An Olympian who has bossed some of Italy’s big clubs: Latest name thrown in for Sheffield Wednesday job - who is Giuseppe Iachini?

It is reported that Iachini is keen on the Owls role after the shock departure of Darren Moore.

As reported by The Star, Wednesday are understood to be hopeful of moving on from shortlist stage to the interview stage in the coming week as they look to install a manager well in time for the new season.

There is much work to be done. But who is the latest name linked with interest in the role?

OK, who is Giuseppe Iachini?

Giuseppe Iachini is a 59-year-old football manager born in Ascoli. A successful career in midfield, mainly in Italy’s top two divisions, spanned 20 years. In that time he made 426 league appearances for seven Italian clubs, including the likes of Fiorentina and Palermo.

Having jumped into management in 2001 in controversial circumstances - he did not have his requisite coaching license to manage Serie A Vicenza so was officially listed as ‘Director of Football’ - and has held 17 roles since.

He became an Olympian in 1988, representing Italy in the Seoul Summer Games and finishing fourth, missing out on a bronze medal thanks to a 3-0 third-place play-off defeat to West Germany.

A passionate individual, the diminutive figure is easily recognisable for his unique look on the touchlines, often wearing a baseball cap and suit combination.

Where’s he managed and what has he achieved?

Those 17 roles have come across 12 clubs - as is not as unusual in Italy as it is in the UK, he has three times returned to a club he departed within a few months to jump back into a managerial role; at Brescia, Palermo and Fiorentina.

He has twice won Serie B, in 2008 with Chievo and in 2014 with Palermo, and notably was awarded the coveted silver bench Panchina d’Oro - a gong also claimed by the likes of Antonio Conte and Maurizio Sarri among others - for his 2008 promotion effort.

On his CV are albeit fairly short stints at some of Italy’s biggest clubs; Fiorentina, Palermo, Udinese and most recently Parma, which was his last job in football and saw him leave having failed to achieve a Serie B play-off place in the 2021/22 season.

He holds a 37.99% win ratio in 608 league and cup matches and has never managed outside Italy.

In only one of his 17 managerial stints has he mae it past the 100-game mark, with Piacenza between 2004 and 2007.

What his craic with the Wednesday job, then?

Iachini was reportedly keen to make a switch to English football as far back as last summer. In terms of Wednesday, it would be a very left-field appointment.

As reported by journalist Alan Nixon, Iachini is interested in the Wednesday job.

“We have had many applications,” Dejphon Chansiri told the club’s official website this week. “From big names to names who are not so familiar. But it doesn’t matter to me about names, the most important thing is that the new manager will be the right fit for Sheffield Wednesday.

“Football is not like any other business, one coach with a great CV can do not so well and the opposite of that is true as well. This is football, there is always risk. But I can assure everyone that I will appoint the best manager I believe for our club.

“Of course my preference is to have the manager in place for when the players return but at the same time, this appointment will not be rushed. It is all about getting the right manager for our club, whether that is from the UK or overseas or anywhere in the world.

“I want a manager who plays attacking football and it will not be based on money, it will be based on coaching ability and who can bring the right philosophy to Sheffield Wednesday. We must always look to improve as a club.”