Gianluca Spinelli

Gianluca Spinelli (born 29 October 1966) is an Italian professional football goalkeeper coach. He is a goalkeeper coach for italian club Internazionale and the Italy national football team.

Gianluca Spinelli

Spinelli in 2020
Personal information
Date of birth	(1966-10-29) 29 October 1966 (age 57)
Place of birth	Milan, Italy
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Team information
Current team	Italy and Inter Milan (goalkeeping coach)
Managerial career
Years	Team
2002–2004	Como (goalkeeping coach)
2004–2014	Genoa (goalkeeping coach)
2014–2016	Italy and Genoa (goalkeeping coach)
2016–2018	Italy and Chelsea F.C. (goalkeeping coach)
2018–2023	Italy and PSG (goalkeeping coach)
2023–	Italy and Inter Milan (goalkeeping coach)

Coaching career

Spinelli began his career as a goalkeeper coach at local team Como in 2002;^[1][2] as a player, he had previously served as a reserve goalkeeper for the club behind Alex Brunner, and helped the team achieve promotion to Serie A in 2002, starting in his side's decisive 2–0 home win over Empoli at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, and keeping a clean sheet.^[3]

After spending two years with the Lariani, he was picked up by Serie A team Genoa C.F.C.^[1][4] He spent 12 years at Genoa,^[4] serving under 16 managers, and coaching several goalkeepers (in particular Mattia Perin^[3]), and helping lead the club out of the Serie C, (Now Lega Pro) to the top flight; during his time with the club, he earned a reputation as one of the best goalkeeping coaches in Italy.^[5]

From 2014 Spinelli joined manager Antonio Conte as part of the coaching staff of the Italy national football team, maintaining the dual role of goalkeeping coach for both Genoa and Italy. After Italy's 6–5 penalty shootout loss to Germany in the Euro 2016 quarter-finals, Spinelli followed Conte to English club Chelsea. He held the dual role of goalkeeping coach for both the Italy national football team and Chelsea.^[4][6] During the 2016–17 Premier League season, Chelsea's starting goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois praised Spinelli's abilities as a goalkeeping coach, and has credited Spinelli for helping him to improve his overall game and technique, in particular his foot-work and diving, which enabled him to be more explosive and get to ground more quickly.^[7][8] Chelsea finished the season as Premier League Champions.^[9][10][11] The following season, Chelsea won the FA Cup.^[12]

After Antonio Conte was sacked by Chelsea in July 2018, Spinelli joined Paris Saint-Germain as the team's new goalkeeping, where he was re-united with former Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.^[13][14] He continued to hold a dual role as both Paris Saint-Germain's goalkeeping coach, and the goalkeeping coach of the Italy national team, under manager Roberto Mancini.^[3]

Honours

Goalkeeping coach

Genoa

• Serie B: 2006–07 (Promoted)
• Serie C1: 2005–06 (Runner-up)

Chelsea^[15]

• Premier League: 2016–17
• FA Cup: 2017–18

Paris Saint-Germain

• Ligue 1: 2018–19
• Trophée des Champions: 2018, 2019

Individual

• Serie A Goalkeeping coach of the Year: 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16^[6]

References

1. GESSI ADAMOLI (12 September 2014). "Spinelli, dalle periferie alla Nazionale di Conte "Ma ho tanto da imparare"" (in Italian). La Repubblica. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
2. Filippo Bonsignore (20 July 2016). "Nazionale, tutti gli uomini del c.t. Ventura Tre fedelissimi, 3 nuovi e un "contiano"" (in Italian). Il Corriere della Sera. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
3. "Spinelli al Paris Saint-Germain. Lo ha voluto Gianluigi Buffon" (in Italian). Il Corriere di Como. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
4. Roberto Sabatino (16 July 2016). "Il Genoa saluta Gianluca Spinelli: allenerà i portieri del Chelsea" (in Italian). PianetaGenoa1893.net. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
5. GESSI ADAMOLI (27 May 2016). "Addio al mago dei portieri Conte si porta via Spinelli" (in Italian). La Repubblica. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
6. "Gianluca Spinelli - Goalkeeper coach". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
7. David Pasztor (6 February 2017). "Courtois credits new goalkeeper coach with key improvements in his game this season". SBNation.com. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
8. "Courtois: "El 'Profe' Ortega nos hacía orinar en un bote para ver si nos teníamos que hidratar más o menos"" (in Spanish). Marca. 24 March 2017. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
9. "West Brom 0-1 Chelsea". The Guardian. 12 May 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
10. "Chelsea win the Premier League: The numbers behind Blues' unsung heroes". BBC Sport. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
11. Chris Murphy; Adam Hurrey (21 May 2017). "Premier League Gameweek 38". PremierLeague.com. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
12. Sam Wallace (19 May 2018). "Eden Hazard penalty settles FA Cup final as Chelsea edge past Man Utd". The Telegraph. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
13. "Why Antonio Conte was sacked: Diego Costa text, Chelsea board rift and player alienation". Sky Sports. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
14. "Spinelli named Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeping coach". PSG. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
15. Matt Law (12 July 2018). "Antonio Conte's Chelsea exit could take further twist with Italian left 'disgusted'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 6 March 2019.