Soccer-Venezia appoint Nicola as coach

Venezia have appointed ​Davide Nicola as ​head coach on ‌a two-year ​contract, the Serie A club said on Wednesday. Nicola replaced ‌Giovanni Stroppa, who was dismissed on Tuesday with the side rooted to the bottom of the table ‌following six straight league defeats. Stroppa led ‌the club to promotion last season.

A specialist in top-flight survival, Nicola, 53, arrives with a record of engineering ⁠miraculous escapes, ​having ⁠guided struggling sides including Genoa, Torino and Cagliari to Serie ⁠A safety. "I chose Venezia because I see a ​long-term vision and significant opportunities for growth," Nicola ⁠said in a statement.

"In my profession, what matters most ⁠to ​me is the ability to create emotions and write chapters of history that will ⁠stand the test of time." Nicola's tenure begins when Venezia ⁠host ⁠Napoli on Saturday looking for their first points of the campaign.