Devis Mangia
In June 2011, Mangia agreed to follow director of football Sean Sogliano at Palermo, accepting a job offer as head of the under-19 team at the Sicilian club in place of Paolo Beruatto.[2] His first game in charge of team duties, played on 11 September against European powerhouse Internazionale saw Palermo, now switched to a brand-new 4–4–2 tactical disposition, achieving an astonishing 4–3 win, thanks to a brace from captain Fabrizio Miccoli.[3] Under Mangia's tenure, Palermo significantly improved and achieved three wins and ten points in the first five Serie A games, including a consecutive two games with a clean sheet, a relevant feat for what was the second-worst defence in the previous season; such results, together with the strict relationship between Mangia and director of football Sean Sogliano and Delio Rossi's confirmed refusal of a Palermo comeback, led the press to speculate about the possibility of him being offered a new contract as permanent head coach.[6] Mangia has vowed to follow the model of Italy's senior team coach Cesare Prandelli, who guided the Azzurri to the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship final.[7][8] On 16 December 2013, Mangia was named new head coach of ambitious Serie B club Spezia, guiding them to eighth place and qualification to the promotion playoffs, where they were defeated 1–0 by Modena in the first preliminary round and thus eliminated.