Former Parma President Tommaso Ghirardi discusses his sale of the club, insisting he was ‘betrayed’ by Rezart Taci.
Ghirardi sold the Ducali to the Albanian oil tycoon in December, before the club was then sold on again to Giampietro Manenti for just €1 in February.
Former Parma President Tommaso Ghirardi discusses his sale of the club, insisting he was ‘betrayed’ by Rezart Taci.
Ghirardi sold the Ducali to the Albanian oil tycoon in December, before the club was then sold on again to Giampietro Manenti for just €1 in February.
In a long interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, the former owner defends his time in charge of Parma, and blames Taci for the club’s situation.
“On October 10 2014, I had paid everything and there were no debts to Italian clubs,” Ghirardi claimed.
“I had met the Lega’s requirements. I wanted to sell the club because I felt bitter about not being granted a UEFA licence.
“I was contacted by important businessmen, on behalf of Rezart Taci, a well-known Albanian oil tycoon, entrepreneur of a company with a turnover of over €1 billion.
“He’s known in football for his relations with Milan and Real Madrid, which led to them playing a friendly in Albania.
“I made my phonecalls to people in Italian football, I said: ‘I haven’t spoken to Taci directly, but through professional firms’. So I behaved. I told the Lega.
“On November 4, we agreed a preliminary purchase. €10m to me for Parma, a commitment to pay €19m on November 13 for the salaries from July, and €78m to clear the debt.
“The debts amounted to €78m, then increased to €88m this year. When people say there’s a hole of €200m, that’s a lie.
“I paid the players’ salaries up until July, and those of 22 employees up until November, so I don’t understand why people are saying staff haven’t had money for a year, it’s not true.
“In reality, he [Taci] didn’t give me the €10m I expected from the outset, but he agreed to cover the debts, he met with the mayor and leaders of industry. He made promises.
“The first moves on the transfer market comforted me, they signed [Cristian] Rodríguez, [Silvestre] Varela, [Antonio] Nocerino and the captain of the Albanian national team [Andi Lila].
“I thought I had given Parma to the right person, and I was wrong. I apologise to the fans, because long ago I said I’d left the club in good hands.
“I wouldn’t say that now, and I wish I’d never sold to Taci. I feel betrayed. So I’ll take Taci to court, and seek damages for the breach of a contractual mandate.
“Manenti? When I found out [he’d taken over] I worried a lot. I’ve never met Manenti, and I don’t know him, but I know who he is because I watched from outside his fruitless quest for Brescia.
“Taci told me [about the sale] with a phonecall.”
Ghirardi also denied claims made yesterday by team manager Sanro Melli, including that he had loaned the President €100,000.
“€100,000 from Melli? Please, be serious.
“Did I take money out of Parma? Over the last two years, no. Before that I took a little for reimbursements.
“I bought an apartment in the city with my own money, which I got rid of when I decided just to stay overnight at Collechio [the training ground].
“How much did we make in tv money? About €120m, but my associates and I have put tens of millions into the football club, because I controlled 65 per cent.
“In addition, [the club’s parent company] Sporting Life ended the year to June 30, 2014 with profits of €3.5m, and net assets of €9m. An expert has valued Collechio at €30m.
“So it [the €88m debt] is normal in football. At Parma [Alberto] Cerri and [Jose] Mauri are young enough to sell.
“Of course I can’t explain why [Gabriel] Paletta went to Milan for €1m, I’d have sold him for between €3m and €4m.
“Not just that, why were [Antonio] Cassano and [Dias] Felipe granted a release, without giving up their salaries? Much bigger clubs have done far worse [financially].
“Could I return to football? Never. I don’t even watch games anymore.”