Genoa will be glad to see the back of this season that promised so much but fail completely flat on its face. The club's usual policy of completely revamping the squad was in full effect during a busy summer with many ins and outs. One such out was coach Davide Ballardini after just a few months in charge, rather strangely dismissed by President Enrico Preziosi who is notorious for his lack of patience with managers. One wondered how long new boss Alberto Malesani would get. Malesani's penchant for open, attacking, football had its pros and cons. Genoa were involved in exciting goal-laden matches but had the worst defence in the league which seemed strange given the likes of Kakha Kaladze, Giandomenico Mesto and Emiliano Moretti in their backline. Nevertheless, Genoa were in the top half of the table at the winter break but that clearly wasn't good enough for Preziosi who promptly sacked Malesani. A 6-1 defeat away to Napoli before Christmas was the last straw, one of many poor results on the road for Malesani's men.
Pasquale Marino was drafted in. Despite some thrilling home wins over Udinese, Lazio and Napoli, Marino failed to push the team up the table or address their issues. They were still almost useless away from home and shipping goals all over. Malesani was brought back in April but lasted just three games this time! The watershed moment of the season occurred in the middle of a 4-1 home humbling by Siena when angry fans invaded the pitch demanding the shirts of the players who they felt were not fit to wear them! Luigi De Canio was called on in a last ditch attempt to stop the rot. He just barely succeeded as relegation rivals Lecce's form tailed off at the vital point.
The star of a dreadful season was Rodrigo Palacio, without his goals, Il Grifone would almost certainly be doomed. Marco Rossi deserves an honourable mention for being one of the few players who seemed to always give everything for a club that look in desperate need of revolution.
