Former Italy coach Roberto Donadoni has been named the new coach of Serie A side Parma after Franco Colomba was unceremoniously dismissed following a heavy defeat.
Donadoni, who coached Italy from 2006-2008, had been out of work for six months since being fired by Cagliari during pre-season, straight after a friendly victory.
Colomba paid for Saturday's 5-0 thrashing at Inter Milan, the third time this season his side had been heavily beaten by a leading contender, following 4-1 defeats against AC Milan and Juventus.
It was a sixth game in a row without victory, although they only lost two of those and their last success was a hugely impressive 2-0 defeat of high-flying Udinese on November 20.
Colomba thus became the 11th coach to lose his job in Italy's Serie A already this season.
Cagliari and Palermo lead the way with two coaching changes and both fired coaches before the start of the league season.
Inter replaced Gian Piero Gasperini with Claudio Ranieri after just four matches in the most high profile sacking.
Although a former Italy coach, Donadoni has had little success as a club boss.
He previously coached Livorno, Genoa and Napoli as well as Cagliari in the top flight without achieving anything remarkable.
He guided Italy to Euro 2008 before losing to eventual winners Spain on penalties in the quarter-finals, after which he was dismissed to allow World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippi to return.
He has signed an 18-month contract with Parma, who currently sit 15th in Serie A, seven points above the relegation zone but 10 points off the European places.
Source: AFP
