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          Napoli appoint Gattuso as head coach after Ancelotti sacking

          • ESPN
          Dec 11, 2019, 12:37 PM ET

          Napoli have announced Gennaro Gattuso as their new head coach following the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti.

          Former AC Milan, Chelsea, Real Madrid and PSG boss Ancelotti was sacked on Tuesday following the 4-0 win over Genk which confirmed their place in the Champions League knockout stage. Despite advancing to the knockout stages, the club have won just one of their last nine Serie A matches and sit eight points off the top four.

          There have also been a number of internal issues with the players having refused to go into training ground lockdown as order by president Aurelio De Laurentiis, who began legal proceedings to fine each player 25% of their monthly salary.

          In his presentation as Napoli boss, Gattuso labelled the club's league position as "embarrassing."

          "The objective is to make up ground and make the Champions League places," he said. "We need to work hard, make up ground and come out of the other side in this delicate moment.

          "Seeing Napoli in his league position is embarrassing. This team has the potential to make the top four. I have encountered a team aware of their difficult situation who want to do well. I have a good feeling."

          Gattuso was fired by AC Milan at the end of last season after the club missed out on Champions League qualification, finishing one point behind Atalanta and rivals Inter Milan. The Italian has also spent coaching spells at FC Sion and Palermo.

          Gattuso also said Ancelotti was "like a father." The two were together for eight seasons at Milan, where Gattuso grew to become of the best midfielders around and they won a Serie A title and the Champions League on two occasions.

          "Carlo Ancelotti is like a father for me," he added. "In all these years he has always been near me and helped me in every situation.

          "He won everything, I still need to show a lot."

          As a player, Gattuso also won the 2006 World Cup as a player with Italy, and made a total of 467 appearances for Milan over a 13-year period.