Alberto Bigon

Italian football player and manager (born 1947)

Alberto Bigon
Personal information
Date of birth (1947-10-31) 31 October 1947 (age 76)
Place of birth Padua, Italy
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1964–1966 Padova 64 (14)
1966–1967 Napoli 0 (0)
1967–1969 SPAL 49 (10)
1969–1971 Foggia 65 (18)
1971–1980 A.C. Milan 218 (56)
1980–1982 Lazio 57 (12)
1982–1984 Vicenza[1] 57 (14)
Total 510 (124)
Managerial career
1986–1987 Reggina
1987–1989 Cesena
1989–1991 Napoli
1991–1992 Lecce
1992–1993 Udinese
1994–1995 Ascoli
1996–1997 Sion
1997–1998 Perugia
1999–2000 Olympiacos
2007–2008 Sion
2008 Interblock Ljubljana
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alberto "Albertino" Bigon (born 31 October 1947) is an Italian football manager and former player, who played as a midfielder or forward.

Playing career

Bigon playing for A.C. Milan at San Siro in the 1974–75 season.

Born in Padua, Bigon started his playing career for his native city team Padova. He made his Serie A debut with SPAL in 1967, but obtained most of his playing triumphs with A.C. Milan, where he played from 1971 to 1980. He appeared in 218 league matches with A.C. Milan, scoring 56 goals and winning a Serie A championship in 1979, as well as three Coppa Italia tournaments (1972, 1973, 1977) and a Cup Winners' Cup (1973). He also served as Milan's captain. Bigon retired from playing football in 1984, after two two-year spells with Lazio and Vicenza.[2]

Style of play

Bigon was a tactically intelligent attacking midfielder, with a slender physique and an eye for goal, who was also capable of playing as a forward.[3]

Coaching career

Bigon coached his first team, Reggina, in 1986–1987, then Cesena, in 1987. He coached Cesena until 1989, when he left to coach Napoli, then led by Diego Maradona. He immediately won a Serie A championship, the second in Napoli's history. He then won the Italian Super Cup the same year. He left the club in 1991, after a poor eighth place followed by Maradona's forced farewell to Napoli. He then coached minor clubs such as Lecce (Serie B), Udinese (Serie A, saved from relegation after playoffs) and Ascoli (Serie B). In 1996, he was appointed coach of Swiss team FC Sion, which he led to win Swiss Super League for its second time in history. Bigon then tried an unsuccessful return to Serie A with Perugia. In November 1999 he was appointed coach of Greek club Olympiacos,[4] but was dismissed on 10 April 2000 despite the first place in the championship table.

After seven years without a job, Bigon made a comeback to football in February 2007, when he was appointed coach of FC Sion, a team he already managed years before.

In August 2008, he became head coach of Slovenian football team Interblock Ljubljana. However, this experience lasted only a very short time, as Bigon left the club in September 2008 by mutual consent with the club due to personal health issues.[5]

Honours

Player

Milan

Coach

Napoli

Sion

Olympiacos

Individual

  • Special Panchina d'oro: 1997
  • A.C. Milan Hall of Fame[3]

References

  1. ^ "Vicenza 1902" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 14 March 2007. Retrieved 8 March 2007.
  2. ^ "Il pallone racconta: Albertino Bigon". assocalciatori.it (in Italian). 23 October 2014. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  3. ^ a b "A.C. Hall of Fame: ALBERTO BIGON". A.C. Milan. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  4. ^ "Olympiacos appoint new coach". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 11 November 1999. Archived from the original on 29 January 2000. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Capodistriani colpiti e affondanti a Nova Gorica" (in Italian). 29 September 2008. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2008.
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Pre–Serie A eraSerie A era
Alberto Bigon managerial positions
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SSC Napolimanagers
(c) = caretaker manager
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US Leccemanagers
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Udinese Calciomanagers
(c) = caretaker manager
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FC Sionmanagers
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Olympiacos F.C.managers
(c) = Caretaker Manager