Dundalk have confirmed the appointment of Filippo Giovagnoli as the club's interim head coach.
The Italian, who played at Serie C level in Italy, takes over from Vinny Perth who was sacked as head coach of the League of Ireland champions last week.
Giovagnoli spent the past six years as director of coaching at the Metropolitan Oval Academy in New York. Before that he worked as U19 coach with Serie C side AS Gubbio 1910 and was the technical director of AC Milan’s camps in Italy and the USA.
Giovagnoli will be assisted by fellow Italian Guiseppe Rossi. Both hail from the town of Apecchio.
The 49-year-old, who took training for the first time on Tuesday, said he only found out about Dundalk's interest over the weekend.
"It’s my first experience at this level but if you know football and know what you are doing, which I believe I do, then for me it’s just a different challenge," he told Dundalk's club website.
"I am confident we are going to do a good job.
"It’s a big challenge because I’m in a different country and a lot of people are sceptical but I am not afraid and when I become part of a club, it becomes my family, and if it becomes my family, I will fight really hard to do well."
