | colspan="2"|– | 45 | 28 | ||
| 2000–01
|30 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 6{{efn|name=UCL}} | 6 | 1{{efn|name=TDC}} | 0 | 43 | 16 | |
| 2001–02
|5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 5 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!69 | 28 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 93 | 44 | |
| Milan
|Serie A |9 | 0 | 3 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | 3{{efn|name=UC}} | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 15 | 1 | |||
| Monaco
|5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 5 | 0 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!310 | 99 | 37 | 11 | 13 | 6 | 66 | 33 | 10 | 1 | 436 | 150 |
{{notelist}}
=International=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="5"|Italy
|1992 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1993 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1994 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1995 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1996 | 1 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total | 4 | 0 |
Honours
- Serie A: 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96
- Supercoppa Italiana: 1993, 1994
- European Cup/UEFA Champions League:From the 1992–93 season, the European Cup changed its structure and was renamed the UEFA Champions League. 1989–90, 1993–94
- European Super Cup: 1989, 1994
- Intercontinental Cup: 1989
|url=https://archivesparisfootball.wordpress.com/2014/07/27/lens-psg-0-1-300798-trophee-des-champions-98-99/
|title=Lens – PSG 0-1, 30/07/98, Trophée des Champions 98-99
|publisher=archivesparisfootball.wordpress.com
|access-date=5 January 2020}}
- French Division 1: 1999–2000
- Trophée des Champions: 2000{{cite news
|url=https://globalsportsarchive.com/match/soccer/2000-07-22/as-monaco-fc-vs-fc-nantes/1193380/
|title=AS Monaco FC 0:0 (6 : 5 P) FC Nantes Atlantique
|publisher=globalsportsarchive.com
|access-date=6 January 2020}}
Individual
- Serie C1 top-scorer: 1987–88 (15 goals)
- Ligue 1 Player of the Year: 1998{{cite web |url=http://www.sportpalmares.eu/Trophees-UNFP-Oscars-du-football.html |title= Palmarès Trophées UNFP - Oscars du football - Meilleur joueur de Ligue 1 |publisher=www.sportpalmares.eu |language=fr |access-date=2 August 2017 }}
- France Football{{'}}s Best Foreign Player in France: 1997–98, 1999–2000{{cite web |url=https://www.gqitalia.it/sport/calcio/2018/07/09/calciomercato-i-10-migliori-calciatori-italiani-in-francia |title=Calciomercato, i 10 migliori calciatori italiani in Francia |publisher=GQ Italia |language=it |last1=Stabile |first1=Adriano |date=9 July 2018 |access-date=23 March 2020 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.francefootball.fr/fiche/joueur/simone-marco-ita/2943 |title=Marco Simone |publisher=France Football |language=fr |access-date=23 March 2020 }}
- AC Milan Hall of Fame
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{Lequipe|2943}}
- {{TuttoCalciatori|Simone_Marco}}
- [http://www.figc.it/nazionali/DettaglioConvocato?codiceConvocato=27&squadra=2 Profile at FIGC.it] {{in lang|it}} {{dead link|date=March 2019}}
{{Ligue 1 Player of the Year}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Managerial positions
| list =
{{AS Monaco FC managers}}
{{FC Lausanne-Sport managers}}
{{Tours FC managers}}
{{Stade Lavallois managers}}
{{Ratchaburi Mitr Phol F.C. managers}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simone, Marco}}
Category:Italian men's footballers
Category:Italy men's international footballers
Category:Italy men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Italian expatriate men's footballers
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Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Monaco
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Category:Expatriate football managers in Monaco
Category:Expatriate football managers in Switzerland
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Category:AS Monaco FC managers
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Category:Stade Lavallois managers
Category:Club Africain football managers
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Category:Men's association football forwards
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Category:Italy men's B international footballers