Bologna have hit the headlines in Italy this season for all the wrong reasons, as the rossoblu lurch from crisis to crisis. Rocco Cammisola investigates a tale of multiple owners, pigs’ heads and a club fighting for its very existence.
At approximately 3:45 GMT on Sunday 23rd January 2011, last Sunday, Marco Di Vaio pounced on a hideous mistake made by Giuseppe Biava in the Lazio back line. Skipping past the oafish centre back he slid the ball past an advancing Fernando Muslera at the near post, and sealed a 3-1 victory for the rossoblu.
This was their 5th home win of the season and their 7th overall. This season Bologna fans have had some great wins to celebrate, even if they remain reliant on their Roman talisman. If only the same could be said for the environment to be found behind the scenes.
The words Bologna and crisis have formed a strong and somewhat resolute friendship this season. So far we have seen these two mischievous partners in crime colour articles chronicling a managerial sacking, failure to pay taxes and players, a threatened transfer embargo, threats towards previous owner – Sergio Porcedda – and eventually the sale of the club.
The saga began way back in June, before the first Sky Sports News transfer ticker had been dusted off and just after England had begun to disappoint. The Menarini family were forced, following a three month ban from the Italian FA, to sell a majority stake in the club to Sergio Porcedda. The businessman started his reign with lofty promises of wanting to “take Bologna to Europe” and offered the hope of safety and signings.
Alarm bells should have been ringing furiously when on the eve of the season’s first game Porcedda decided to sack manager Franco Colomba, citing differences in opinion between the board and manager.
The board pitifully attempted to justify the dismissal by suggesting that they wanted Colomba would be free to take up a position elsewhere in Italy in the 2010/11 season – there is a rule that stops coaches taking charge of more than one club per season. Bologna defied the odds the following day and held Inter to a goalless draw in their season opener.
Porcedda’s running of the club was nothing short of shambolic. Paraphrasing James Richardson from Monday’s Football Weekly pod, there are comparisons to be drawn with Portsmouth last season except that Bologna are better.
The players weren’t paid a penny by Porcedda, though neither were the Inland Revenue or Penarol, who they had bought Gaston Ramirez from. The Bologna fans also protested the goings on by lynching the chairman and then leaving some less than subtle messages for him – a coffin and a pigs head.
The sale of the club to Segafredo owner Massimo Zanetti in December came just before Christmas and at a time when they appeared to be on their knees financially. This paved the way for headlines indicating the Bolognese fans would enjoy a merry Christmas and a happy new year together with a slice of panettone and a glass of bubbly.
The past week however has seen a horrendous turn of events hit the society once more. The first rumblings emerged from other board members that Zanetti was far too autocratic, insisting on making decisions in spite of their discussion because he held a 60% stake.
A lot of this had been brewing ever since the sale regarding the appointment of Luca Baraldi behind the scenes, a figure that had experienced considerable friction when dealing with the players under the previous owner.
Earlier last week news emerged that a further €7 million would be required to keep the club from going bankrupt after the end of February. A little more than a small oversight, suggesting that the sale had been rushed without considering the extent the club’s finances was in. It would appear that vows made during storms, are soon forgotten in the calm.
Last Friday afternoon a short press release appeared on the clubs website. and that was that, Massimo Zanetti had stepped down as president. His reign lasting a mere 22 days and was the shortest in the club’s history. The other board members have put up a few million Euros to ensure the stability of the club for the time being. But the ex-President has spoken out stating that that “there is a grave financial situation”.
Baraldi had indicated that something in the region of €9 million is required to put the club back on a secure footing. The new president, Marco Pavignani, and the other board members have engaged Zanetti in a petty public squabble, insisting that the required amount is far lower and that Zanetti has damaged the reputation of the club.
The matter in question is the initial due diligence, Zannetti claims that the report produced by Porcedda and his administrator disagree completely with what has been found once he took control of the club. The remaining board members are similarly confused about the situation, and it has now escalated to the point where by the police are involved.
The carabinieri - Italian military and civil police corps - are acting both as intermediaries between the two parties and as investigators with regard to Mr. Porcedda’s possible delinquencies.
The fans can take some solace in the fact that, coach, Alberto Malesani has either been able to instill a siege mentality or completely ignore the goings on behind the scenes. He has a side with a good competitive mentality that, hopefully, won’t have to fight too hard to maintain their Serie A status.
They have won two and drawn two of their last six games, and while Marco Di Vaio is still scoring – he has 13 already this term – they have every chance of achieving this.
The players should also be commended for their impeccably professional attitude, only taking legal action as a last resort and at the time making clear that they wished to remain Bologna players. Few would have been surprised had they wanted to leave town as soon as possible when they saw the way things were going.
There is still a lot more to be discharged from this odious case in the upcoming weeks and months. A fleeting glance at Bologna suggests on the surface they are gliding along quite calmly but beneath the water they are kicking furiously to stay afloat, much like a duck. What is certainly true is that in Bologna’s 101st season, no one will want them consigned to Room 101.
Rocco Cammisola blogs about Italian football (among other things) at The Football Express. You can follow him on Twitter at @rcammisola.
Tags: Bologna, Marco Di Vaio, Marco Pavignani, Massimo Zanetti, Sergio Porcedda, Serie A
Very interesting piece. Enjoyed reading thoroughly, not because of the problems Bologna find themselves in, but because you wrote about it really well.