The former president of Feltrese Alberto Curto
“Do you know what is the phrase that I hear most often in recent weeks, since the news of the merger was published in the newspapers? “The team de balon gets out of it hip” ».
Translation break for those who do not immediately grasp the dialect: “They also take away the football team”.
«I would say that these words contain the sentiment of many Feltre people on the subject. Including that of the undersigned ».
Speaking is Alberto Curto, the historic manager of local football. President of Feltrese for over ten years and among the men who symbolize the grenade football, he has been observing the dynamics from the outside for some years. His last operational role dates back to spring 2014, when together with Stefano Maset (now manager of the Union) he took over the command of the Feltrese to lead a troubled season. Among other things, he was opposed to the merger proposal when Savasta proposed it to Cremonese in the early 2000s.
«Feltre, if it were involved with Belluno, would lose us alone, useless to go around it», comments Curto. “I wouldn’t see it well and many don’t see it well. I am a parochialist I know, but because I care a lot about what this city offers. Beyond football, it would be the umpteenth centralization towards the capital of something, whether they are services or entertainment. Returning to sport, just not many kilometers from us we have the example of the Cittadella, which over the years has never crossed the mind to get together with Padua. Yet for an abundant decade she still managed to play in Serie B and when she was relegated to C she immediately got up again, without however changing her way of thinking ».
Thinking of Feltre without a team is actually strange, especially since there is a sort of “void” behind it.
«We know well how it would end: within two or three years this merger would be identified again only in Belluno. And I certainly would not imagine witnessing full machines or assault on public transport to go to the Polisportivo to see the games. In the meantime, however, Feltre would lose the Serie D in favor of the capital ».
Could the relegation risk have influenced the choice of the verdegranata association?
«I really don’t see what cataclysm the descent into Excellency would entail. At most you try to go back up, maybe it is an opportunity to learn from the mistakes made, the local young people are once again protagonists. I don’t think Union Feltre needs a merger to get by, leaving our football in Feltre without a partnership ».