The most beautiful image that remains from this season is the hug between all the players at the end of the match in Vicenza. Because it was the embrace of an entire city, of a community. A community united by passion and attachment to their colours. The sense of belonging. The desire to be together. The desire to share a goal together. An end. A purpose. The best victory this year was the union of these players. Having made the locker room as they say in football jargon. And the credit for all this goes to the one who had the intuition to bring these players to Taranto. Without a shadow of a doubt this person is called Ezio Capuano. It is often said that before an athlete, a footballer, there is the man, the person, the human being. In its highest consideration, in its most intimate meaning. This year we had it all. Professionalism on the field and professionalism off the field.
The sense of responsibility and duty that these kids had was exemplary. To be remembered, to be engraved inside and to be passed on to those who may come to wear this shirt one day and join this group. With a hope. And that is that this group is not dismembered, is not cut off in its being, in its depth. Having found this group of players is the best memory that we will carry in our hearts for this season. Everyone understood it, everyone perceived it. Clearly there is regret for a dream that was broken, for a dream that did not come true. But be careful, even in Vicenza they gave everything. He tried to go beyond his limits as Capuano always said. He was unable to move forward to cultivate a dream. However, for no reason in the world should we forget what has been done this year. Because something unique, unpredictable and unimaginable has been done. Seconds on the pitch, always trying to offer play, to put all the players in a position to perform at their best. And among a thousand vicissitudes that for the sake of complete reporting must be remembered here.
From the Taranto-Foggia fire, to the matches behind closed doors, passing through the sickening and absurd stadium affair, the penalisation. Everything and more. Yet incredible and surprising, as things go nowadays, was seeing how this team was capable of being so strong, rocky, granitic. Like a rubber wall. Nothing could touch the souls of these kids. The coach, for his part, often had to act as a lightning rod, becoming the true representative of Taranto in the eyes of the fans. Some defined him as a popular leader, some defined him as a sort of rossoblù Masaniello, others defined him as the true president of Taranto and others defined him as the club’s all-rounder. The truth is that Capuano was a simple coach who was a coach with the characteristics that this job has in its essence. From tactical competence to the human side, from knowing how to manage the group to the ability to isolate it from everything and everyone. And Capuano succeeded. With tenacity and, who knows, really, with many difficulties. Now it’s time to unplug a bit. It is useless now to think about what will happen and what will happen. It’s time to say thank you to this team for everything that has been done. With all my heart thank you. Simply and sincerely.
