Leyton Orient have parted company with their manager, Fabio Liverani, following the club’s relegation to League Two. The Italian became the club’s fourth manager of a turbulent season when he was appointed last December on a two‑and-a-half-year contract. But he was unable to lift the team away from the danger zone and Orient’s relegation was confirmed on the final Sunday of the season after they had failed to win any of their last seven matches. A statement on the east London club’s website read: “We announce today that Fabio Liverani will be leaving his role as manager of the club by mutual consent. His assistants, Maurizio Cantarelli and Marcello Donatelli, will also be leaving the Club.
It continued: “The Club will now focus on rebuilding for next season, in the hope that we can make a swift return to League One.”
Orient’s decline has been dramatic since last season, when they reached the League One play-off final, losing only on penalties to Rotherham United. Despite substantial outlay on players following the summer takeover by the Italian energy magnate Francesco Becchetti, the team have struggled. Russell Slade, the long-serving manager, left for Cardiff City in September and, after short spells for first Kevin Nugent and then Mauro Milanese, Liverani arrived in December but was unable to prevent Orient returning to the fourth tier, where they will play for the first time since 2005-06.
Liverani, who played three times for the Italian national side as well as for Lazio, Fiorentina and Palermo, had only limited previous managerial experience, having been in charge of Genoa for seven matches in 2013.
