The Italian View - <img src="http://halloffameltd.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/san-siro.jpg">

November 23, 2009

A numbers game.

There has been much controversy over Juventus’s claim that upon winning another league title they will adorn their shirt with a third star. This star would be to symbolise a 30^thscudetto, but as a result of the two revoked after ‘calciopoli’ they theoretically now only have 27.

Their record books show the number as 29, though the 2004/05 and 2005/06 titles are accompanied by a small asterisk. The fans and the players have long claimed that those titles were won on the pitch and many are hoping that after il Processo di Napoli they will be able to reclaim the two ‘stolen’ titles.

Juventus president Jean-Claude Blanc now appears to be towing the line. He stated recently: “If we win this championship we will put the third star on the shirt…I am on the player’s side: if you ask them how many scudetti they have won they will answer 29. Therefore the next one will be the thirtieth.”

Another Serie A president is also closing in on his own third star, Maurizio Zamparini. The Palermo president’s third star will however have nothing to do with league titles; this hypothetical star would mark his 30^th sacking of a coach.

This morning the president nicknamed il ‘mangiallenatori’ [the coach eater] fired Walter Zenga. This was the 28^th sacking in just over 20 years of presidency, split between his time at Venezia and his current position at Palermo; an impressive record.

Zamparini had poached the highly rated manager from archrivals Catania, an event that was followed by obligatory fan-fury and outrage.

Zenga’s reign was meant to start a new era at Palermo and began with a head turning first press conference. The ex-Inter and Azzurri goalkeeper declared, “I am aiming for the scudetto” adding, “this year I want to win the league”.

These statements are run-of-the-mill when dealing with the top clubs in Serie A. But they where somewhat unusual coming from the mouth of a man managing a club side that has never before won the league, had failed to qualify for Europe in the previous two seasons and only returned to the top flight in 2004.

However unrealistic his scudetto targeting, this big talking is somewhat characteristic of the man that the Inter faithful called Spiderman; Zenga is an eccentric, headstrong and forthright coach.

Whilst he had aimed high the results on the pitch were unimpressive. A spectacular 2-0 win against Juventus was the only positive result from a season opening that otherwise saw the team gain only 16 points from their first 12 games, leaving them languishing in bottom-half mediocrity.

Despite Zamparini referring to Zenga as, “the best coach that I have ever had” it was suggested that a negative result in this weekend’s derby against Catania could see Zenga sacked.

In last season’s derby Zenga, sitting on the opposite bench, masterminded a 0-4 away romp. After that game the Palermo chairman said of Zenga, “He won hands down the head to head with [then manager] Ballardini, he beat him 4-0…he is a experienced, complete manager…Ballardini, instead, is an aspiring manager who will become very good, but there is a clear difference.”

This year’s derby was an altogether different story for Zenga. His Palermo struggled to a 1-1 draw and risked losing to a superior Catania side in the second-half. At the end of the match the manager was subjected to a barrage of whistles from the entire stadium.

This morning came the inevitable sacking and this afternoon it was announced that Delio Rossi, the former Lazio coach, would take up the reins at the Renzo Barbera.

Rossi, who has yet to comment on his new role, will no doubt be hoping for success at Palermo. Given Zamparini’s track record, however, it is unlikely that he will be allowed much time to turn things around at the Sicilian club.

A list of coaches dismissed by Zamparini with their replacements in brackets:

1988-1989 (Venezia): Cerantola (Fabbri)

1989-1990 (Venezia): Pasinato (Sabadini)

1991-1992 (Venezia): Zaccheroni (Marchesi); Marchesi (Zaccheroni)

1992-1993 (Venezia): Zaccheroni (Maroso); Maroso (Zaccheroni)

1994-1995 (Venezia): Ventura (Maifredi); Maifredi (Geretto); Geretto (Ventura); Ventura (Rossi e Geretto)

1995-1996 (Venezia): Marchioro (Bellotto)

1996-1997 (Venezia): Bellotto (De Vecchi e Fontana); De Vecchi e Fontana (Bellotto)

1999-2000 (Venezia): Spalletti (Materazzi); Materazzi (Spalletti); Spalletti (Oddo)

2001-2002 (Venezia): Prandelli (Buso); Buso (Magni)

2002-2003 (Palermo): Glerean (Arrigoni); Arrigoni (Sonetti)

2003-2004 (Palermo): Baldini (Guidolin)