Former Catania coach Walter Zenga has been named Palermo coach to replace Davide Ballardini who stepped down earlier this week after differences with chairman Maurizio Zamparini.
Zamparini told ANSA that ex-Italy and Inter Milan goalkeeper Zenga, 49, had signed a three-year contract.
He described Zenga, a fiery manager who was banned for insulting officials in 2008, as ''a great man'' who had impressed him with his ''determination''.
The announcement sparked protests on Catania fan websites with angry supporters saying they would ''never forget'' Palermo's 4-0 drubbing at Catania last season.
Earlier this week Zamparini said he felt ''let down'' by Ballardini's decision to quit after a year in charge.
Ballardini, 45, told the press that the 68-year-old Zamparini - who has fired 26 coaches since entering the football world in 1987 - had ''stressed'' him.
Zamparini has a reputation for keeping the pressure on his appointees and has earned the media nickname 'the coach-eater'.
As next season's Serie A coach roster continues to take shape after Leonardo took over at AC Milan when Carlo Ancelotti left for Chelsea, Ballardini is expected to go to Lazio and Italy assistant manager Ciro Ferrara is widely seen as having his caretaker role at Juventus turned into a regular contract.
The appointment of Ferrara, a former international teammate of Zenga, is expected Friday night.
Zenga took over at Catania at the end of the 2007-2008 season, making his debut as a Serie A manager, and helped the Sicilian club stay in Serie A.
This year he led them to a 15th-place finish, helped by tricks like a controversial 'pants-down' free-kick wall.
Palermo ended the season Sunday in 8th, just outside the Europa League qualification zone.
Zenga had previously coached several teams abroad and done the double of Serbian championship and cup with Red Star Belgrade.
The ex-Inter icon, who was a RAI TV pundit at the time of his April 2007 appointment, had only worked in Italy once as a coach, with semi-professional Brera in 2000-2001.
He got his first coaching break with Major League Soccer side New England Revolution in 1999.
After Brera, he moved on to National Bucharest, Steaua Bucharest, Red Star Belgrade and Gaziantepspor of Turkey.
In 2006 he briefly coached United Arab Emirates club Al Ain FC before a short stint at Dinamo Bucharest.
During his playing career the 'Uomo Ragno' (Spider-Man) turned out 328 times for Inter from 1982 to 1994 and won 58 Italy caps between 1985 and 1992.
He played every game at the 1990 World Cup, where Italy came third, and kept five straight clean sheets - a record that still stands.
