Taking stock of the current situation, we sadly realize that ultimately it would be enough to copy and paste the editorial from a month and a half ago rather than delve into any type of analysis. Because, unfortunately, absolutely nothing has changed. Salernitana ended its terrible season sadly last in the standings without anyone apologizing to the fans by reimbursing season ticket holders, we had a team that would struggle in Serie B and which, thanks to Iervolino, Sabatini and De Sanctis, he broke a series of negative records, mortifying his fans. Nonetheless, there is a deafening silence that makes the future of a club mysterious, which began with proclamations and promises, which swore to speak to people constantly and which today does not utter a word even in the face of the spectacle offered by almost 1000 people who crowded Piazza Casalbore to celebrate the 105th birthday involving children and families.
President Iervolino and his closest collaborators would have the duty to come out and make the public and the local press understand a series of things that we just cannot understand. This very obvious metamorphosis, which emerged in full last summer with a terrible market and a withdrawal full of problems, cannot be justified only by some social criticism (rightly condemned and reported to the legal office) or by the dispute with the political class that does not has never been helpful, but he certainly didn’t choose Ikwuemesi, Simy and Stewart for the attack or Pirola and Pasalidis for the defense. Nobody wants to impose anything on the owner, of course, and nobody can deny the great work done in the two previous championships and the investments certified by the financial statements. Sthat would be intellectually dishonest. However, we believe that, after having disregarded a series of promises by bringing a club taken from Serie A to Serie B, it would be right, respectful and necessary to resume the path of dialogue. Because, we reiterate, relegation risks being the lesser evil. It is within an entrepreneur’s right to take a step back if he realizes that the world of football is different compared to initial expectations. It is necessary to make some reflections if the expenses exceed the revenues and we will go to B with a frightening amount of wages and income more than halved. If, however, we find ourselves in this situation, it is right that the main architects assume their responsibilities by explaining clearly and without the possibility of misunderstanding how they want to revive the fortunes of Salernitana.
The questions are always the same: why did Iervolino lose enthusiasm? Why is such a climate being created that we are “afraid” of expressing civil dissent? How is it possible to move from the European dream to doubts about permanence, even more so after having received a thrilling welcome, never guaranteed to all his predecessors? Why doesn’t a public that is already suffering – on a sporting level – and that has been “robbed” of a 23-year-awaited dream have the right to understand in which direction we are going? Almost amidst general indifference, Salerno and its province (the vast majority of which belong to the Granata) lost a Serie A which guaranteed a very important showcase for the team and the city, a prestige gained on the pitch thanks to the championships won and with the fans who played a decisive role. Can we at least invoke clarity? If you really want to step aside, can you avoid living in indecision until July? And if no one steps forward, do we remain with conviction and the desire to win or do we risk scraping by in Serie B thinking of salvation? How reliable can a fund be that we don’t know who owns it, that sets the condition of paying in installments and selling the most interesting players and that, for two months, hasn’t made a binding offer?
Rivisondoli’s retirement seems far away, but it is tremendously close if you consider that, in 20 days, it will be necessary to place around fifteen players elsewhere, to discuss with others with a view to permanence, asking to lower salaries, pay severance pay, place those who will return from loan or are currently out of the squad, identify a project coach, with a squad that smells of revolution and who – let’s be clear – must present himself at the starting line as one of the strongest. Without ifs and buts. Caught in A, it must return to A. Petrachi is the only positive note of these very negative months. Doing worse than his predecessors is an impossible task, we rely on him because first of all we need an iron sergeant who will draw up a rigid internal regulation after the total anarchy of the previous season made up of moaning, stomach aches and situations that did no honor to anyone. Dear footballers, take a look at the Facebook message boards or see the images projected today at the Duomo. There are people who, despite a thousand difficulties, followed and supported you until the end, who dedicated part of their existence to the garnet colours. Salernitana is something family, visceral, which led hundreds of people to cry bitterly over the death of Gianni, Armando and Gerardo because they were “three of us”, in love with the Bersagliera. We don’t expect strong players but first and foremost men.
