In the season in which Taranto achieved second place in the Serie C championship on the pitch, a coach from Taranto managed to win the category playoffs and bring Carrarese back to Serie B after over 76 years. Giuseppe Padovano, Eziolino Capuano’s historic assistant coach, had the merit and skill of embracing the Tuscan project, thanks also to the call of the Salento native Antonio Calabro, who wanted him at his side in this experience.
Mister Padovano, when did you understand that Carrarese could obtain promotion?
«We made our debut only two days after arriving in Carrara, going to play in Pesaro and drawing 0-0. In the second match we faced Torres, second in the standings and -3 behind Cesena: we already had a fairly sidereal distance from them. We won 5-1 and became aware of being a strong and important group. From here a monstrous path was born: we failed only one match against Recanatese. Since I took over with Mr. Calabro, we have collected 38 points in 17 games, with an average of 2.24 points/game, the best average of all the substitutes in professional leagues over ten games. In the playoffs we felt very strong. I have a great relationship with Eziolino, I worked with him all my life. Speaking many times, I always told him that whoever encountered the Carrarese would encounter problems in overcoming it… and so it was. We played in Perugia, winning 2-0 against a team built for a top championship. After overcoming Juventus, who I believe was the strongest team, we felt unbeatable: at that moment no one could beat us anymore.”
Would you have hoped for a match with Capuano’s Taranto in the playoffs?
«Honestly, it would have bothered me. As a Tarantino, meeting Taranto in a playoff final or in a direct elimination round would have bothered me. Given the choice, I would have preferred not to. If it had happened, it is clear that I would have done everything and more to bring Carrarese, together with Mr. Calabro, to where we have arrived.”
What was the secret of your Carrarese?
«The continuity in the results, the group made up of exceptional guys. These are not clichés, but they are footballers dedicated to their work: there were people who played less and who trained at two thousand an hour and believed in it as much as their teammate who usually played. Everyone supported each other. Congratulations to those who built the team, because it is a strong squad with a significantly lower budget than many of the powers in the three groups of Serie C. The director was also good at signing players who were still physically fresh, we demonstrated this in the two finals with Vicenza, where we practically outclassed them from a physical and organizational point of view.”
In your opinion, why is it so difficult to create a winning alchemy in Taranto?
«Not experiencing the situation from the inside it is difficult to make a judgement. I believe and hope that Taranto, in the years to come, can realize the dream of Serie B as soon as possible. This year I think he had a monstrous championship because Capuano, a year and a half ago, inherited a team that was unsuitable at a professional level. He saved it in a simple way, only the 0-0 draw with Messina in which they took an infinite series of posts and crossbars did not allow them to access the playoffs already last year. This year then, with a team that is certainly better equipped, it has proven to be the most continuous after Juve Stabia: it has made a very high level journey, it’s a shame about the four-point penalty because in the playoffs they could have had greater advantages than those who have had.”
As a Taranto fan, what do you think of the current stalemate between Capuano and Giove?
«I’m biased, but Capuano’s work is there for all to see. Doing what Capuano did was impossible for anyone, he brought back a general enthusiasm that hadn’t been seen for years. In the match against Vicenza Iacovone was sold-out, I believe that Taranto has the obligation to start again from him: he has demonstrated with facts that he has earned reconfirmation, managing a team made up of players returning from less than exciting seasons. The various Kanoute and Bifulco are examples of this. It should also be remembered that he valorized a player like Antonini, a defender born in 1998, who generated a capital gain in the company coffers. He lost Cianci in the January transfer market, taking players with different characteristics; he rebuilt Ferrara which, with his arrival, has clearly grown from a performance point of view. I believe Vannucchi is among the strongest goalkeepers in the three groups, a monstrous job has been done as well as having brought back great enthusiasm to the city. I hope that Capuano can still be the coach of Taranto because it would mean continuing a project that is starting to be successful.”
Speaking of planning and programming, considering the restyling work at Iacovone, how fundamental do you think a youth sector and the application of playing time could be?
«The youth sector is an essential dogma of any team: having important foundations underneath serves to create assets for the future. Taranto is structuring itself and must continue this path, perhaps improving the result of valorising the kids in the youth sector over time. On the topic of playing time, I believe that in a place like Taranto the playing time not done is repaid with attendance in the stands twice or three times compared to the contributions of the Melandri law, which sports clubs can access. Eziolino has shown in his career that when he has strong young players, regardless of playing time, he puts them on the field: Parisi is an example of this, when we were in Avellino. Minutes shouldn’t be a priority, but if there are players who deserve to take the field, it’s a good idea to use them. I don’t know the situation on the Ionian coast perfectly, but Capuano performed a semi-miracle by arriving in second place. Allow me, however: with the playing time, perhaps, he might not have come second, even if there is no counter evidence.”
