BARI – «We made a great effort to get back on top… now there’s just no going back: Bari really have to try everything». Giovanni Cornacchini is one of the former luxury doubles in the match that tomorrow will decide who between the red and whites and Ternana will remain in Serie B. The coach from Fano, in fact, was center forward for the Umbrians in 1998 (10 appearances and three goals in six months in which proved decisive for the promotion from C1 to B of the rossoverdi led by Luigi Delneri) and coach of the Galletti in 2018-19. He was the first coach of the De Laurentiis era and immediately achieved promotion from Serie D to Serie C and then remained in the saddle also in the first five rounds of the following tournament in Lega Pro. «Many take the achievement of that promotion for granted, and yet for me it remains a wonderful memory”, says Cornacchini. «It’s true: the club set up a team clearly superior to the category, but we left in late August in a situation in which every asset of the club had to be built. And when you only have one result available, it sometimes becomes even more complex to achieve it. This is why I still feel part of a story: the first step from which a great climb had to begin.”
The risk, however, is a sensational step backwards…
“I would not have ever expected. The ownership has always been ambitious: the intention from the first moment was to make constant improvements to reach Serie A. The potential of the place was clear to every member of the club: I still remember when at the match that celebrated the promotion to Serie C we admired the spectacle of over 22 thousand spectators at San Nicola and we imagined a full house in many other categories. Knowing the management a little, I am sure that they are experiencing the current situation with suffering: unfortunately, there is no doubt that obvious mistakes have been made.”
Which, in your opinion, are the most decisive?
«Four coaches in one tournament are really too many. The truth is that a turning point has been constantly pursued, without sensing the real danger. When consistency of expression and results cannot be found, the first thing to do is to secure the category. Especially when you find yourself in a complex and balanced championship like Serie B: it takes nothing to fall and, in fact, Bari found themselves in the slums due to two months of absolute blackout. This tourbillon must have generated further disturbances and complicated the path of a complex that, at least on paper, should never have run any risk.”
How do you seek the success that is worth salvation?
«It doesn’t mean that the draw from a week ago is a bad thing. Football often punishes those who take the field with the idea of managing a result. Better to banish all hesitation: Bari should have won one match out of two anyway and, in any case, one success will be enough with any score. The road is not downhill, but everything remains open. The strategy to follow? I wouldn’t mess with the clock and would immediately start looking for the goal. You can’t think of solving everything in half an hour: it might not be enough. The red and whites have no calculations to make, they could also take advantage of a pinch of tension that will inevitably hit Ternana.”
He knows the «Liberati» environment well: will he be an additional opponent?
«It will certainly be a factor because the Terni public is warm, present, enthralling. And Bari, however, will not be able to count on the beating heart of their support given the well-known restrictions. But the stakes are too high to consider the environment. You only need attention on the pitch, without thinking about anything else. A bit like Cagliari did last year in the bedlam of San Nicola. Yes, in one year the red and white world has turned upside down: the hope is that the happy ending will arrive just when few expect it.”
From his native Bari the only survivor is Valerio Di Cesare who will turn 41 tomorrow…
«Who would have thought! Let’s be clear, when Valerio arrived in Serie D he looked like a kid, so I was convinced that his career would last a long time yet. Of course, I didn’t think he would live past forty in this condition. As always, however, everything comes from his head: his strength is an extraordinary footballing intelligence which leads him to read situations before others. He will no longer be very fast, yet anticipation remains one of his strong points. And then the love for the game: Di Cesare takes every challenge seriously. I imagine how much he feels this situation and how torn he is at the idea of playing perhaps his last match as a professional, having to bring the team he played for the longest to safety. One thing is certain: he is one of those who will still put his heart beyond the obstacle. And he will be the first to look for the goal that can make it worth his stay. After all, the flash in the opponent’s area is part of his technical baggage.”
Many are wondering what Bari’s future could be in the event of relegation: what do you think?
«President Luigi De Laurentiis may not have managed to make himself fully known, but my memory remains of a person of rare availability. Perhaps, in the summer of 2018, he didn’t even imagine the load of responsibility that would come with this new adventure, but I could see his dedication growing day by day. He’s competitive: I imagine he wouldn’t like to leave with a flop like that. However, it is also true that the blow would be so strong that it would necessarily have to open up some reflection on whether or not to continue. There are 90 minutes to go, however: everything is still possible. My advice is that everyone believes in it: from the club’s top management to the least of the fans. Thinking badly accomplishes nothing. Now is the time to get together for a business.”
