Maurizio Zamparini praised Coach Gennaro Gattuso and claims together they can make Palermo “the Milan of the South.”
Maurizio Zamparini praised Coach Gennaro Gattuso and claims together they can make Palermo “the Milan of the South.”
The Sicilians have revamped after their relegation into Serie B and hired ex-Rossoneri midfielder Gattuso as their new tactician.
“We are working to construct a very strong team,” declared President Zamparini in the Corriere dello Sport.
“I have already seen team spirit and will bring in more players over the summer. If we fail to get promoted back into Serie A, it will be a worse failure than our relegation.
“The last two seasons have been disastrous and the blame has to be spread around. We must do the impossible to win back the fans. At least this dismal run has had one positive effect, allowing us to find Gattuso, a man I admire a great deal.”
Gattuso had a brief spell as player-manager at Swiss side FC Sion before he was handed the job at Palermo.
“This was an opportunity at the right time for both of us. His agent called me, made a proposal and I invited Gattuso to meet me. It took a 10-minute conversation to decide we’d go forward together.
“We have constructed the squad looking forward to the next four years, by which time we’ll be in a high-level competition. I’ve never had a Coach like Gattuso before. He is a Coach, but above all a man.
“Will Gattuso be on the Milan bench in future? I hope Palermo can become the Milan of the South with Gattuso at the helm for a long time to come.”
Zamparini was brutal when asked about former Palermo captain Fabrizio Miccoli, who was embroiled in a scandal due to his friendship with the son of a Mafia boss.
“Miccoli? He’s cancelled from my memory.”