Gennaro Ruotolo

Playing career

Ruotolo started his career with Sorrento in 1984, but is best known for having been a key player for Genoa for over a decade; he joined the Grifone in 1988 to left it only in 2002 to join Livorno of Serie C1. During his spell at Genoa he lifted the 1996 Anglo-Italian Cup. He played for Livorno until 2006, except for a four-months time at Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad (February–June 2003), being part of both rosters which gained promotion to Serie B and then Serie A, and playing two top division seasons with the amaranto. He left Livorno in 2006 to join newly promoted Serie C2 club Sorrento in a comeback to his first professional team. He left Sorrento in December 2007 by mutual consent and then joined amateur Promozione side Massa Lubrense for the remainder of the season. In his playing career, Ruotolo received three call-ups for the Italy national team, all in 1991, with a single appearance, a 2–0 home win against Denmark on 12 June.

Managerial career

In July 2008, he returned to Livorno, this time as assistant to the newly appointed coach Leonardo Acori. On 23 May 2009 Ruotolo was appointed on an interim basis to replace Leonardo Acori at the helm of Livorno for the final Serie B league game and the following promotion play-offs in an attempt to bring his side back to the top flight. He debuted with a late 3–2 away win to Ascoli that left his side in third place at the end of the regular season. In the promotion play-offs, Livorno was…