ALEXANDRIA – “Alessandria Calcio is injured but is alive and will come out of it, with more football professionals and men in next year’s organization chart“. After the postponement of the press conference, the vice-president of the greys, William Rubba, however wanted to make some significant statements. “First of all we apologize to the fans and the entire city for this unsuccessful year from a footballing point of view“ the member of the board of directors underlined “we paid for inexperience. We lost on the field but we won from a corporate point of view because if it had been due to the previous ownership Alessandria Calcio would have gone bankrupt, I take full responsibility in stating this. Instead, the entry of Andrea Molinaro and Giulio Maione led to the allocation of 1.8 million euros. Furthermore, the board of directors has always been united, has put its heart into it, and he always worked with commitment and intensity to avoid failure. We have worked miracles from an administrative point of view. Together we managed to save the company. Furthermore, after the change of ownership, Molinaro and Maione were able to verify the presence of critical issues that were not apparent before”.
Rubba also assured that President Molinaro’s commitment together with director Maione will continue next yearin series D. “Both are still willing to make sacrifices. Alessandria remains an attractive brand, let’s remember that 350 thousand euros of the guarantee will be available and then” Rubba added “debts and wages will decrease. With what footballers perceive today we can afford important professionals for next year. Today our salary is one of the highest in Serie C but many players are mercenaries. Only the young players were saved, Pellitteri and also the goalkeeper Spurio. The others, in my opinion, do not deserve reconfirmation. I struggle to define them as a team, better to speak of a ‘group’. In January, captain Ciancio assured me that with the return of Banchini, the farewell of Ninni Corda, and the reinstatement of himself and other experienced players, the team would be saved hands down. However, this was not the case. These players need to be kicked in the ass: they have always received their salaries on time, we have satisfied them with all their requests. It wasn’t enough. They don’t put their leg on the pitch. It seems like they’re on vacation, they don’t run. I have to think that maybe they have already reached an agreement with other clubs for next year.”
“I repeat: the fault of this year is collective, we are all saddened but Molinaro and Maione put in the money to save the club” added the vice president “I also want to point out that the role of the lawyer Cesare Rossini was fundamental, thanks to him a board of directors composed of Alessandrians was created. First of all I am an Alessandria, then an ultras and then vice president but in the future I am ready to step aside if, as will happen, more expert figures from a football point of view arrive. Even today I pay for the ticket at the stadium, I have always done everything out of passion. What if I lost something money-wise? Rather not answer”.
According to Rubba, therefore, the current ownership will continue its commitment to grays also in the future “but the organizational chart will change: we need a talent scout, a category sports director who values young people (in my opinion the director Danna is a football man, a good person but he doesn’t have the physique du role), as well as a coach and an assistant who are experts in the amateur championship and players with the attributes that immediately bring us back to the pros. Next year will be different. This year we paid dearly for our inexperience: we were naive from a footballing point of view but we are certainly not stupid. Before speaking I told Giulio Maione that I was ready to put my face to it immediately because the fans and the square deserve our apologies and clarity on the future. Serie D will not be a walk in the park: we will need football men, professionals from this world, unlike Molinaro, Maione and all of us members of the board of directors.”
Vice President Rubba finally highlighted the closeness that the municipal administration has always had towards society: “There has always been an open dialogue with the Municipality, both with mayor Abonante and with councilor Oneto. I understand their difficulties in dealing with a rude society like ours. I repeat: we could have done more and better but we are still alive.”
