{{Short description|Italian footballer (born 1953)}} {{BLP sources|date=December 2010}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Giovanni Mei | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1953|10|15|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Fano]], Italy | height = 1.88 m | position = [[Defender (association football)|Defender]] | currentclub = [[Alma Juventus Fano 1906|Fano]] (technical director) | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = [[Alma Juventus Fano 1906|Fano]] | years1 = 1970–1972 | clubs1 = [[Alma Juventus Fano 1906|Fano]] | caps1 = 33 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 1972–1974 | clubs2 = [[Bologna F.C. 1909|Bologna]] | caps2 = 5 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 1974–1975 | clubs3 = [[S.S.D. Città di Brindisi|Brindsi]] | caps3 = 26 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 1975–1976 | clubs4 = [[Modena F.C. 2018|Modena]] | caps4 = 37 | goals4 = 1 | years5 = 1976–1980 | clubs5 = [[Atalanta B.C.|Atalanta]] | caps5 = 120 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 1980–1984 | clubs6 = [[A.C. Cesena|Cesena]] | caps6 = 116 | goals6 = 0 | years7 = 1984–1985 | clubs7 = [[U.S. Cremonese|Cremonese]] | caps7 = 4 | goals7 = 0 | totalcaps = 341 | totalgoals = 1 | manageryears1 = 1990–1991 | managerclubs1 = [[Vis Pesaro dal 1898|Vis Pesaro]] | manageryears2 = 1991–1992 | managerclubs2 = [[Suzzara Calcio 2000|Suzzara]] | manageryears3 = 1992–1993 | managerclubs3 = [[A.S.D. Barletta 1922|Barletta]] | manageryears4 = 1993–1994 | managerclubs4 = [[U.C. AlbinoLeffe|Leffe]] | manageryears5 = 1995–1996 | managerclubs5 = Baracca Lugo | manageryears6 = 1996–1998 | managerclubs6 = [[Calcio Catania|Catania]] | manageryears7 = 2001–2002 | managerclubs7 = [[S.S. Sambenedettese Calcio|Sambenedettese]] | manageryears8 = 2002–2003 | managerclubs8 = [[Saipa F.C.|Saipa]] | manageryears9 = 2007–2010 | managerclubs9 = [[Bologna F.C. 1909|Bologna]] (assistant) | manageryears10 = 2011–2012 | managerclubs10 = [[Parma F.C.|Parma]] (assistant) | manageryears11 = 2012–2013 | managerclubs11 = [[Calcio Padova|Padova]] (assistant) | manageryears12 = 2014 | managerclubs12 = [[FC Pune City|Pune City]] (assistant) | manageryears13 = 2019– | managerclubs13 = [[Alma Juventus Fano 1906|Fano]] (technical director) }}

'''Giovanni Mei''' (born 15 October 1953) is an Italian former [[Association football|football]] player and who now works as the technical director of Italian club [[Alma Juventus Fano 1906|Fano]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.almajuventusfano1906.com/intervista-dt-giovanni-mei/|title=INTERVISTA DT GIOVANNI MEI – Alma Juventus Fano 1906|language=it-IT|access-date=6 April 2020|archive-date=6 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406140947/http://www.almajuventusfano1906.com/intervista-dt-giovanni-mei/|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

==Playing career== Mei played as a [[central defender]], often used as a [[full-back (association football)|full-back]], spending his youth career with [[Alma Juventus Fano 1906|Fano]], for which he made his debut in the first team in [[Serie D]] at 18 years old. He signed for [[Bologna F.C. 1909|Bologna]], where he made his [[Serie A]] debut. However he struggles to find space, then he played first in [[S.S.D. Città di Brindisi|Brindsi]] and then in [[Modena F.C. 2018|Modena]].

In 1976 he moved to [[Atalanta B.C.|Atalanta]], with which he obtained the promotion in Serie A at the first attempt (1976–77 season) and contested four championships, two in Serie A and two in [[Serie B]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Belotti|first=Marina|date=16 October 2019|title=Candeline nerazzurre per Giovanni Mei|url=https://www.calcioatalanta.it/2019/10/16/candeline-nerazzurre-per-giovanni-mei/|access-date=26 June 2020|website=Calcio Atalanta|language=it-IT}}</ref> Identical curriculum he obtained with [[A.C. Cesena|Cesena]], to which he was sold in the summer 1980. In 1984 he finally moved to the newly promoted [[U.S. Cremonese|Cremonese]] in Serie A, with which he obtained the last four appearances in the top flight.

During his career he scored 1 goal and total of 109 appearances in Serie A and 197 appearances and in Serie B.

== Managerial career == Mei began his coaching career at [[Vis Pesaro dal 1898|Vis Pesaro]] in 1990 and later [[Suzzara Calcio 2000|Suzzara]] in 1991. Category rooms where in the seasons 1992–93 and 1993–94 he trained [[A.S.D. Barletta 1922|Barletta]]. In 1995–96 he directed the Baracca Lugo. In 1996–97 he took over from Angelo Busetta on the [[Calcio Catania|Catania]] bench, from which he was removed during the 1997–98 season.

In 2000–01 he was on the bench of the [[S.S. Sambenedettese Calcio|Sambenedettese]] promoted in [[Lega Pro Seconda Divisione|Serie C2]]. The following year he was soon replaced by Paolo Beruatto. In 2003 he accepted the offer of Iranian club [[Saipa F.C.|Saipa]] which played in [[Persian Gulf Pro League]]. In 2006–07 he returned to [[Bologna F.C. 1909|Bologna]] as an observer. He later became assistant coach of Bologna and [[Parma F.C.|Parma]] joining [[Franco Colomba]]'s technical staff.

On 17 December 2012, he became the assistant coach of [[Calcio Padova|Padova]] alongside [[Franco Colomba]]. On 20 March 2013, following [[Franco Colomba]]'s release from office, he was released from office. On 22 July 2014, he became assistant coach of the [[Indian Super League]] club Pune City.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://corrieredibologna.corriere.it/bologna/notizie/rossoblu/2014/23-luglio-2014/colomba-vola-india-cambio-vita-calcio-223616824795.shtml|title=Colomba vola in India: "Cambio vita e il calcio"|last=Mossini|first=Alessandro|date=23 July 2014|website=Corriere di Bologna|language=it|access-date=6 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiansuperleague.com/news/hard-work-behind-results-says-pune-city-assistant-coach-giovanni-mei|title=Hard work behind results, says Pune City assistant coach Giovanni Mei|website=Indian Super League|language=en|access-date=7 April 2020}}</ref> After the season club cannot make playoffs and Colomba left the club with his coaching staff.

After long time absence in football management he return to his former club [[Alma Juventus Fano 1906|Fano]] as a technical direction in July 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.almajuventusfano1906.com/giovanni-mei-e-il-nuovo-responsabile-dellarea-tecnica/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407093443/https://www.almajuventusfano1906.com/giovanni-mei-e-il-nuovo-responsabile-dellarea-tecnica/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=7 April 2020|title=GIOVANNI MEI E’ IL NUOVO RESPONSABILE DELL’AREA TECNICA – Alma Juventus Fano 1906|language=it-IT|access-date=7 April 2020}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [[:it:Giovanni Mei#]] {{Saipa F.C. managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mei, Giovanni}} [[Category:1953 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Italian men's footballers]] [[Category:Italian football managers]] [[Category:Expatriate football managers in India]] [[Category:Bologna FC 1909 players]] [[Category:Atalanta BC players]] [[Category:Men's association football defenders]] [[Category:Serie A players]] [[Category:Serie B players]] [[Category:Footballers from Fano]] [[Category:Footballers from Marche]] [[Category:Italian expatriate sportspeople in India]] [[Category:Italian expatriate football managers]] [[Category:UC AlbinoLeffe managers]] [[Category:Catania FC managers]] [[Category:Bologna FC 1909 non-playing staff]] [[Category:Italian expatriate sportspeople in Iran]] [[Category:Expatriate football managers in Iran]] [[Category:20th-century Italian sportsmen]]