Palermo’s Revolving Door
Iachini this week became the 28th manager sacked by Palermo President Maurizio Zamparini
Another one is gone. The Maurizio Zamparini sack hammer has struck once again, and Giuseppe Iachini has been shown the door, and replaced with ex-Palermo coach Davide Ballardini after a record-breaking 772 day tenure in Sicily. Ex-Palermo coach I hear you say – yes, ex-Palermo – I believe Zamparini has run out of Italian coaches to fire, he’s backtracking and starting again.
Iachini’s dismissal is the 28th time Zamparini has sacked the manager of the Sicilian club.
“There was no longer any feeling with him,” Zamparini cited as the reason for the 51 year-old’s dismissal to mediagol.it.
“As you will have realised, there has not been any dialogue with him for ages now. I took this decision because I want to take advantage of the fortnight with internationals and give the new coach time to work serenely to resolve the problems this team has got.”
But Iachini’s reign did show us one thing – continuity counts.
The Italian took over the club at its lowest ebb in September 2013, following the club’s relegation from Serie A. Under his guidance, and thanks to top scorer Abel Hernandez, Iachini sealed promotion for the Rosanero with five matches to spare. While he received the support of the club to lead them in Serie A the next season, Zamparini sold Hernandez to Hull City.
The burden of Hernandez’s departure was placed upon up-and-coming talents Andrea Belotti and Paulo Dybala, as well as the newly acquired Franco Vazquez. These players more than filled the void, and under Iachini’s tutelage managed an 11th place finish in Serie A. But again, Iachini received no help from his temperamental president, who sold not just Paulo Dybala to Juventus, but also Andrea Belotti to Torino. Coming in the other direction, the ageing and misfiring Alberto Gilardino.
As of now, Palermo’s leading scorer in Serie A is a midfielder; new Swedish addition Oscar Hiljemark.
It is no surprise then, to see Palermo languishing in 16th place, after accumulating just four points in the last eight matches. With games against Chievo, Lazio and Juventus to prepare for after the international break, it is difficult to see Iachini’s successor having an immediate impact.
Ballardini’s first point of call, is getting the players onside. Unfortunately for him, key figure Franco Vazquez publicly declared his dissatisfaction with the sacking of Iachini this week.
“I’m really sorry about the news I have woken up to, but this is football for you – full of huge injustices,” he tweeted. “I can only thank Iachini and his staff for all they did for me and Palermo”.
At this stage, Ballardini’s chances of matching or bettering Iachini’s 772 day tenure seem low. In his ten year managerial career, the Italian has not managed to reach the two year mark with any side he has managed. This includes Sambenedettese, Cagliari, Pescara, Cagliari again, Palermo, Lazio, Genoa, Cagliari again, Genoa again, and Bologna.
More infuriating for Palermo fans though, is the lack of stability at their club in terms of both personnel and managers. Iachini’s term highlighted that a long-term tenure was exactly what the club needed, but it also highlighted that the retention of personnel is vital – Hernandez and Belotti did not have to leave.
For Ballardini to avoid being the next premature victim to Palermo’s revolving door, he needs the enigmatic Zamparini working for him, and the team; not his own pockets.
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