Season 2011/12 was one to forget for Roma.
The Giallorossi never got going and finished outside the Euro-slot zone, a modest seventh place and well out of contention for the honours.
The side’s under-achievements were not only reserved to the Serie A alone as Roma were also knocked out in the early stages of the Europa League and Coppa Italia.
These upsets contrast starkly with the huge investments effected by the new US-based club owners, led by Thomas Di Benedetto.
Among the numerous signings they had in summer of 2011 were goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg, defenders Gabriel Heinze and Simon Kjaer, midfielders Valdes Angel, Fernando Gago, Miralem Pjanic, Erik Lamela and Marco Marquinho, and three strikers in the shape of Daniel Osvaldo, Bojan Krkic and Fabio Borini.
Luis Enrique was at the helm of the team, taking over from Vincenzo Montella. However, as the 2011/12 Serie A petered out, it became evident that Roma were heading nowhere under the novice Spaniard.
The club kept faith in Enrique until the end of the season though as the team conceded 14 defeats in 38 outings.
Aware of his modest achievements, Enrique immediately stepped down. Andre Villas-Boas, Montella and Zdenek Zeman were soon linked with the vacant Roma job.
Villas-Boas has little know-ledge of Italian football and a headline-grabbing return of Montella would have confirmed what a flawed decision the US supremos had taken the summer before.
So, a move for veteran Zeman seemed the safest path for Roma.
The 65-year-old had just led Pescara to their first promotion to the Serie A after a 19-year absence.
Prague-born Zeman, who is a chain smoker and had minor heart surgery last week, has already coached Roma between 1997-99 after a similar stint with cross-city rivals Lazio.
With Zeman, Roma will play attacking football but there’s a long way to go for the side to reach the top.
Meanwhile, Giovanni Stroppa, a key midfielder for Zeman’s Foggia in the early 1990s, will lead Pescara in their first Serie A campaign since 1992/93.
In the meantime, Montella was unveiled as Fiorentina’s new coach after leaving Catania.
Rolando Maran, who has just led Varese to the promotion play-offs, will replace Montella in Sicily.
Following Edy Reja’s departure, Lazio opted for a non-Italian man at the helm as they appointed Bosnian Vladimir Petkovic, formerly of FC Sion.
Palermo will also start the new season with a new coach as Maurizio Zamparini has now hired Giuseppe Sannino, who led Siena to a 14th-place finish last season.
Serie A coaches
Atalanta: Colantuono
Bologna: Pioli
Cagliari: Ficcadenti
Catania: Maran (new)
Chievo: Di Carlo
Fiorentina: Montella (new)
Genoa: De Canio
Inter: Stramaccioni
Juventus: Conte
Lazio: Petkovic (new)
Milan: Allegri
Napoli: Mazzarri
Palermo: Sannino (new)
Parma: Donadoni
Pescara: Stroppa (new)
Roma: Zeman (new)
Sampdoria: tba
Siena: tba
Torino: Ventura
Udinese: Guidolin