Palermo coach, sporting director, and market: team on hold.

Who has time should not wait for time or is the hasty cat making blind kittens? Two sayings diametrically opposed in meaning and that perfectly match the moment that Palermo is experiencing. In an environment, that of the fans, who do not want to waste time and are waiting for news to start dreaming of a season as protagonists with the goal of a rapid and decisive promotion to Serie A, there is a much more conservative, programmatic, and cold mentality like that of the City Football Group world, little inclined to sentimentality and more focused on the concrete aspects of numbers and strategies to be implemented.

From this point of view, the Palermo management does not seem to be in a hurry to decide on its sporting path, which will certainly be organized in every aspect but with the timing dictated by the top management of the “citizens”, attentive to creating an organized reality in Palermo as well. However, on the one hand, the season has just ended with elimination in the Serie B play-off semifinals, on the other hand, the new season will start in just over a month, with the retreat planned and officially scheduled from July 7th to 20th in Livigno. The approach of this date only suggests somehow to try to accelerate the decision-making process regarding the management and technical figures still under review by CEO Gardini and his trusted advisor Riccardo Bigon. First of all, the sports director.

In the first days of this week, tomorrow or the day after at the latest, the current sports director of Palermo, Leandro Rinaudo, will meet with the company and specifically with Gardini to understand if there is still the possibility to continue the relationship in the next season. It seems clear from the Palermo company’s idea to change the sports direction to entrust it to other figures who, however, have not yet emerged as none of the candidates has fully satisfied the City Group management in the long and numerous video calls that have followed in these days. For this reason, it will be interesting to understand how Rinaudo and Gardini will address their dialogue and if there will be room to mend a relationship that, today, seems professionally at the end titles. Names that have been associated with Palermo to cover the position of sports director are different and none have convinced the City. Petrachi and Meluso, for example, are two profiles with whom Palermo has had the opportunity to interact but who have not satisfied the requests of the top Rosanero executives. Tognozzi and the current sports director of Granada have also entered the casting and are the closest to Manchester’s “desires” and therefore could really be the right man for Gardini and Bigon, even though at this point there has been nothing more than a simple confrontation. From this, that is from the choice of the sports director, will also come that of the coach, as Corini’s contract is expiring and Mignani is not expected to be confirmed. Everything leads straight to Zanetti with whom there have already been several contacts, even in “calls” and who has effectively said yes to the project that was presented to him. The former Empoli has already won Serie A by winning the promotion play-offs with Venezia of Ceccaroni and Di Mariano, whom he would meet again in Palermo. The coach would come to Palermo with desire and determination, despite a contract until 2026 with Empoli (the renewal automatically triggered with the safety of the Tuscans). The Palermo project also appeals to other coaches that Rosanero has contacted, such as Dionisi, who, however, would like to try to stay in Serie A (Cagliari?). When the sports director and coach practices are closed, they will then move on to the market. There is also no rush there, since three-quarters of the team are under contract, but it is clear that the new Palermo will need to be reinforced in every department with players of category and also with young prospects. In short, the one that comes will be an important week and, after many days of silence, something will finally start to be heard officially or unofficially. Palermo 2024/25 will begin to take shape starting today.