Kilmarnock make bold claim about new manager Angelo Alessio

Angelo Alessio, left, is unveiled as the new manager of Kilmarnock by managing director Billy Bowie. Picture: SNS

The Italian was formally unveiled at a media conference on Thursday after agreeing a three-year contract as successor to Steve Clarke at Kilmarnock.

Alessio, a former Juventus player and assistant-manager, has a tough act to follow after Clarke guided Killie to their best league finish for 53 years last season before he left to become Scotland boss.

But Bowie insists that in securing the services of Alessio, he and his fellow directors have recruited a higher calibre of manager than any other Scottish club can currently boast.

“It had to be a strong appointment,” said Bowie. “Since Steve Clarke left, we have been saying ‘we will have the best manager in Scottish football’. That is where we set our sights and I firmly believe we have got the best manager. “Others will think they are the best, they all do. But it is just down to the experience Angelo has had. The big word is experience. He had a great playing career at a high level in Italy, then worked as assistant to Antonio Conte for eight years with Juventus, the Italian national team and Chelsea.

“Steve was a man who had been down in England, played at a high level and then worked with great players as a coach. Angelo is the same.”

Bowie revealed that Kilmarnock received around 70 applications for the job before compiling a short-list of eight names from which Alessio was selected.

“I’d actually kept the list of applications from when we appointed Steve two years ago,” added Bowie. “The numbers were much the same this time but the calibre of many of them was much higher because of the job Steve did at the club.

“Of the eight we short-listed, they were all of a similar high standard to Angelo. I’m a great believer in that whatever you do, you have to keep raising standards and never rest on your laurels.”