Excellence: the coach Tarozzi exonerated from Roccella Ionica by the hotel porter

Exempted by a hotel porter at 11 pm the day before the game with an envelope containing 300 euros and a plane ticket to Milan. It seems like a made-up story, but it’s all true. Because this is what happened to Paolo Tarozzi, during his 40-day stay at Roccella Ionica, who came from Milan to coach a team that was first in Serie D and then found himself in Excellence. Paolo Tarozzi, 54, is not an unknown name for insiders. Many will remember him in Berlusconi’s AC Milan, at the time of Arrigo Sacchi as the Rossoneri’s press office manager but with a passion for coaching.

the dream

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“Being a coach is a desire I’ve always had and when I had the opportunity to do it in a demanding way (Tarozzi wandered among the youth teams of Pavia and Legnano, also coaching in Sweden in the minor categories, ed.) I don’t I let it slip away “. He is brought to Calabria by the ds. Massimiliano Leghissa who puts him in contact with the president of Roccella, Rocco Femia, who has recently sacked the coach Galati. “I was supposed to come in July, then nothing came of it but in December 2021 I was called to replace Galati and I accepted immediately. One thousand five hundred euros a month plus expenses but I was enthusiastic and so I decided to leave out the family and business affairs as well. ‘food company where I carried out my duties “.

covid

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In a short time, however, Tarozzi realized he had arrived at the wrong time. The team is decimated by Covid and in the first match in Scalea, without training, and in 10 against 11 it ends badly: result 4-0. But Tarozzi is one who does not stop at the first adversities. “Of course not because we had slowly recovered some elements, the boys liked my training methods, there was enthusiasm even if we lost my first home match 1-0 against Gioiosa for a very dubious penalty”. As the days went by, he realized not only that he happened to be at the wrong time but also in the wrong place. “Before the third match against Sersale, at 11pm on Friday the doorman of the hotel where I was staying knocks me on the door and hands me an envelope containing 300 euros and a plane ticket from Lamezia to Milan for the next day. one of the company – he tells me – but I don’t know who he is “.

president

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Tarozzi then tries to get in touch with the Femia president but with no luck and not even the sporting director Leghissa is tracked down. “I tried in every way but I couldn’t talk to anyone. The next day at 9 a driver was waiting for me outside the hotel to take me to the airport”. Meanwhile Galati was back on the Roccella bench. “Once in Milan I tried repeatedly to contact the president and also Leghissa but with no luck. I was willing to go back and cut my salary too because I wanted to finish my job, but unfortunately it wasn’t possible”. Not that the backtracking has served any purpose: after Tarozzi’s departure, Roccella has lost seven more games in a row, is last in the standings and even the playout area now appears a mirage.