2.50pm – Soon they will speak from the Viola Park press room to take stock of the end of the season Daniele Pradè, sporting director of Fiorentina, and Alessandro Ferrari, general director of the Tuscan club. Below are the statements of the first.
15.05 – The press conference begins.
Pradè enters and makes his debut: “We took a little while to close all the details of Palladino. We thank Dr. Galliani for the permission to do everything, even if Palladino would be registered with Monza until June 30th. Since we are here, it is right to introduce him to you.” Then Palladino enters the room for the first statements.
What convinced you about Palladino?
“For me it is my duty to thank Italiano and his staff, we worked well together in terms of unity. There is also the human aspect with the professional one and if things go hand in hand we work well. On Palladino.. We also had other options, such as choosing a son for us, who is Alberto Aquilani, who grew up with us both as a footballer and as a coach. And others. Because of his ambition , and that’s what we wanted. We still haven’t metabolized the defeat, it will take time.”
How to transform market ambitions?
“This year we did a lot of scouting and let me thank Burdisso for the work. The paths diverge but this is football, I understand his motivations. What we have done will be put on the coach’s table, we have clear ideas. But already from day one we said that we will share with him only: president, Ferrari, the coach and I will choose with the coach, none of us are happy with eighth place Which if you analyze it is very bitter, one point from seventh and three from sixth, leaving many things on the way, which today would make the season look different, coming from the cup, but this doesn’t justify the rest.”
Has Palladino already given information on various players?
“Until Friday we hadn’t even met Palladino or the coach, now it stops here and we’ll do everything in more depth.”
Bonaventura, Castrovilli and Duncan expiring ditto? How is the situation on Kouame?
“We will decide together. On Kouame I say that we have exercised the option and therefore he is a Fiorentina player.”
Will you be looking for a great center forward?
“Of course, we’re looking for a great center forward. Perhaps it was one of my main mistakes not to adequately replace Vlahovic. But in the end I can’t say that I’m not happy with whoever came after. What’s certain is that he will be a priority for our market.”
How do you want to get back up?
“We also have to look at Financial Fair Play, which for us is very restrictive. We have tanks up front, but we are solid. But there is a change in Italy, if we, Bologna and Atalanta manage to be competitive The satisfaction is having maintained the identity, with which we have come close to achieving them. Now we will try to make as few mistakes as possible, bringing ideas. We will give it our all, we must be ambitious.”
Do you feel the same vibe as in 2012 with Montella?
“I don’t know if the comparison is fair… There we were a Fiorentina that had survived on the penultimate day, here we have made three finals in the last two years. They are completely different situations: there we needed a total refoundation, here not, we need to add and work on the individual player. If we talk about ambition and ardor I say yes, but here there are solid foundations and also things done well, even if I am the first to admit my mistakes. In the last 3 years we are the team that has played the most in all of Europe The enthusiasm is there, and a lot of it: that must be from the president and the fans, if you combine this strength with identity and alchemy, this is a club that can also have no limits.”
Is Nico Gonzalez untransferable?
“He’s 99% untransferable. Nico is fine here and he reiterated this to us on Sunday after Bergamo. But in football, never say never…”.
In what percentage is the squad already in place?
“I wouldn’t talk about percentages… We have loans that no longer exist, in some situations we are forced to work. We need to understand what the best characteristics will be for the players that the coach wants. With Italiano it had now become easy, now it is a new cycle but we know that Palladino has an aggressive identity and attacks his opponent, we chose him for this.”
