in march 2001, luciano spalletti was appointed manager, replacing luigi de canio. spalletti managed to lead the team to survival on the penultimate matchday. following brief periods with roy hodgson and giampiero ventura on the bench, spalletti was again appointed manager of udinese at the beginning of the 2002–03 season, finding an organised and ambitious club which again reached the uefa cup, playing attacking and entertaining football.