After all the speculation and the waiting game that dragged out as deliberations between Palermo and Siena continued, the chief club in Sicily finally was able to present their new future. The triumvirate of Zamparini, Perinetti and Sannino all sat down for the very first press conference of what hopes to be a new era at the club. A lot of topics were covered and some questions were answered. Even recently (re)elected mayor Leoluca Orlando was present to give some comments about the new stadium and sporting center. Below is the entire press conference translated for your perusal:

President Maurizio Zamparini: “After 10 years with great satisfaction, I present a coach. You all should be proud of my irony because I’ve given you a way to write numerous headlines. Now, though, my intention is to change this role. With Sannino and Perinetti, I feel calmer. My choice was pondered and it truly makes me very serene.

I knew Sannino from a lunch meeting last year. I watched his story and with sincerity I must say that I he had a brilliant season with Siena and I observed him with a magnifying glass. Siena, among other things, knocked us out of the Coppa Italia and it hadn’t been a casual result, but the fruit of, I believe, a team that worked with enthusiasm.

The objective is to see Palermo as a team. On the field there must be a team that moves with determined enthusiasm and that works for a single objective. This year, we only had individuals that saved us.”

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Manager Giuseppe Sannino: “The only thing that I ask is to work on the pitch. The objective of the society is precise. When we start, we’ll evaluate the group, but Palermo already has good players and I’ll look to get the best out of them. I want to give the right balance and the right hunger to have an important season.

What kind of players have I asked for from Zamparini? I ask for the right ones. I work with the players I have at my disposition looking to get the best of them. Zamparini talked to me about Brienza, he told me that he saw him revitalized and he was smart to sign him. Brienza is a lad that will give you all great satisfaction.

I was always convinced of arriving here, even if I had a contract with Siena. The road was already laid out, just needed to wait for it to be official. I’ve always said that for me, it was important to meet President Zamparini and get to know the man. The thing that struck me is that he told me he esteemed me as a man. He expressed his perplexity with my course (coaching rise, path), he chose Pioli and it’s only right. I’m a fatalist. For me, everything is already written. It’s pleasing to me, though, that after a year that I debuted in Serie A…you saw what I did. It’s a world that goes so fast.”

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President Maurizio Zamparini: “My new role? I don’t think that Galliani ever buys a player without Berlusconi’s consent. However, I’ve lacked a figure in this society that could substitute me. It’s what Perinetti is already doing. It’s clear that the final decision will be undersigned by me. This is normal.

The new cycle starts with the sporting center and the new stadium. The workers for the sporting center will start within six months and it’ll be ready for the following season. For the stadium, I’m waiting for the open road from the authorities. Actually, I’m waiting on Orlando (Palermo mayor) who is here in the press conference. All of this is to make Palermo even more competitive, keeping in check the large economic differences with the three big clubs.”

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Palermo Mayor Leoluca Orlando: “A great city like Palermo deserves a great stadium and this is an objective. It mustn’t appear as an burden to the city or other sports. With Zamparini, we’ll work together to build a new stadium without going to war with the rest of the world. We’ll evaluate along with the common council, the administration and the club, all the forms, times and places where we’ll create this new structure. The objective is to do it, actually, make him do it (jokingly referencing Zamparini).”

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President Maurizio Zamparini: “What formations do I like? I don’t love any formation. If I were a coach, I’d be eclectic. I’d work with the players I have at my disposal. In modern calcio, there no longer exists modules; a team on the field exists. And this, Sannino knows.”

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Manager Giuseppe Sannino: “The numbers and formations matter little to me. Serie A made me grow, you need to change and understand. For me, Siena was a workshop. The important thing is that a team must know what to do and have precise concepts. A player must always be aware that he can get better. Under this aspect is the example of Brienza, the most undervalued number 10 in Italy.

The defensive phase and offensive phase must be done by all the players on the field. The players must be more open and work to cover as many zones as possible on the field. The pitch isn’t made by small pieces of turf but a green field on which you need to know where to be.

I take my cue from weekly life. We’re lucky, at times we don’t realize what we have inside. To make a team, to be a group that rows in the same direction, you need the right mix of ingredients. I want to take my players that I have by the hand to understand if I have lads who are adaptable and at my disposal.”

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President Maurizio Zamparini: “The transfer market is stiff, very difficult. We lack some money but Perinetti is working to make us better.”

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General Manager Giorgio Perinetti: “For me, Palermo represents something very important. I’m here, though, to work, to meet a new and stimulating professional adventure. I want to repay the faith of the president and the expectations of the fans. The desire to do well is great. There’s been an unlucky year, but we’re starting as a structured club. The president has a lot of passion, speaking of a new stadium and sporting center that are fundamental. At the moment we have a team with a lot of players at a certain level who have had a contrasting season under their respective profiles. We must begin again with serenity at this base. Our players are very concentrated, which means that they’re valid. We must see if they still have motivation to create the spirit of a team.

The objective is a Favorita (Renzo Barbera) in party mode, where the people participate together with us and understand our sacrifices, enjoying, possibly, our successes. This is the objective. We’re working but we must have the support behind us. Zamparini has always been close to the club, he does so with the spirit of a fan, and I like that a lot. He has heart and passion and this aspect captivates me. We want to transplant these things to the players. We came here to work. Sannino is a direct person that lives calcio with great passion and looks to transmit that to his players. If this will be our spirit, we’ll obtain something positive.

The defensive limitations of Palermo? Three years ago, Siena was relegated with a defense equal to that of this year. Therefore, it’s all a question about the mentality of the players. The only recipe is work. We want to work only with those who have a great desire to do so and to be professionals. At Bari, there were 200 spectators, then we were able to bring out 60,000. We must respect the foundations that we have, we mustn’t distort them. We have clear ideas, not everything, though, is easily feasible. We’ll look to render important things to a project and a moral outline, in the sense of great involvement. To do well is always a challenge in calcio. Everything goes well if the entire environment participates and gets involved. With the contribution of the fan, the environment, the press and everyone, I believe that the challenges will be met and you can bring back affection where there’s been a bit of disconcertedness.

To compose a team, everyone helps, young and old. A mix of people and motivations helps. You need to count on the players before they become important to make them understand they’re important. It takes more foresight than the others. We must increase the risk period but in that Palermo can draw and beat out the other competitors.”

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Manager Giuseppe Sannino: “My emotions? They’re human. I’ve never been in a place with such media pressure. Palermo is a very important city on the calcio level. The objectives are different in respect to where I’ve worked. There are many more burdens. It’s made me curious to see that whoever meets me, tells me, ‘Pay attention to Zamparini’. I’ve always said that I want to live one day as a lion, rather than wait. (Ed. note: The idiomatic phrase is “It’s better to live one day as a lion, than a thousand days as a lamb”). I know I have a president that loves calcio and knows it well. I’m the last to arrive in Serie A, however, it’s better to have a person that says stimulating things even if it’s hard-nosed. I’m also like this. The fact I came here to confront myself with such a reality is very important to me. I never thought to stall, I’ve always followed my instinct. And at the end when you need to speak, I’m here in front of you all to tell you that I’ve had this huge opportunity and I want to begin and look to finish. Even last year I said that everyone takes off together. The important thing for me is to work and do my best. My ambition has never been a huge team, but to work. Then, we’ll leave the verdict to posterity.

The public is very passionate and a few years ago there was an incredible affluence. I don’t want to create great expectations, I want them to know the man and the coach. I come from afar; I’ve never gifted anything to anyone. The only thing that I could do has been to let them see how I work on the pitch. I want to do that at Palermo too.”