Speaking on TMW Radio`s `A Tutta C` broadcast, coach Gaetano Fontana shared his views on the most pressing issues currently facing Serie C football:
Coach, we`re at the dawn of the new season and transfer market, but I want to start with a pressing issue outside of technical matters. Salernitana has asked to be moved from Serie C Group C to Group B for public order reasons, given the presence of six other Campania-based clubs in the southern group. Do you find this justification convincing, or does it risk creating a dangerous precedent?
Absolutely, I agree with you: if this risk is real, it`s clear that the League and the Federation must be ready to protect everyone involved. But this should be done by ensuring security, not by moving teams. Obviously, Salernitana`s request also has an economic aspect, because playing behind closed doors means having matches without fans, home and away, which is a financial loss. But creating a precedent risks giving everyone the right to ask for exceptions. I believe that in the end, the traditional geographical subdivision of the groups will be maintained.
A strong message is needed, from the institutions too, because surrendering to fear is dangerous, not just for football but for the entire country.
That`s right. If a warning light comes on in the car, we can`t just cover it with our finger. We have to face the problems. In England, they manage similar situations; I don`t see why we can`t do the same here. I live in Ascoli and already feel the anticipation for the derby against Sambenedettese. Education and responsibility are needed, not shortcuts.
The real risk in these cases is having derbies without fans, which are the beauty of football: look at Genoa-Samp, Torino-Juve, Roma-Lazio…
Exactly. If we surrender to the idea that certain matches cannot be played in Serie C, we`ve lost. Yet we have a Serie C League president who is open and combative, a Minister of Sport who comes from football, a Minister of the Interior who knows the territory. Let`s talk about it, let`s build something. It might take years, perhaps, but if we never start…
There`s also a technical aspect to consider. Salernitana is building a very strong team with top-tier transfers. And depending on the group, the competitors change: in Group C they would face Catania, Benevento, Trapani, Crotone… in Group B, Perugia, Ascoli, Ternana.
Yes, but if you have to win, you win anywhere. It`s clear that Salernitana has great ambitions and is trying to build a strong squad, drawing players even from Serie B. But be careful: buying players isn`t enough. You need unity of purpose, compactness, alignment with the club`s mission. Without that, you don`t get anywhere. And in Group C, there are already structured teams, like Crotone, Benevento, and Catania, which have their own identity and are refining their work.
Another potential protagonist in Group C could be Cosenza. The ownership is still contested, but they`ve brought in the new sporting director Fabio Lupo. I ask you: how difficult is it to restart in such a climate?
I know Cosenza well; I experienced it in Serie C. It`s an ambitious city that dreams of Serie A – where it has never been. Returning to Serie C isn`t easy. In my time there was planning; today that`s missing. But Lupo is an experienced executive, a deep connoisseur of football. If they give him the tools, he can do a good job.
We`d like to close with your opinion on second teams. Milan is restarting with Oddo in Serie D; Inter is coming to Serie C. But the fanbases protest: they want to face the `real` Inter, Juve, Atalanta.
It`s a delicate issue. On one hand, clubs want to develop young players from their academies. Atalanta, for example, has a coherent model from the youth sector to the first team: those who move up already know what to do. On the other hand, not all clubs are so organized. Milan, for instance, has changed technical direction multiple times. And the lack of a strong identity is also reflected in the second team. To work, you need vision, consistency, and real knowledge of the Serie C championship, which is very complex.
