Attilio Tesser

Attilio Tesser
Personal information
Date of birth	10 June 1958 (age 66)
Place of birth	Montebelluna, Italy
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Full Back
Youth career
	Montebelluna
Senior career*
Years	Team
1974–1976	Montebelluna
1976–1978	Treviso
1978–1980	Napoli
1980–1985	Udinese
1985–1986	Perugia
1986–1989	Catania
1989–1991	Trento
Total
International career
1979–1980	Italy U-21
Managerial career
1992–1994	Sevegliano
1994–1996	Udinese (youth team)
1996–2001	Venezia (youth team)
2001–2003	Südtirol
2003–2005	Triestina
2005	Cagliari
2006	Ascoli
2007–2008	Mantova
2009	Padova
2009–2012	Novara
2012	Novara
2013–2015	Ternana
2015–2016	Avellino
2016	Avellino
2016–2018	Cremonese
2018–2021	Pordenone
2021–2023	Modena
2023–2024	Triestina
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Attilio Tesser (born 10 June 1958) is an Italian association football manager and former defender.

Playing career

Tesser, a defender, started his playing career with Treviso. He moved to Napoli in 1978, where he played two seasons. He then played for Udinese from 1980 to 1985, and then for some lower league teams, including Perugia and Catania. He was also capped for the Italian U-21 side.

Managing career

After his retirement, Tesser began a coaching career in 1992 for Serie D side Sevegliano, and successively became a coach at the youth level for Udinese and Venezia. His first professional coaching job came in 2001, for Serie C2 side F.C. Südtirol. In 2003, he replaced Ezio Rossi at the helm of U.S. Triestina Calcio of Serie B.

After a very good season, followed by a poorer one, Tesser moved to Cagliari Calcio of Serie A in 2006, but was fired just after the first league match by team chairman Massimo Cellino. In July 2006 he was named coach of Ascoli, replacing Marco Giampaolo. However, after a serie of struggling results ended in a 1–0 home defeat to Empoli F.C. in the 11th matchday, Tesser was fired and replaced by Nedo Sonetti.

Tesser started the 2007–08 season at the helm of Serie B side Mantova, with the aim to fight for a promotion spot; however, results did not confirm the initial goals, and he was sacked on 24 February 2008, leaving Mantova in seventh place, seven points far from the fourth playoff spot.^[1]

In January 2009 he accepted a coaching offer from Lega Pro Prima Divisione club Padova;^[2] however, his stint with the patavini lasted only one month, as he was sacked later on February.^[3]

In June 2009 he was named Novara manager. His tenure proved to be highly successful, as he led his club to become Lega Pro Prima Divisione champions in his first season in charge.

In the 2010–11 season, Tesser repeated himself as he guided Novara to third place in the final table, then winning a second consecutive promotion to Serie A after defeating Reggina and Padova in the playoffs. The Serie A comeback however proved to be particularly difficult for Novara, who only won 12 points after the first 20 games: this cost Tesser the job, as he was removed from his managerial duties on 30 January 2012 following a 2–0 away loss against Palermo; he was replaced by veteran coach Emiliano Mondonico.^[4]

On 6 March 2012 he was recalled by Novara as head coach,^[5] but on 31 October 2012 he was again sacked.^[6]

On 13 June 2015 Tesser was appointed as the head coach of Avellino, replacing Massimo Rastelli.^[7]

In the summer of 2016 he was hired by the Cremonese. He was dismissed from Cremonese on 23 April 2018.^[8]

On 4 July 2018 Tesser has been appointed as the new head coach of Pordenone Calcio.^[9] On his first season as Pordenone boss, he guided the small Friuli club to direct promotion to Serie B (the first in club history) as Serie C/B champions.

He was fired on 3 April 2021 after a 1–4 loss to Brescia that left Pordenone two points shy of relegation.^[10]

Tesser was subsequently named new head coach of ambitious Serie C club Modena for the 2021–22 season; under his guidance, the Canarini won the Group B title by the end of the campaign, thus ensuring themselves promotion to Serie B for the following season.^[11] After a mid-table finish in the 2022–23 Serie B campaign, Tesser was dismissed by the end of the season as Modena appointed Paolo Bianco at his replacement;^[12] successively, Tesser was appointed in charge of Serie C club Triestina.^[13]

On 4 February 2024, following a home loss against Pro Patria, Tesser was dismissed from his coaching post with immediate effect.^[14]

Managerial statistics

As of match played 4 February 2024^[15]

Managerial record by team and tenure
Team	Nat	From	To	Record
Team	Nat	From	To	G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Südtirol		1 July 2001	30 June 2003	86	37	31	18	125	85	+40	043.02
Triestina		1 July 2003	30 June 2005	96	32	32	32	106	113	−7	033.33
Cagliari		1 July 2005	29 August 2005	4	2	1	1	8	6	+2	050.00
Ascoli		20 May 2006	13 November 2006	13	1	4	8	11	16	−5	007.69
Mantova		11 June 2007	24 February 2008	28	12	6	10	40	34	+6	042.86
Padova		13 January 2009	22 February 2009	5	1	1	3	1	5	−4	020.00
Novara		11 June 2009	30 January 2012	114	47	40	27	165	123	+42	041.23
Novara		6 March 2012	31 October 2012	26	8	8	10	35	40	−5	030.77
Ternana		31 December 2013	13 June 2015	65	21	20	24	68	83	−15	032.31
Avellino		13 June 2015	22 March 2016	34	13	7	14	49	48	+1	038.24
Avellino		20 April 2016	31 May 2016	5	1	2	2	5	9	−4	020.00
Cremonese		31 May 2016	23 April 2018	83	35	25	23	119	97	+22	042.17
Pordenone		4 July 2018	3 April 2021	116	46	42	28	144	117	+27	039.66
Modena		22 June 2021	23 May 2023	84	45	18	21	136	90	+46	053.57
Triestina		11 July 2023	4 February 2024	27	16	4	7	47	25	+22	059.26
Total				786	317	241	228	1,059	891	+168	040.33