Man City coach Maresca gives verdict on Parma appointing Gilardino | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca has offered a cautious endorsement of Alberto Gilardino’s appointment at Parma, a club the Manchester City coach still follows closely for personal reasons.

Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, via ParmaLive, Maresca stopped short of predicting how it will go.

“Alberto is a good coach. Whether he’s the right man for Parma, only time will tell. I sincerely hope for his sake that he is,” he said. “We have a friendship that binds us and goes beyond football. This summer we were on holiday together for a few days with our wives.”

Official: Parma appoint Alberto Gilardino as head coach (via www.parmacalcio1913.com)

Maresca: ‘Part of us loves Parma’

The former Parma midfielder explained why he keeps an eye on the Ducali from England.

“I hope he does well for himself and for Parma, who I follow even from Manchester. My daughter was born there, so part of us loves Parma and Parma Calcio.”

Gilardino replaces Carlos Cuesta, who left on Sunday following a disagreement with the hierarchy over the direction of the sporting project rather than results. The club moved quickly, with Alfredo Pedullà reporting direct contact within hours of the announcement.

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, speaking on his Caffe Di Marzio podcast, Parma also considered Roberto D’Aversa, Paolo Zanetti and former Napoli coach Francesco Calzona, whose agent was contacted before the club settled on Gilardino.