There are no longer any doubts: Filippo Fusco will not continue his career at Spal, which is therefore preparing to change manager of the technical area for the umpteenth time. In the space of four years, after Davide Vagnati’s farewell, the position was in fact covered by four different figures who, however, never managed to obtain a multi-year mandate from the owners. But let’s take a step back, going back to 30 April 2020 when in the midst of the pandemic Spal announced the termination of Vagnati’s contract, who a few weeks later would sign for Torino. Vagnati arrived in the summer of 2013 from Giacomense, starting a long and successful journey together with the Colombarini family and president Mattioli. In those years – even though Vagnati had already been on the verge of leaving Ferrara in the 2016-17 season – the confirmation of the head of the technical area seemed like the most normal thing in the world. Instead, in the last four years those who have held that role have found no peace.
After Vagnati’s departure, in spring 2020 the choice fell on Giorgio Zamuner who ferried Spal to Serie B and led the subsequent transfer market together with his collaborator Ivonne De Franceschi. The couple also remained in the 2021-22 season, but in the meantime the company had passed into the hands of Joe Tacopina who decided to entrust the technical area to Massimo Tarantino.
New revolution at the dawn of the 2022-23 Serie B championship, with the president focusing on Fabio Lupo, assisted by a staff of collaborators made up of Armando Ortoli, Mario Donatelli and Alessandro Pizzoli. However, Lupo didn’t even have time to finish the season, because the Via Copparo club relieved him of his duties at the beginning of March, shortly after the change on the bench between coaches De Rossi and Oddo. Relegation to Serie C and further change of direction, with Filippo Fusco director of the technical area and Emanuele Righi sporting director. Righi remained in Ferrara for a handful of months, because in November he mutually terminated his contract with the white and blue club to move to Nocerina.
From Zamuner to Fusco via Tarantino and Lupo: it has been an extremely complicated four-year period for Spal’s sporting directors. Who will pass the buck?
Stefano Manfredini
