Giarncarlo Italiano resigns as Phoenix coach
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Giancarlo Italiano has stood down as Wellington Phoenix men’s head coach following the 5-0 derby defeat to Auckland FC.
Italiano announced his resignation in his post-match media conference. The club then released the following statement.
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“To lose 5-nil at home with the season still to play for is unacceptable and I take full responsibility,” he said.
“The worst thing to do is to lose to these guys. I’m not a big fan of Auckland, I don’t like the way they do things, but you can’t lose to rivals like that. It’s unacceptable anywhere in the world.
“Whatever excuse you can throw, it’s unacceptable. I think in the interest of the club now, it’s better to bring in someone with a bit more energy that can redirect the group, maybe refocus them, and keep the season alive.”
Italiano arrived in Wellington in 2019 as Ufuk Talay’s analyst and second assistant coach before becoming his lead assistant coach.
Italiano became the men’s sixth fulltime head coach in 2023 and led the Nix to their best ever A-League campaign in his first season, narrowly missing out on the premiers’ plate and a place in the grand final.
The club thanks Chief for everything he has done for the Wellington Phoenix over the past seven years and wishes him the best for the future.
