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Dundalk FC President Bill Hulsizer has confirmed that current full-time interim coach Filippo Giovagnoli will be offered the position after guiding Co Louth’s team to the Europa League group stage.
The Italian was a shocking appointment as Vinny Perth’s successor just 39 days ago, but he has confused all his critics by guiding the Lilywhites to qualifying wins against Andorra’s Inter Club d’Escalades and Moldova’s Sheriff Tiraspol. last month.
The 49-year-old repeated the feat of current Republic of Ireland coach Stephen Kenny of four years ago by securing group stage football with a 3-1 win over Faroe Islands team KÍ Klaksvik in the Aviva Stadium last night.
Earlier today, Dundalk took part in Group B of the Europa League alongside Arsenal, FA Cup champions, Rapid Wien of Austria and Molde FK of Norway.
With more than 4 million euros deposited so far, Giovagnoli’s exploits have delighted Hulsizer and the American owners of the PEAK6 club.
Daniel Kelly gets Dundalk’s third at halftime, almost there #UEL #RTESoccer #RTESport pic.twitter.com/K3ErMAWOMn
– RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) October 1, 2020
Now his reward will be a permanent contract offer, something the 49-year-old has insisted he wanted since arriving in Ireland, having previously been Director of Training at the Metropolitan Oval Academy in New York for six years.
“I would be happy for him to be our full-time coach in the future,” Hulsizer confirmed tonight.
“I think it’s just a matter of negotiating a contract and seeing what he wants to do.
“I certainly cannot find fault with anything he has done to date. I think his decision making has been excellent.
“Our plan is to be in Europe every year. I can’t promise you that we will make it to the group stage every year, but I can’t promise you that we won’t either. Our feeling: Filippo, mine and the team’s – is to get to the group stage is a great start. “
Hulsizer, father of PEAK6 founder Matt, admitted that Giovagnoli’s appointment had been something of a gamble given his lack of experience in adult management, but said he was delighted it had paid off.
“Life is like a turtle. You can’t get anywhere unless you stick your neck out.
“Filippo has done a great job, so how can we or anyone else argue about getting the job?”
Hulsizer, who revealed that he toasted Dundalk’s win over KÍ Klaksvik with a shot of tequila, said he and the board were delighted to have some group stage football to look forward to.
“I’m excited about it and all the board members are excited about it. The owners are excited about it,” said the 77-year-old Fort Lauderdale resident.
“Aviva is a great advantage for us and a great advantage for Ireland because it is an impressive stadium, although underused.”
“I couldn’t be more proud of the players, coaches, staff and people who run the club for what they have accomplished in light of Covid-19 and everything else that has come our way. It is a fantastic achievement.
“We were in the Premier League when we owned part of Bournemouth so we would know Arsenal very well and they are a huge club. I just hope I can get to the games.
“I’m working to figure out if there’s a way that I can come in and not have to isolate myself for 14 days because I can’t do that with everything that’s going on, but if they tell me I can do some tests and prove I’m negative, then okay, but if not, I’ll have to watch from here, but it would certainly be exciting to be there for these games. “
The president also confirmed that Dundalk will play all its matches in the group stage at Aviva Stadium.
“The balance of the games in Europe, of which I hope there will be 10, will be played at the Aviva Stadium.
“Aviva is a great advantage for us and a great advantage for Ireland because it is an impressive stadium, albeit underused,” Hulsizer said.
Speaking to RTÉ 2fm’s Game On on Friday night, Giovagnoli indicated that he was eager to remain part of Dundalk’s long-term plans and that Thursday’s victory was definitely not tied to his future at the club.
“I am thinking of a plan, a project that includes me, of course, and I have started talking to the club about that,” he said.
“It is a project that includes the development of the academy, to make sure we improve and develop the players we have in the academy, scouting, recruiting … there are many things that can be done. But we have started talking about it.
“We talked about it before this game. My position wasn’t judged by this game alone. It wasn’t fair to eventually do so.
“I had to be judged for what I do on the field every day with the club, not for a game. That would not have been fair.
“Of course, this achievement might reinforce my position a bit, but we were arguing in other terms with the club about me.”
Mentioning his early experience of living in Ireland, Giovagnoli added that he misses his family who have stayed in Italy for now, but described himself as on a “mission”, noting that “when a soldier goes on a mission You have to go alone to explore the territory and then when everything is ready, you can bring the family. “
He also spoke warmly of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, whom he will face in the group stage of the Europa League.
“I like him very much. As a coach, he is incredible. I really like the style and principle of football that he is applying with Arsenal. He is an inspiration for us,” said Giovagnoli.
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