Rugby, Zebre, we change: via Checchinato, Dalai sole director between coach and transfer chaos

There must be something in the air around the Rugby Citadel of Parma that does everything to complicate the life of the Zebras. And the beautiful and laudable initiative for Ukraine is not enough (more than 60 refugees, family members of rugby players, brought to Italy). From the first season without a win to the risk of repeating itself ten years later, the federal franchise has gone through fights between managers and coaches, player strikes, exemptions, a private experience as short as tumultuous, not to mention the countless rumors of closure or removals that recur on time.

Bergamaschi yellow

–

The new chapter of this unenviable saga began last week, when due to sudden health problems Emiliano Bergamaschi – the Argentine coach in his first season in Parma who went from head of the scrum to head coach after Michael Bradley’s sacking – did not presented at training. The preparation for the away match in Glasgow, which ended with a heavy knockout 40-12, thus proved to be very turbulent despite the fact that Andrea Moretti came to the rescue directly from the national team to support Fabio Roselli to take care of the scrum (a role already held just before arriving in blue), while previously Aldo Birchall – third line Italian-English former player of Rugby Parma and Viadana among others and with experience as a coach in Serie A – had started to deal with defense.

Market rumors

–

The absence of Bergamaschi, however, brought to the surface some exchanges of views (both verbal and written) between senior managers of the franchise regarding the current technical staff, considered not up to the level of the United Rugby Championship and the main role of the Zebras, that is, that of the development of Italian talents. In practice, the current technical guide has already been discharged and the search for substitutes has already begun. However, the climate of uncertainty also affects the players’ market. Three of the most experienced players in the locker room, namely Andrea Lovotti, Oliviero Fabiani and Giulio Bisegni, have already signed for Colorno: it is true, for personal or technical choices their journey in the national team is now over (or almost), but they could have given still very much at the highest club level. Yet they have decided to “go down” in the Top 10, albeit in an ambitious team. To this we must add the English and French sirens who have started playing for various young blues such as Zilocchi and Fischetti, but also the internal competition of Benetton which to young Italian talents (for example, Simone Gesi) appears to be a safer lido by project. technical and ambitions.

Via Checchinato

–

The sum of all these difficulties is, as already mentioned, the rekindling of the rumors that want the franchise to leave Parma to land in other shores. Fir has an agreement with the Municipality of Parma until the end of the 2023 season, and on Monday afternoon a statement from the same Zebre confirmed the presence of the team in the Emilian city at least until that date, but there is always on the table the proposal of Petrarca Padova, with the franchise that would return to take on the character of a private company, relieving the Fir budget of a good part of the investment (the teams of Urc still have a conspicuous federal contribution). The investment of a new property would also compensate for any penalty to be paid to the Municipality of Parma in the event of an early exit from the contract. In the same press release, the Zebras announced that Michele Dalai as president was appointed sole director of the club, which will thus have a new and more streamlined corporate structure. Dalai will be supported by an external board of consultants for administrative and management support, while Franco Tonni will continue to carry out the role of consultant in the technical area. He leaves Parma and the role of managing director of the Carlo Checchinato franchise, who returns to his old role as commercial director in Fir. Will the new corporate organization chart be enough to restore certainty to the environment? The impression that remains is that even in spring the fog continues to envelop the Zebras in the Po Valley.