Atalanta condemned for employing a serial failure as new manager for Lookman and teammates

Atalanta fans are stupefied by the club's decision to sign Southampton flop Ivan Juric for Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman and his teammates to replace Roma-bound head coach Gian Piero Gasperini.

Gasperini left Atalanta this summer after having spent nine years with La Dea, as the legendary Italian coach signed with AS Roma.

The latter side had been on the lookout for a replacement for the retiring Claudio Ranieri, and signed Gasperini as head coach on a three-year contract. In the follow-up, Atalanta decided to sign former Roma boss Juric, who had been sacked by Southampton in April after leading the Saints to an early relegation from the Premier League.

Atalanta fans are now questioning the 49-year-old's signing despite his last two jobs having ended with a sacking.

  X user @LeandroComo wrote: "Percassi and Paglicua intentionally want to find the worst manager in Serie A history to destroy the club. Ivan Juric is an absolute flog. How is this guy still working?? Sacked always. Please go away, Juric."

 @VujatovicAlex added: "Football's so odd man, had an absolute stinker with Southampton and then gets a role at a top-five Serie A club."

@SportsTraderIT wrote: "WHY????? He was bad with Roma, relegated in the Premier League, and he is getting hired by Atalanta."

 Southampton fan @JustSaints_ joked: "Ivan Juric returning to a top Serie A job after winning one match in the PL, relegating Saints FC, playing Joe Aribo at centre back & smoking a few cigs at the training ground."

 In all fairness, Juric has had to contend with a fair few issues at both Roma and Southampton, as he had to lead both sides without any preseason.

He had taken over from Daniele De Rossi just a month into the season at I Giallorossi before he was ultimately sacked as well after less than two months.

The same happened during his stint with the Saints, where he took charge of an underwhelming squad from Russell Martin.

 Despite the move seeming to be a weird decision, Juric has proven to be a very tactical manager during his time with Torino, and Atalanta will be hoping that the stylistic similarities between Juric and Gasperini will make the transition less turbulent than it could have been.

Also, Juric already worked with Gasperini and Tony D’Amico, so Atalanta picked him to replace Gasp at the Gewiss Stadium.

Juric played under Gasperini as a footballer and started his managerial career as Gasp’s assistant.

He also worked with Atalanta director Tony D’Amico at Hellas Verona and was judged as the most suitable option to replace Gasperini after nine years.

Sky Sport Italia confirms that Juric will sign a two-year contract at the Gewiss Stadium.

Juric played 365 games as a professional footballer, 215 of which were under Gasperini. Once he retired, he followed Gasp at Palermo and in a short spell at Inter, working as the Italian coach’s assistant.

 Juric had a troubled 2024-25 campaign as he was sacked after just two months at Roma and failed to avoid relegation from the Premier League at Southampton.

Nevertheless, his tactical proximity with Gasp and his solid bond with D’Amico made him the most suitable candidate for Atalanta, who will play in the Champions League next season.