Rome -Serie A side Napoli on Tuesday fired coach Roberto Donadoni and replaced him with Walter Mazzarri as they look to rev up a so far disappointing season. The club's website quoted Napoli president and film producer Aurelio De Laurentiis as saying that "it was a vital decision to give new impulse to the Azzurri's season and in looking ahead at the next five years."
De Laurentiis returned from the US on the weekend after a long absence and said he was going to overhaul the club, hinting at a change of coach after firing director general Pierpaolo Marino.
The president on Monday met the director general of Sampdoria, Giuseppe Marotta, and discussed the hiring of Mazzarri, who was still on Samp's payroll despite having been replaced last summer by Luigi Delneri.
Mazzarri, 48, was assistant coach at Napoli in the 1998/99 season. In his 13-year coaching career, Mazzarri led Livorno to promotion to the top flight and rescued minnows Reggina from relegation despite an 11-point deficit.
Donadoni, 46, is a former star midfielder with AC Milan, who after stints at minor clubs coached the Italian national team 2006-2008.
He arrived at Napoli in mid-season last March to replace Edy Reja. The team has notched seven points from as many games in the current season.
