Former Fiorentina manager Giancarlo Antognoni opened up on his farewell with the Viola. ‘Zero possibility of discussion, in 50 years of football I have never seen such a thing’.
The former club manager spoke to Tuttosport about the split with President Rocco Commisso’s side, after weeks of rumours that the Viola legend had a falling out with Daniele Prade and Joe Barone.
The former player, widely regarded as the greatest ever to play for the club, left when his two-year contract expired and has slammed the behaviour of the directors in charge at the Artemio Franchi.
“Zero possibility of discussion, take it or leave it, so much that, even before seeing Joe Barone again, they had invited me to clear out my office,” Antognoni told Tuttosport.
“In 50 years of football, I have never seen such a thing. They told me that, in their opinion, I’m more suited to following the youth sector. But I understood the hint ever since I first met with Joe Barone himself to talk about my future at Fiorentina.
“A terrifying encounter of unprecedented coldness. He told me: ‘I’ll take the first team, I’ll reduce your salary, I’ll send you to the youth sector’.”
During the interview the former club manager also spoke of President Rocco Commisso and claimed the patron didn’t show the ‘respect’ he deserved.
“You ask me about Commisso, if he showed up, if he called me, if this decision came from him… Rocco Commisso is the owner and the President of Fiorentina, he has every right to send home whoever he wants, but you should show respect to anyone,” he added.
“Commisso will have a lot of money, much more than me, and he has made it through hard work, building it himself, leaving home when he was a kid.
“As I did when I was 15 and I thank God for giving me the talent and qualities that have allowed me to emerge in football. But by giving me the treatment that he reserved me, Commisso didn’t respect the person.”