Antonio Cassano blasted Parma owners, threatened to quit football and ruled out a move to America. “Money isn’t the problem.”
The striker agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent today after demanding six months of unpaid wages, even though he had been tied to the club until June 2016.
Antonio Cassano blasted Parma owners, threatened to quit football and ruled out a move to America. “Money isn’t the problem.”
The striker agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent today after demanding six months of unpaid wages, even though he had been tied to the club until June 2016.
“I feel better now,” he told Sport Mediaset show Tiki Taka. “I decided to end this rapport because they took me for a ride for seven months. I am tired and decided to just leave it.
“I have no problem with the Parma fans, with my teammates or those who work at the club, but I am angry with those who turned this perfect Parma into a disaster.”
The team had qualified for the Europa League last season, but saw the place stripped for financial irregularities which also saw the side docked one point in the current campaign.
The club was sold to new owners in December, but Cassano insists the situation has not improved.
“I am missing out on €4m in wages here, but money isn’t the problem. It’s not for me: the worst thing is that there are people who earn a lot less and haven’t received a euro in seven months.
“Every time they told us we would be paid tomorrow and the next day it was tomorrow again. Enough is enough. I couldn’t take it anymore, this agony was dragging on and had become unsustainable.
“Am I angry with the old owners or the new ones? All of them, as I don’t even know who the new patrons are. In 20 days we have seen four different Presidents walk past. The new owners arrived 15 days ago, but nothing changed.
“I am leaving it all behind because I am tired. Dignity wins for me, before money. There aren’t any other clubs involved either.
“My agent suggested I go to America, but I’ll only go to America or Dubai when I am 40 years old and can’t run anymore,” said the 32-year-old.
“Now we’ll see what happens. If nothing happens, then I’ll wait until June. If nothing happens in June either, then I could even stop playing football.”
Cassano has been repeatedly linked with a return to Sampdoria, Inter or even his hometown club Bari.
“It’s true I’d like to go back to Samp one day, but not now, it would be ridiculous. I just want to take a few days off to relax and rest after this agony.
“I have no problems in quitting football, as this sport has disappointed me lately.”