SOCCER: TWO MORE HEADS ROLL AS SERIE A SETS AXING RECORD

SOCCER: TWO MORE HEADS ROLL AS SERIE A SETS AXING RECORD

(ANSA) - Rome, October 21 - Two of Serie A's bottom clubs replaced their managers Wednesday bringing the number of axed coaches in the top flight to a record five after eight games.

Third-from-bottom Bologna sacked Giuseppe Papadopulo, 61, and brought in former Reggina, Napoli, Cagliari and Ascoli coach Franco Colomba, 54.

It was the Emilian club's third change of management in 14 months.

Bottom club Livorno brought in Serse Cosmi, 51, former manager of Perugia, Bologna, Udinese and Brescia, in place of joint coaches Vittorio Russo, 70, and Gennaro Ruotolo, 42.

AS Roma, Atalanta and Napoli are the other clubs to have seen heads roll.

Luciano Spalletti was sacked after Roma's two opening defeats and replaced by Claudio Ranieri; Angelo Gregucci got the chop at Atalanta on Day Four and was replaced by Antonio Conte; and former Italy manager Roberto Donadoni fell in favour of Walter Mazzari after Napoli's seventh game.

The previous Serie A coach-chopping record was set in 1963 when four managers were replaced by Day Eight. photo: Cosmi