His tally in his comeback season is 18 goals and 3 assists (in 42 games). Massimo Coda in grey-red. A season that formally ended with Cremonese’s failure to be promoted to Serie A and the automatic decay of the obligation to buy out clause towards Genoa, owner of the Cava dei Tirreni striker’s contract until June next year.
The Griffin coach Gilardino is unlikely to take him into consideration for next season, a factor that would make him attractive to one of the many Serie B teams, who had already courted him in the last transfer market before being mocked in the photo finish by the Via Postumia club.
It is difficult, but not impossible, for the grey-red club to knock on the griffin’s door again, to ask for an extension of the loan which Genoa could reformulate with more restrictive clauses. A maneuver that would first and foremost require the approval of the grey-red coach Stroppa, who after taking over last season, will be called upon to give the directives for the next transfer market.
A move which, in truth, would go against the trend with a relationship in which the spark never struck: many out-of-time and out-of-place substitutions during the season, which had the sole result of highlighting how no one in the squad has ever been able to at least equate their realization skills.
Stroppa’s game gave the impression of not fully enhancing the characteristics and qualities of the Cava dei Tirreni striker; a game (more than a module) that only in extreme situations saw 2 role strikers on the pitch, forcing him to sacrifice himself to favor the insertion of the midfielders. The fact is that of the 62 goals scored by Cremonese in total this season (including the Italian Cup and Playoffs), 30% (between goals and assists) are Coda-branded.
In this time of ‘football Lent’ which will lead us to the 2024/25 transfer market, more than curiosity there is the concern to understand what is going through Stroppa’s (and consequently Giacchetta’s) mind regarding the possibility of keeping Coda in the grey-red or let the most important fire of the season just ended land on a direct competitor.
Legitimate concern for the Grigiorossi fans if you just think about how, in the last winter transfer market session, they tried to strengthen the attack in view of the final rush, effectively clogging up the attacking midfield with the additions of Falletti and Johnsen, instead of trying a role striker to complement Coda.
Someone (few I imagine) might think that the solution could materialize in the return from Turin of the ‘prodigal son’ David Okereke, who in 9 games (as a substitute) has collected less than 300 minutes without a goal or assist. A fact that led the Granata club to decline the possibility of a ransom (close to 4 million euros) of the 1997-born attacker by sending him back to the sender.
It goes without saying that the return of the Nigerian striker leaves more perplexities than certainties, not so much for the performance he boasts in the grey-red shirt (57 games, 11 goals and 5 assists), but above all for the intolerance shown during the last summer transfer market , which had led him to ‘call himself out’ in the first 5 championship matches (with the backing of the club) while awaiting a call from the top flight (which only occurred in January 2024).
For this reason and for a contract expiring in 2025, Okereke is unlikely to be able to take the place left vacant by Massimo Coda due to his characteristics and motivations, provided that the ‘leader Maximo’ is not called upon to wear his shirt number for one more season 90, to reach a record just 8 goals away and promotion to Serie A with the Grigiorossi.
