When it comes to the market conducted by Sabatini , the director’s “regardless” admirers cling to the alibi of the available budget. Of course, twice the DG had to operate in full emergency, with a Salernitana last and little time available. All in all it would be right to try to entrust the team to him from the start, for once, allowing him to work without any sword of Damocles hanging over his head.
Let it be clear, there is no question of the value and competence of a professional who has written important pages in the recent history of football and who, in 2022, was among the architects of one of the most beautiful sporting feats ever. However, we must also separate the emotional component from the purely technical one and analyze the facts objectively without being influenced by likes and dislikes. Which he created incalculable damage in this season which began badly and ended worse also due to the “go to sea” party which, without arguments, repeated the catchphrase of the “Romans”.
Speaking of the Romans and the reduced budget, let’s remember that the much critical Fabiani – in the summer of 2021 – had to work in very difficult conditions, with the date of 31-12 representing an apparently insurmountable obstacle and a market strongly conditioned by the limited finances available and the endorsement of a former General and of those trustees who they continuously monitored budgets, income and expenses.
Yet, that director was remembered by someone for some wrong purchases and not for having brought people like Gabionetta and Di Napoli to C (with three championships won and an Italian cup), he ensured the performances of Ranieri, Ruggeri, Zortea and Strandberg . A defensive quartet superior to the one we saw at work in the following two seasons. After all, Gyomber is one of the few to survive in this disastrous context and is a legacy of the old management, when he was taken from relegated Perugia amid general skepticism.
And the various Obi, Kastanos, Lassana Coulibaly, Bonazzoli and Ribery , without forgetting that Simy was also the object of desire of prestigious teams such as Fiorentina and that he had scored 40 goals in two years. Who, among the potentially dangerous ones, wouldn’t have taken it? Translated: having little money available does not necessarily mean being condemned to a bad market and a general downsizing.
Verona is the clear example, where the sporting director has created a managerial and technical masterpiece, contributing to the Scaligeri’s rise in the standings. Before Sabatini’s arrival, Salernitana won at the Bentegodi and was just two points behind the Scaligeri. Today, however, there are 13 points of difference, yet the yellow and blue have lost eleven potential starters by relying on mostly unknown people from foreign leagues.
Almost all, however, purchased and owned. Therefore undoubtedly more motivated than the others Gomis, Boateng, Weismann, Zanoli and Pellegrino who, in June, will say goodbye to the company without regrets and who, perhaps, are already looking around in search of a destination. And if you really have little money to spend, is it worth guaranteeing a salary of over 1.3 million euros to two central defenders who have been out of action for time immemorial and are suffering from some muscular problems?
There was a clear difference in the management of the coaches . In Verona Baroni (who, it must be said, has never complained about anything) was protected even when, for two and a half months, he didn’t win a match. Who, after the home defeat against Salernitana, wouldn’t have fired the coach? Sogliano, on the other hand, has always made his esteem, trust and desire to complete the season together for better or for worse shine through in his statements.
Here, however, Sabatini weakened Inzaghi on the eve of a very delicate match, after a prestigious draw at Arechi and without putting him in a position to work at his best due to his own admission. Replacing him, among other things, with a Liverani who will be remembered as one of the worst coaches to have passed through Salerno in recent times.
In conclusion : we are convinced that strong teams are built with good players. And top-level footballers cost money. Algorithms and bets belong to the past and serve as lessons for the future. The company, -2 from salvation, could have recapitalized immediately to avoid running into the obstacle of the liquidity ratio.
However, the Salernitana of the fiduciary semester and the Verona of Sogliano (in addition to the Lecce of Corvino) make it clear that the result can be achieved even without spending crazy sums. The right balance between ambition, financial sustainability and concrete investments is really worth it.
