TREVISO – «We are licking our wounds». In the aftermath of defeat at home to the Bulls who interrupted the playoff dream again in the quarterfinals, Amerino Zatta president of Benetton, there is no peace. «We have to get used to playing at certain levels, we have to make as few mistakes as possible. You do this with experience, maturity and the qualities you must have. However, the team has shown that it already has some. A young group that has potential and can certainly provide further satisfaction in the future. But in Italy, unfortunately, we are alone. It’s a situation that worries me, because playing at certain levels evidently cannot be just Benetton. We give an important number of players to the national team. These guys played in the world championship, the Urc and the Challenge Cup. A big thank you goes to them, because I’ve been under pressure for more than a year. They gave everything they could give. Thanks, obviously, also to all the staff who were able to lead the team to certain levels, giving a series of rewards, not only to the Treviso fans. But seeing the match against the Bulls, we could have taken another small step. Let’s enjoy this moment anyway, because we have taken a further step compared to previous years and we hope to do more next season. Always with the hope of not being left always and exclusively alone in Italy, because this is a big problem that could affect the future of the entire rest of the movement.”
What do you actually expect?
«There are elections in October, It’s not up to our club to dictate strategies, it’s up to a Federation to make a contributionan indication of what he wants to do with this ‘High Level’. One thing is certain: Benetton cannot and must not be the only club that provides many players to the national team. There must be a broader movement that allows these qualities to be redistributed also with other partners.”
Speaking of Veneto clubs, some others would like to join the Urc. From Benetton’s point of view, how do you see this hypothesis?
«For Treviso everything is fine, the important thing is that there are other subjects. Whether it is Rovigo, Padua, Parma or other cities, there is no problem of proximity incompatibility. The important thing is that alongside us there are clubs able to propose themselves and make their own contribution to the creation of a larger group of national teams.”
You have also done a lot off the pitch to attract more and more supporters.
«I am very grateful to all those who work within the company and who are not visible to the outside. A great job was done to bring the fans back to the stadium. This is demonstrated by the fact that we had a sold-out in almost every match. We are also growing as sponsors, they have increased by twenty percent. It is an important activity that can gradually lead us to economic autonomy. We have to manage structures like La Ghirada and the Monigo stadium. We hope that sooner or later the Municipality will also notice what we are doing. I send a message to the Treviso administration: we want to move forward, but we cannot do it alone. We expect a non-theoretical, but practical answer. We’ve been talking about building the new ticket office and the new grandstand for two years, but to this day we still don’t see that ending that would allow us to say that we are closing the issue.”
In the next few weeks there will be a corporate reorganization, with the entry of a representative of the Federation.
«Let’s say that the collaboration had already been defined thirteen years ago, for the definition of the club’s strategies which not only concern the technical aspect, but also organisational, structural, for the construction of a company that can have foundations and qualities such that they can compete in a European championship. There was simply a ratification of something that already existed».
When will you meet to start the new Board of Directors?
«We have to wait for the end of this sporting year. The Council will be appointed practically by the end of July».
Going back to talking about the first team, can we say that a new cycle has begun?
«Given the average age of the kids and considering that they have only now begun to understand what it means to play at certain levels, together with a very prepared staff, I believe the cycle has only just begun. The team has realized that there are opportunities to get some great satisfaction. We start from this group, clearly putting a little something in order, with someone leaving, and others arriving. The important thing is to maintain the belief that you possess certain qualities. It is the beginning of an important story both for Treviso, but also for Italian rugbyhopefully together with two or three other realities.”
Benetton is growing and becoming an increasingly attractive club.
«To our satisfaction, what is rewarding us is that certain international players are looking for us. There are some Italian players who prefer to go abroad, but this is part of the game. We won the Italian Under 18 and 16 championship. It means that we have an important, qualitative structure that is working in a certain way.”
The women’s sector is also growing.
«In this case, two years ago, it was decided to undertake a very specific strategy. We didn’t want to take back the players who had left, but we started from scratch. We want the group to grow in small steps to become the cornerstone of this new female reality in the future, as it has been in the past.”
Furthermore, you have made yourselves available for the creation of a new women’s franchise.
“Together with Valsugana and Villorba we have shown that there are qualities. For women’s rugby it is just the beginning of a project that will be finalized in a few years.”
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