Verona coach: Bocchetti on pole for the post Cioffi

Certainly, in Verona, there is the official exemption of Gabriele Cioffi after this terrible start, which nobody expected: 5 points in 9 days, only one victory, third from last place, lost team that is also overcome. at the last breath. But behind the exemption, in society we navigate on sight: few but confused ideas, a lot of uncertainty under the sky of the Arena. Four days before the match against Milan, it is not yet known who will lead Hellas. The company allowed itself another night of reflection. Today the decision.

Lopez in pole scende?

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The hiring of Diego Lopez, 48, former guide of Cagliari and Brescia, exonerated from the Universiidad de Chile after 4 months of running and still under contract, seemed imminent. The Uruguayan coach has maintained a good relationship with Marroccu, current sporting director of Del Verona who had him, in fact, first in Cagliari and then in Brescia. But as far as we know there has been an afterthought, if not a cooling, due to Lopez’s request (two-year contract and not an annual one) and problems with his staff. He was at the top of the candidate list, but not anymore.

Strong room Bocchetti

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In the last few hours the internal solution has been growing rapidly, that of Salvatore Bocchetti, 36, a life as a footballer with strikers at Spartak Moscow and Milan and 5 appearances with the senior national team. And the new coaching career that began in the Verona youth academy (where he played). He is currently the coach of the Primavera, with good results. Bocchetti yesterday directed the training of the first team, awaiting the decision on the new coach who did not arrive. He too was already among the candidates for Cioffi’s legacy, a candidacy that rose by arrogance because, it seems, it is the preferred solution by President Setti. The reasons? He knows the environment well, he is respected in society, he is young and rampant and above all, he is cheap. Let’s not forget that Hellas is a club that is always very attentive to the budget and now already has two technicians on the payroll: Eusebio di Francesco, exonerated after three defeats in the first three days and replaced by Igor Tudor, who had signed a two-year contract (expires in June 2023), and now also Cioffi, on the payroll until 2024. Setti would be happy to pick the right piece by spending as little as possible. As far as we know, Marroccu is not of the same idea because he considers Bocchetti to be too young and inexperienced. And then there is a problem, this real one: he doesn’t have the Uefa Pro license to coach in Serie A, so he would need a coach to support him. But the company has asked the Federation for an exemption for Bocchetti and it is likely that he is taking time waiting for the response.

the alternative

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Behind Lopez and Bocchetti, many names have sprung up. Some unlikely, like Paulo Sousa, or pure fantasy, like Vladimir Petkovic. The fact that Sousa was noticed in the Bentegodi stands at the Verona-Udinese event fueled the rumors, but he was never really a candidate. Because it is not the right profile for a team that has (had?) Determination and racing in the DNA and that must save itself. And then it would be a “salty” engagement. The only alternatives with any foundation are Aurelio Andreazzoli and Davide Ballardini. Both have had contact with the company. But the first, a player, would have many difficulties in shaping Verona in his image and likeness. And perhaps that is why it seems that he has slipped away by himself. Davide Ballardini has a more suitable profile: a pragmatic technician, used to taking teams in the running and fighting for salvation. But for some reason there was some hitch in this marriage, perhaps of an economic nature, perhaps of a technical nature. So you go back to bombshell, with Lopez or Bocchetti. Unless in the night in Setti and Marroccu another light bulb turns on, like that of Monza for Palladino.