Francesco Palmieri he has been at the top of Sassuolo’s youth sector for nine years, not only in terms of responsibility but also from a media point of view: he is a centralizing figure, you either love him or hate him, there are no half measures. In Sassuolo Palmieri found fertile ground to propose his managerial idea, already refined in Parma, allowing the black-green cantera to grow hand in hand with the results and ambitions of the first team. As we know, however, no love lasts forever and this summer seems like the right one for a turnaround.
There has been talk for several seasons about a possible farewell for Francesco Palmieri: between well-founded rumors and others that are a little less so, what is certain is that over the years offers have arrived on the desk. The hypothesis of returning to Parma, in the first team and not in the youth sector, was held up for some time, only to be returned to the sender. And it is precisely in the direction of a first team that Palmieri would like to head, aware that trains don’t always pass twice. Second Gianluca Di Marziothere is strong interest in Palmieri from Bari – where he held the role of team manager almost twenty years ago now – and from Reggiana, as well as from Catania of CEO Vincenzo Grella.
But in pole position there would be the Frosinone where now reigns our friend and colleague Guido Angelozzi, with whom contact has never been interrupted despite the distance. The former technical director of Sassuolo would welcome Palmieri’s entry into his team, or as a substitute if he were to decide to go to Sampdoria.
And Sassuolo? This year the situation is very different compared to past seasons. Palmieri’s contract expires in June and for unsuspecting times he has harbored ambitions of a step up to the first team. The Neroverde Manager has raised the level of the Neroverde nursery, bringing in kids from outside but also nurturing the local ones. There have certainly also been some missteps, with some young people finding fortune elsewhere: it’s a game of roles, making 100% of the right choices is impossible. The impression of having reached a plateau will certainly influence the choice. And also, in our view, the lack of consideration for all those young people raised in the District: but this is more a problem of the Italian football system than of Sassuolo itself.
The only way that Sassuolo could implement to retain Palmieri could be to offer him a role in the first team’s organization chart, starting from next season where, Serie B or not, there is an air of change. We are sure that Palmieri would also evaluate an offer of this type, aware of the undisputed advantages of working in Sassuolo: as for his current role, the chances of seeing him at the helm of the Neroverde youth sector for the tenth consecutive year are close to zero. But the time is still premature: Palmieri is putting his ideas and offers in order, awaiting the final choice.
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