Colomba relishes Reggina return

Reggina Calcio have appointed Franco Colomba as their new coach two weeks after parting company with Luigi De Canio, the man who helped them avoid relegation to Italy's Serie B.

Third spell
It will be the third spell for Colomba as Reggina coach. "I have been away from Reggio Calabria for one year," said the 48-year-old after signing a one-year contract. "However it seems like I have never been away from here. Professionally we are restarting a relationship which was interrupted one year ago. However for me it is like I never went away."

Reggina recall
His first spell with the club was in 1997/98 when he helped them finish sixth in Serie B. Colomba was recalled to Reggina two years later in Serie A, helping the side avoid relegation in his first season. He failed to achieve the same result the following year after losing a play-off match against Hellas-Verona FC however he led them back to Serie A the season after that.

Napoli spell
Despite this success, Colomba then accepted an offer to move to fallen giants SSC Napoli in Serie B. He was sacked after a few matches but returned to save the team from relegation at the end of the current campaign.

Foti satisfaction
Reggina president Lillo Foti today expressed his satisfaction with Colomba's return. "Colomba has been one of the main characters in Reggina's history in recent years," he said. "We are sure he's the best man for this job at the moment." Two weeks ago Reggina avoided relegation from Serie A after beating Atalanta BC 2-1 on aggregate in a play-off match.