President Maurizio Zamparini's revolving door continued to turn throughout a nightmare season for his club Palermo. Managers, key players and backroom staff all walked in and out. Delio Rossi was dismissed at the end of last season and replaced by Stefano Pioli. Incredibly, Pioli was sacked in pre-season by Zamparini who felt he'd lost the dressing room after the club were knocked out of the Europa League preliminary stages by Thun. In another twist, the President tried to recruit Rossi back before eventually settling on inexperienced youth coach Devis Mangia. The new manager would have to do without three of the best players from last season as Javier Pastore, Antonio Nocerino and goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu were sold. The replacements were far from spectacular. The most notable signing was Matias Silvestre who was brought in to sure up Palermo's notoriously leaky defence. Those issues were not resolved on the opening day where they conceded three but scored four to beat Inter in a thriller at home. In fact, their home form was terrific to start the season with six straight wins. However, they could not buy a goal let alone a win on the road - it took them until Christmas to get an away goal by which time Mangia had been given the sack despite signing a contract the previous month and having the side still in the top half.
Bortolo Mutti was his replacement. He still couldn't get the team to win on their travels with just one away victory all season. But Palermo were still one of the most exciting sides in the league. They could score goals but were just as liable to leak them. A 4-4 draw with Inter in the snow at the San Siro was the best game all season. Fabrizio Miccoli produce a virtuoso performance that night and he was their talisman - the closest thing to a one man team in Serie A with 16 goals and 13 assists. Backed up by fellow fighters, Federico Balzaretti and Giulio Migliaccio, the Rosanero had just enough about them to secure safety. Josip Ilicic proved the disappointment of the season, caving under the pressure of having to repeat last seasons magic on his own without the likes of Pastore to back him up. Coach Mutti succeeded in his task of keeping the club up and then made his way back out through the revolving door. With Miccoli also set to leave, it doesn't look like it will stop turning any time soon as yet more uncertain times lie ahead.
