Palermo President Rino Foschi has affirmed that the Serie B club ‘won’t end up like Parma’ and be forced to start over in the non-League.
Palermo were on the verge of crumbling after a takeover bid from British investors was abandoned, and the side returned to close associates of former owner Maurizio Zamparini, who is under house arrest.
Palermo President Rino Foschi has affirmed that the Serie B club ‘won’t end up like Parma’ and be forced to start over in the non-League.
Palermo were on the verge of crumbling after a takeover bid from British investors was abandoned, and the side returned to close associates of former owner Maurizio Zamparini, who is under house arrest.
“The prosecutors must know Zamparini has nothing to do with anything,” Foschi said at a Press conference.
“He sold the club to people who only caused trouble and blocked the market. I was fired because I was looking for buyers to help the club.
“I was holding out for an Austrian player on a free transfer and a defender who eventually went to Parma.
“I had a lot of ideas to strengthen the team, but one day I received a call from an interpreter of the English group, who told me not to do anything.
“The Mirri family are giving me a big hand. Without their help we would’ve had four points docked.
“Now new owners must come in, who I hope can retrace the years under Zamparini. I’ve managed to remove the Anglo-Italians from our club.
“I fought to get hold of the shares and now we’re credible in the eyes of Lega B and the FIGC, who have been very close to me during this period.
“Now we have to get out of this spell. We won’t end up like Parma. We’ll come out with our heads held high.
“York Capital is a serious group which is still around, but we couldn’t ask it to pay wages and buy Palermo immediately.
“Follieri is an entrepreneur that I don’t know. I don’t know who he is, but I’m sure of his interest in the club.
“I invited him to Milan for talks in the presence of my lawyers, but he never showed up.”