SEASON NOT LOST?
In the fall, the Rosoneri copied the Inter's champion schedule, and in the second round they won no more often than a couple of hopeless outsiders - Ascoli and Messina. Catania also joined this company. Each of the quartet of losers in the second half of the tournament scored just two Victoria. In addition to closing the Ascoli table, the rest of the trinity lives in Sicily. And the dynamics of the performances of the Messinians and Katanians is like a small copy of the steep turn of Palermo. Truly a mystical coincidence: all the troubles of the Sicilian clubs began after the tragic derby in Catania on February 2 ...
But back to the Palermo. His debut spurt combined with almost unique personnel stability. Injuries and disqualifications bypassed the Palermo side, and the best option for the foundation (A. Fontana - Zaccardo, Biava, Barzagli, M. Pisano - Guana, Corini, Fabio Simplisio - Bresiano, Di Michele - Amauri) could cope with any competitor. Among others, Lazio, Milan and Fiorentina were defeated, all in their own fields.
The problems began when the key performers went for treatment one by one. Particularly sensitive was the lack of Amauri and Korini, who in turn upset the goalkeepers and still remain the club’s main goalscorer. The assets of the striker and midfielder are 8 goals each. But Amauri scored the last time in mid-December, and Korini in 2007 hit the target only once - on April 29 in Livorno. Therefore, it is very symbolic that it was on Tuscan land that the Rosoneri interrupted the dreary 11-game losing streak.
This momentous event was preceded by a change of power. On April 23, President of the Sicilian club Maurizio Zamparini fired mentor Francesco Gvidolin, who was replaced by two specialists at once - Renzo Gobbo (former assistant to the resigned helmsman) and Rosario Pergolizzi, who worked with the youth division of Palermo. Both will complete the season in the status of Acting.
Recovering from injury, Captain Corini argues: “The resignation of Guidolin is a logical decision. Closer to spring, alas, he lost control threads. Well, Gobbo and Pergolizzi have a good chance to establish themselves. But do not wait for the return of the strongest to the quartet. This is utopia, although the season is not lost. 5th place will be the best club achievement. In addition, it will probably be possible to block the previous Palermo record for points scored, which is 53 points. In short, we can still hold the best championship in history. "
TWO ARRIVALS - TWO CARE
The uneven performance of Palermo as if personifies the steep holes of Dzamparini - he often throws him from one extreme to another. Take a look at least at the development of his relationship with Guidolin. The coach first stood at the helm of the Rosoneri in January 2004, immediately took them to Serie A (after 31 years of absence) and raised them to an unprecedented height - 6th place. Nevertheless, the paths of Dzamparini and Gvidolin, which had claims to each other, diverged for more than a year.
The second coming of the coach, who had forgotten past grievances, happened last summer. When everything turned out well, the president praised the mentor: “I am very glad that the best coach in the country is in Palermo. I hope Gvidolin and I have mutual sympathies, and he also considers me to be the best president. Even if not, I won’t fire him for anything. Unless he himself will resign. True, with regard to the championship as a whole, Inter will complete it, ahead of us by ten points. Technically, it is two times stronger, but the main difference is the financial gap. To keep up with the Milanese, 150 million euros are needed. ”
In mid-April, the eccentric boss said the exact opposite. The home fiasco in a duel with Cagliari prompted an angry tirade: “This is the last day of Guidloline as a coach of my club. He is the only person I can call to account for an ongoing nightmare. I showed excessive patience, trusting Guidolin. There are no words to express sadness. For 12 meetings of the second round, the team scored only 10 points - the outsider "Ascoli" no less. Palermo has no style. Disappointed not only by the mentor, but also by the players. ”
However, the next day, Dzamparini cooled off and kept the post for the coach. As it turned out, not for long - after two weeks the coach nevertheless said goodbye to the club. A new defeat of the native walls, 3: 4 from Parma, drew his line of activity.
TAKE - AND CANCEL
Guidolin's controversial figure, of course, deserves a separate paragraph. 51-year-old specialist is revered in Italy and is considered a strong coach. He made a name in the mid-90s, when he led the “Vicenza”, which had a reputation for a thunderstorm of authority. The provincial upstarts won the Italian Cup 1996/97, and the next year they reached the semifinal of the Cup Cup, where they lost to Chelsea. The south rostrum of Romeo Menti is still adorned with a banner: 1994-1998: the best years in the biography of Vicenza. Thanks, Francesco. ”
Then Gvidolin headed Udinese, Bologna, Monaco and Palermo, but never gained such respect anywhere. And in the results of his next team lost. The 6th place in Sicily was greased by the ending - in the final 8 rounds, the Palermo did not win.
By the way, for the children of Gvidolin - the situation is normal. His teams always start confidently, but in the end they barely drag their legs. So it was even in Vicenza, which was blown away after the phenomenal start of the 1996/97 season: the 10th round recorded its leadership, and in the final protocol the team settled only on the 8th line.
On top of that, Guidolin has a reputation as a conservative. He is really very reluctant to use tactical innovations. For example, when the 4-3-2-1 system stopped giving results, the coach stubbornly placed the “chips", adhering to this Christmas tree configuration.
Zamparini repeatedly demanded change, but did not find an adequate response. The coach kept an enviable composure and constantly noted that for three months they could not cross out the magnificent year, and he would do everything possible to ensure a successful finish.
... In successors to Gvidolin rumor read Sven-Goran Ericsson. However, Zamparini rejected a similar option: "Ericsson is an excellent specialist and a great man, but his candidacy is not included in my plans." Then the boss with his inherent categoricality issued another tirade: “We have at least eleven coaches on the team at the same time. It would be up to me to cancel the coaching position altogether. However, unfortunately, this is not possible. ”
Denis ORLOV