After the show against Cagliari, Genoa put the stamp on their season which culminated with salvation arriving a month before the end of the championship. Just as desired by Gilardino.
Not bad for a newly promoted team although with the noble weight that Genoa has with its 130th birthday a few months ago. President Zangrillo, who is a skilled weaver, gave the credit for the rossoblu season to the group of players and above all to the coach Alberto Gilardino. In short, the Grifone’s top manager got to the heart of the issue regarding the coach’s future by saying with sincerity: “Losing him would be painful.” Gila is the modest and humble leader of a team that follows him everywhere and who has also infected the North without having to show off slides or wear caps. For some time the fervent Ferraris fans have been shouting at him with conviction, rewarding his work and which will necessarily have an impact on his choices.
Torn from the Primavera in the darkest hour of the Serie B championship last season, when the June slogan of “Only one year” sounded ominous after the defeats against Cittadella and Perugia, here came the interim coach who accepted an uncalculated and dangerous challenge, yet won it in the end with work and the group without proclamations, thus bringing Genoa to Serie A directly, skipping inextricable play-offs and with full merit. However, in September, after the 4 slaps taken by Fiorentina, he was already under examination. Yet he kept going and despite a worrying schedule he started to win, increasing his courage to dare game after game and bringing his own tactical ideas and above all polishing his trademark: the strength of the locker room. The victories at Salerno, Sassuolo and Verona were decisive, as were the ones at home against Lecce and Udinese without forgetting the stops against Roma and the draws against Napoli, Inter, Juve.
In short, a silent and humble leader, a fundamental tightrope walker for a place like this, driven by renewed passion after the arrival of the Americans from 777 Partners who have brought investments to Genoa and a management path to follow that hasn’t been seen for years. The stars and stripes holding company, with data in hand, is among the most generous foreign owners in pouring dollars into the coffers of an Italian football club, without however hiding the need for sales to make capital gains and achieve the objective of the sustainability of the company which must learn to walk alone. Now Genoa will have to talk to Gilardino after a few weeks of rumors and postponements which inevitably caused people to speak and remain silent. Now developments are awaited, but it is clear that Genoa does not need revolutions, but programs that have certainly already been outlined.
In short, if there are no air gaps or turbulence in the form of dissatisfaction between the parties or on one side alone, Genoa will be able to continue with their leader who has said he has respect for the club and the fans and confirming the meetings to talk to each other and perhaps clarify things. Management which in turn gave Gila top-level players, from Gud to Retegui, from Frendrup to Dragusin who nevertheless grew with him. It is no coincidence that some of these are already in the sights of important teams in Italy and Europe. Seen from the outside between past, present and future, the match of the rossoblu bench would have a predictable ending: it would be enough to build the puzzle on the table of these two championships which have given satisfaction to the Genoans to draw conclusions. Programming with solid and certain foundations would be an advantage for all the actors who have played their part well. Without necessarily having to revolutionize, at most reform, if anything with some reshuffle.
