What’s bugging Zamparini about Palermo now?

And is it really all Delio Rossi’s fault? David Swan reports:

Things are never easy at Palermo, even in a season where they are performing well. Much of that is down to President Maurizio Zamparini and the countless number of his eccentric outbursts many a coach has had to endure. Current incumbent Delio Rossi is no different, and was on the receiving end of one of Zamparini’s special insights after last weekend’s 2-4 defeat at home to Fiorentina:

“If we lost, it is because of the defensive organisation from Rossi. He is a great coach, but he should fix this defence. I am not crazy and this defeat proves that. We have thrown away two victories – one against Inter, and one here today [against Fiorentina] and it is his fault.”

Not even the Press were safe from his anger:

“And you say this is the best defence I have ever had at Palermo? Stop writing nonsense. This defensive system is not working.”

In the past his rants have often destabilised the club and generally been rather unwarranted. His current efforts are in danger of leading to the former once again, namely in forcing Rossi away from the club as a result of the repeated criticism (he also hinted that there is an issue with Rossi not following the club’s policy on young players). The fans are certainly concerned – they wrote an open letter to Zamparini imploring him to cease his negative comments for fear their coach (who they supported in that same letter) may walk.

Case for the defence

Yet, strangely enough, the President may have a point this time. For a side pushing for Europe, they have conceded a large number of goals – only Lecce and bottom-of-the-table Bari have leaked more. Five clean sheets in 25 Serie A games is not a particularly impressive record, nor is the fact that they have conceded two or more goals in nine of their games so far this season. To put it another way – in one of every three matches Palermo play, they are having to score three goals (at the very least) just to get something from the game. And this is with a very workmanlike midfield of Giulio Migliaccio, Armin Bačinović and Antonio Nocerino.

For his part, Rossi puts it down to finding the balance of the side. They have a very offensive trident in attack, and two attacking full-backs (a rarity in Serie A at the moment) that, despite the obvious problems defensively, have contributed to a goals total that is only bettered by Inter. Nevertheless, success is built on a strong defensive foundation, and if the Rosanero are to have any aspirations of obtaining what is currently a very open fourth spot at the end of the season, they should look to tighten up at the back.

The problem Rossi faces is that the club’s policy on youth, the one he is supposedly not following (even though four of the starting XI against Fiorentina were aged 23 or under), does not lend itself to the consistent defensive brilliance Zamparini is looking for. He has a 20-year-old central defender in Ezequiel Múñoz, a regular this term, who only made the move to the club in the summer after one season with the Boca Juniors senior team. Bačinović (21) has only been playing senior football for three-and-a-half-years, and that was in Slovenia – the same applies to Josip Iličić (23) and Jasmin Kurtić (22). The latter was making his first appearance for the club in that defeat to Fiorentina.

Javier Pastore (21), who has received much praise for his displays this season, is only in his second campaign at the club. Salvatore Sirigu, an Italian international, is still relatively young for a goalkeeper at 24-years-old and only made his Serie A debut in 2009.

The club’s policy is very commendable, and when these players are sold on they will naturally garner a large profit for the club, but unfortunately Palermo are going to have to suffer a little on the pitch before these players can reward the club off the pitch (namely on the balance sheets at the end of a financial year). With youth comes naïvety, particularly defensively, and when a team contains so many youngsters, as Palermo’s often does in any given match, this will manifest itself in the form of some questionable defending and a number of goals being leaked.

Rossi, in all likelihood, probably understands this. Whether Zamparini does, or ever will, is a separate matter altogether, and it means the Palermo saga will roll on for a little while yet.

David Swan is a new contributor to Just Football and will be writing a regular Italian football column. Follow him on Twitter.

(photo by frakorea on Flickr)

Italian Serie A, Italy, Palermo