Fiorentina President Rocco Commisso confirms former Chief Communications Officer Alessandro Ferrari will replace Joe Barone as the club’s General Director, while Daniele Pradé remains in charge as the Sports Director.
Commisso spoke to all Fiorentina employees at Viola Park on Friday before the celebrations of The Viola U19s’ Coppa Italia victory.
“I’m sorry I can’t be there in person today but we’ll see each other again soon. In any case, I wanted to be there with you to tell you how we will deal with our upcoming commitments and activities,” said the club president as quoted by Fiorentina’s official website.
“It won’t be easy without the person who guided everything and everyone and who updated me on a daily basis. For me and my family – and I’m sure it is the same for all of you – Joe Barone will always be a very dear, unforgettable person. I think the outpouring of love seen in recent weeks shows just how much he meant to so many people.
“Now we must move forward, keep working hard and tackle the challenges we face every day, both on the field and at club level. That is why I have decided to stick to the rules and habits that have always been my cornerstones: family and faith, continuity and support.
“That is how I work with my staff at Mediacom, where many people have been working with me for many years. They have faith in me and I have faith in them. We’re like a family. When I’ve had to replace somebody, I’ve always tried to ensure continuity with those who were already within the company.
“I’ve done the same here at Fiorentina, showing faith and continuity with Alessandro Ferrari and Daniele Prade. Alessandro becomes general manager and Daniele sporting director. I have known both since I took over the club and now they will have bigger responsibilities and commitments. They will have my full support and help. They will have to work hard and well but they also need 100% collaboration and help from everyone.
“We are heading into another thrilling season finale where we will all win and lose together. The players are the ones going onto the field of play but behind them is the work of each and every one of you. Our men’s, women’s and youth teams can achieve some big targets and our Primavera team has already brought us the Coppa Italia trophy.
“We have Viola Park, which is working well but can and has to work better, for our fans and our partners. We have bought new parking areas and, once completed, the total cost of Viola Park will be close to €130 million. It will be the biggest training centre in Italy and one of the biggest in Europe.
“There are other issues on the table, such as the stadium, the tramway, TV rights and the growth decree, lots of situations that we will carry forward with our usual style: being transparent, direct and without making any promises we are not certain we can keep. Everything must be done while keeping costs under control, with sustainable projects and budgets. We are growing but there remains a big gap with other clubs. We must keep going and keep working even harder but what I can say is that, unlike many other big clubs, we have and will always have our finances in order, and we have never had and never will have problems with the FIGC, the Lega Serie A and European footballing bodies.”