Davide Ancelotti: Young assistant with a stellar CV
Written by Simon Austin — January 4, 2020
DAVIDE ANCELOTTI may be the youngest assistant manager in the Premier League, but he already has a CV few others can match.
The 30-year-old Italian has worked at PSG, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Napoli, and now Everton. Of course, it's unlikely these opportunities would have come without the help of a famous father, but Ancelotti Jnr speaks five languages (English, Italian, French, German and Spanish), has a degree in sports science and is a holder of the Uefa Pro Licence.
In 2018, Carlo Ancelotti told TGG that he likes to give the existing staff a chance to impress when he arrives at a new club - “When I arrive, I have to check the situation" - but he also likes to have an inner circle of trusted lieutenants around him, which is why he has taken fitness coach Francesco Mauri, analyst Simeone Montanaro and his son with him to Goodison Park.
Davide Ancelotti has some experience as a player, albeit at a much, much lower level than his Italian international father. After a spell in the youth ranks at AC Milan, he moved to Borgamero in the lower leagues in Italy.
"I actually played in the fifth division, but was too slow," he has said. "I am best as a coach."
After deciding his future in football lay behind the scenes, Ancelotti Jnr completed a degree in sports science and worked as a fitness coach with PSG's Academy during his father's time there as manager.
When they moved to Real Madrid, in 2013, he primarily worked with the first team, and at Bayern Munich made the step up to assistant manager, which inevitably drew accusations of nepotism.
"I might be young and the coach's son, but I am very focused on my work," Davide said in an interview with the German club's official website, which you can watch below.
He described his role as being "to support our coaches, both during training and match preparations, as well as during games" and added that "the players are very professional and show me a lot of respect."
Speaking to L'Equipe, Carlo Ancelotti said: "I hope he (Davide) will be a great coach. He is still too young to take charge of a team, he still has to learn, but he has the ability. He is focused, attentive and wants to improve. Every day, we talk about tactics, style of play, training sessions."
At Napoli, Ancelotti Jnr became more and more prominent, standing in at press conferences and even taking charge of the side against Roma last November, when his father served a rare touchline ban. The team lost 2-1.
He is not the only person to have worked alongside a famous father in the Premier League in recent years. From July 2016 to November 2019, Sebastiano Pochettino served as first-team sports scientist at Tottenham.
"I know some say 'he's the gaffer's son', but the players trust him," Mauricio Pochettino said. "They don't see him as my son - he is Sebastiano and this is the important thing."
Similarly, coaching and leadership at Everton has become a family affair following the appointment of Ancelotti and son this Christmas.
