(By Lorenzo Ruggieri) All the rossoblù people were waiting for a press conference capable of solving the puzzles left pending from last season and revealing future projects. After several weeks of silence, the Ionian company responded by calling a day dedicated to the most popular questions.
During the press conference, Massimo Giove, Taranto’s number one, also spoke, declaring to the microphones of the journalists present: “Last season was very important and we did something beautiful. In the last few days we took care of registering the team for the championship, while coach Capuano enjoyed a well-deserved rest. I’ve read all sorts of things but there was nothing between me and Eziolino. The coach is preparing a team with the aim of playing another important championship. It will be an even more difficult championship, several teams are ready to do crazy things but I’m convinced that we will be able to do something positive”.
Budget e Stadio: “Minister Abodi confirmed his availability but Ferrarese said otherwise. However, I believe that the minister is the highest authority. Mister Capuano asked me for reassurances and I reiterated Abodi’s words. On the 11th we will play in the Italian Cup and soon we will start the season ticket campaign, as we did last year. I hope there will be no surprises along the way or it would be another setback. We have entered the team into the next championship based on Minister Abodi’s reassurances and we will continue with a project in line with that of last season. Taranto is experiencing a particularly dramatic situation, as demonstrated by the record number of workers on redundancy pay. A football team lives on takings, sponsorships and capital gains, we will try to continue on our path but the team structure also changes based on the capacity of the stadium”.
Championship: “We have never said we are a rich and powerful club but we think we are able to put something into practice. This year, as said, it will be an even more difficult championship but with our ideas we will be able to compete”.
Iacovone Stadium fire: “The fire with Foggia marked our path. We started with a lot of enthusiasm but we suffered considerable economic damage, even playing 5 consecutive matches every three days. By playing a normal championship, with breaks and a stadium, we could have obtained a better result and we would not have received a 4-point penalty.”
Few statements: “Everyone knows that I have a strong character and I try to speak as little as possible to cause as little damage as possible. Sometimes telling things as they are can annoy someone, including some institutions. There has never been a misunderstanding between me and Capuano that could call our relationship into question. In addition to the penalty, we have suffered yet another injustice with the two-day closure of the Stadium and the increase in the fine for the damage in Vicenza, where our fans were attacked and the firecracker that hit the Steward’s foot was launched from the local fans’ curve. We will start with a handicap and that is not good. Apparently, silence has not paid off and I will change my attitude. There is a persecution against us and I will make myself heard in the competent offices”.
Faggiano Stadium: “The Faggiano stadium is an important hub for the club to move forward. The difficulty lies in finding the funds that allow for investments. In Italy, Credito Sportivo exists but no Italian professional club has a budget that allows it. We hoped that Faggiano could be included in the Mediterranean Games project but that was not the case. Even the Iacovone B will become a construction site and the idea of the Faggiano field was born precisely from the need to make up for this. We have not abandoned the idea, we will continue to pursue it with determination but we are not in charge”.
General manager: “There have never been any controversies between me and Capuano and I believe it is superfluous to include a person in the organization chart who could create misunderstandings”.
Ambitions: “When I took over Taranto in 2017 I found a difficult situation, with credibility issues. Today, however, everyone wants to come to Taranto, thanks to the path taken in recent years. The four penalty points threw a bit of mud at us but football jurisprudence has changed with the current championship. The future goal is to get out of this mud and go to Serie B. Furthermore, it is not fair to divide the TV rights equally and due to several games played on Wednesdays we have lost money”.
