{{Short description|Italian footballer (born 1953)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Leonardo Menichini | image = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1953|12|11|df=y}} | birth_place = Ponsacco, Italy | height = | position = Defender | currentclub = | years1 = 1974–1975 | clubs1 = Verona | caps1 = 2 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 1975–1976 | clubs2 = Novara | caps2 = 29 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 1976–1978 | clubs3 = Roma | caps3 = 52 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 1978–1981 | clubs4 = Catanzaro | caps4 = 73 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 1982–1985 | clubs5 = Ascoli | caps5 = | goals5 = | years6 = 1985–1987 | clubs6 = Triestina | caps6 = | goals6 = | manageryears1 = 2003 | managerclubs1 = Ancona | manageryears2 = 2005 | managerclubs2 = Sassari Torres | manageryears3 = 2005 | managerclubs3 = Tirana | manageryears4 = 2008–2010 | managerclubs4 = Lumezzane | manageryears5 = 2010 | managerclubs5 = Crotone | manageryears6 = 2010–2012 | managerclubs6 = Crotone | manageryears7 = 2012–2013 | managerclubs7 = Grosseto | manageryears8 = 2014 | managerclubs8 = Pisa | manageryears9 = 2014–2016 | managerclubs9 = Salernitana | manageryears10 = 2016–2017 | managerclubs10 = Reggiana | manageryears11 = 2018 | managerclubs11 = Lucchese | manageryears12 = 2019 | managerclubs12 = Salernitana | manageryears13 = 2021–2023 | managerclubs13 = Monterosi | manageryears14 = 2024 | managerclubs14 = Turris | manageryears15 = 2024–2025 | managerclubs15 = Pontedera }}
'''Leonardo Menichini''' (born 11 December 1953) is an Italian football manager and former player.
==Playing career== A defender, Menichini played for several top-flight teams, including AS Roma and Catanzaro, the latter under coach Carlo Mazzone.<ref name="gazzetta1">{{cite news |url=http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/1999/settembre/11/compagno_scuola_Zac_guidera_Perugia_ga_0_9909115710.shtml |title=Un compagno di scuola di Zac guidera' il Perugia |language=Italian |accessdate=24 June 2008 |publisher=La Gazzetta dello Sport |date=11 September 2008}}</ref>
==Coaching career== Following his retirement from playing football, Menichini became a coach, serving alongside Carlo Mazzone from 1993 to 2003 with top-flight teams such as Cagliari, AS Roma, Napoli, Bologna, Perugia and Brescia.<ref name="gazzetta1" /> In 2003, he accepted an offer from newly promoted Serie A team Ancona to become the ''biancorossi'''s boss; however, his first experience as head coach proved to be unsuccessful, since he was sacked after four weeks in charge of the team.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.domenicabiancorossa.com/Archivio/campionati/2003/ |language=Italian |publisher=La Domenica Biancorossa |accessdate=24 June 2008 |title=Campionato 2003 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609220412/http://www.domenicabiancorossa.com/Archivio/campionati/2003/ |archivedate=9 June 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2003/settembre/30/Salta_prima_panchina_serie_Menichini_co_0_030930104.shtml |publisher=Corriere della Sera |language=Italian |title=Salta la prima panchina di serie A Menichini lascia l' Ancona a Sonetti |date=30 September 2003 |accessdate=24 June 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=297184&root=europe&&cc=3888 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715105406/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=297184&root=europe&&cc=3888 |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 July 2012 |title=Ancona's agony ends |accessdate=24 June 2008 |date=15 April 2004 |publisher=ESPN SoccerNet Europe}}</ref>
In February 2005, Menichini returned into football, replacing Salvo D'Adderio at the helm of Sassari Torres, who were in danger of relegation in the Serie C1,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/2005/febbraio/15/Cambio_nel_Giulianova_Cuttone_allenatore_ga_10_0502151914.shtml |language=Italian |accessdate=24 June 2008 |date=15 February 2005 |title=Cambio nel Giulianova E' Cuttone l' allenatore |publisher=La Gazzetta dello Sport}}</ref> and then leading his side to maintain their own place in the third-highest Italian division.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/2005/maggio/09/Marchini_salva_Torres_ga_10_0505091422.shtml |language=Italian |accessdate=24 June 2008 |date=9 May 2005 |title=Marchini salva la Torres |publisher=La Gazzetta dello Sport}}</ref>
Menichini then moved to Albania as head coach of KF Tirana in 2005–06; however, he was sacked in November 2005 due to disagreements with the board, leaving the club in second place.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/2005/novembre/16/TACCUINO_ga_10_0511166888.shtml |language=Italian |accessdate=24 June 2008 |date=16 November 2005 |title=TACCUINO |publisher=La Gazzetta dello Sport}}</ref> He then returned to work alongside Mazzone from February to June 2006, during the latter's unsuccessful spell as Livorno head coach.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2006/febbraio/08/Donadoni_Livorno_Mazzone_co_9_060208104.shtml |language=Italian |accessdate=24 June 2008 |date=1 February 2006 |title=Donadoni se ne va, Livorno a Mazzone |publisher=Corriere della Sera}}</ref>
In April 2008, Menichini was appointed as the new head coach of Serie C2 promotion hopefuls Lumezzane, replacing Mario Petrone, who was sacked following a string of four consecutive defeats.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/2008/aprile/16/Arezzo_caos_via_Cuoghi_ga_10_080416086.shtml |language=Italian |accessdate=24 June 2008 |date=16 April 2008 |title=Arezzo caos: via Cuoghi |publisher=La Gazzetta dello Sport}}</ref> Under his tenure, Lumezzane qualified to the promotion playoffs and ultimately won them, thus ensuring a place in the Lega Pro Prima Divisione 2008–09. He was subsequently confirmed at the helm of the club for the upcoming season.
In June 2010, he was appointed head coach of Calabrian side Crotone for the club's 2010–11 Serie B season.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.fccrotone.it/0702/news/show.asp?F_TYPE=N&F_ID=2600 |publisher=FC Crotone |language=Italian |accessdate=17 June 2010 |date=17 June 2010 |title=E' Menichini il nuovo tecnico }} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> He was dismissed on 27 November 2010 after a 2–1 home loss to Vicenza, leaving Crotone in 11th place after 17 games.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.fccrotone.it/fcnews.asp?invia=dettaglio&id=160&da=home |publisher=FC Crotone |accessdate=27 November 2010 |date=27 November 2010 |language=Italian |title=Comunicato stampa }}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He was reinstated as Crotone head coach on 20 February 2011, following a string of negative results that led to the dismissal of Eugenio Corini.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.fccrotone.it/fcnews.asp?invia=dettaglio&id=302 |publisher=FC Crotone |accessdate=20 February 2011 |date=20 February 2011 |language=Italian |title=Torna Leonardo Menichini |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722033047/http://www.fccrotone.it/fcnews.asp?invia=dettaglio&id=302 |archivedate=22 July 2011 }}</ref> On 23 January 2012, he was finally sacked.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ilpallonaro.com/crotone-menichini-esonerato-promosso-drago/|language=Italian |publisher=Il Pallonaro|date=23 January 2012|title=Crotone, esonerato Menichini. Promosso il vice Drago}}</ref>
From 18 December 2012 to 10 February 2013, he then served as head coach of Grosseto in Serie B. In March 2014, he then served as the new manager of Lega Pro Prima Divisione club Pisa until the end of the season.
On 18 August 2014, he was named new head coach of Lega Pro club Salernitana.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=La Gazzetta dello Sport |language=Italian |url=http://www.gazzetta.it/Calciomercato/18-08-2014/salernitana-via-somma-lotito-caccia-prima-inizio-chiama-menichini-bollini-90173746596.shtml |title=Salernitana, via Somma: Lotito lo caccia prima dell'inizio e chiama Menichini |accessdate=18 August 2014 |date=18 August 2014 }}</ref>
On 30 September 2017, he was fired as the head coach of Serie C club Reggiana.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=A.C. Reggiana 1919|url=https://www.reggianacalcio.it/esonerato-tecnico-leonardo-menichini/|title=ESONERATO IL TECNICO LEONARDO MENICHINI|date=30 September 2017|language=Italian|access-date=5 April 2018|archive-date=6 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006211609/https://www.reggianacalcio.it/esonerato-tecnico-leonardo-menichini/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On 9 May 2019, he was appointed manager of Salernitana,<ref>[http://www.salernotoday.it/sport/leonardo-menichini-ufficiale-intervista-salernitana-9-maggio-2019.html La Salernitana ufficializza Menichini], salernotoday.it, 9 May 2019</ref> completing the season by winning the relegation playoffs against Venezia.
He successively became the Primavera Under-19 youth coach of Lazio, in charge until 2021.
On 10 November 2021, he returned to management as the new head coach of Serie C club Monterosi, replacing David D'Antoni.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=TuttoMercatoWeb|url=https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/serie-c/ufficiale-monterosi-mister-menichini-nuovo-tecnico-della-prima-squadra-1607567|title=Monterosi, mister Menichini nuovo tecnico della prima squadra|date=10 November 2021 |accessdate=10 November 2021|language=Italian}}</ref> He left the club by the end of the 2022–23 season, after escaping relegation on both occasions.
On 23 January 2024, Menichini returned to management as the new head coach of Serie C club Turris.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/serie-c/turris-scelto-il-nuovo-allenatore-panchina-affidata-all-ex-salernitana-menichini-1926568 |publisher=TuttoMercatoWeb |language=it |date=23 January 2024 |accessdate=23 January 2024|title=Turris, scelto il nuovo allenatore. Panchina affidata all'ex Salernitana Menichini}}</ref> After departing from Turris by the end of the season, on 7 October 2024 Menichini returned to his native Tuscany, taking over at fellow Serie C club Pontedera.<ref>{{cite web |date=7 October 2024 |accessdate=7 October 2024|language=it |url=https://www.pisatoday.it/sport/calcio/pontedera-allenatore-serie-c-ufficiale-menichini-leonardo.html |title=Pontedera, ufficiale: è Leonardo Menichini il nuovo allenatore |publisher=PisaToday}}</ref> He left the club on 2 December 2025, after a negative start of the 2025–26 Serie C season, following a change of ownership in the club.<ref>{{cite web |date=3 December 2025 |accessdate=3 December 2025|language=it |url=https://www.lanazione.it/pontedera/cronaca/la-svolta-del-pontedera-esonerato-16f8bb87 |title=La svolta del Pontedera. Esonerato Menichini. Entra il fondo brasiliano |publisher=La Nazione}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Worldfootball.net|leonardo-menichini|new_id=pe49290}}
{{KF Tirana managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Menichini, Leonardo}} Category:1953 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from the Province of Pisa Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Italian men's footballers Category:Hellas Verona FC players Category:Novara FC players Category:AS Roma players Category:US Catanzaro 1929 players Category:Ascoli Calcio 1898 FC players Category:US Triestina Calcio 1918 players Category:Serie A players Category:Serie B players Category:Italian football managers Category:SSC Ancona ASD managers Category:KF Tirana managers Category:FC Crotone managers Category:US Grosseto 1912 managers Category:Pisa SC managers Category:US Salernitana 1919 managers Category:AC Reggiana 1919 managers Category:US Città di Pontedera managers Category:Serie A managers Category:Serie B managers Category:Serie C managers Category:Kategoria Superiore managers Category:Italian expatriate football managers Category:Expatriate football managers in Albania Category:Italian expatriate sportspeople in Albania Category:FC Lumezzane managers Category:20th-century Italian sportsmen