It thundered so much that it rained. And in the end the owner Massimo Zanetti decided: Sergio Scariolo is no longer the coach of Virtus Segafredo Bologna with immediate effect. Andrea Diana, his trusted deputy for years, was also sacked with him. News that was in the air after Scariolo’s statements yesterday in the press conference and which, after a night of reflection, led to the decision of the owner of the main sponsor of Virtussino and owner of the team. The situation had already been tense for several months and had now become unmanageable. Unlikely, if not impossible, a retracement of one’s steps as happened in December 2020 when Virtus sacked Sasha Djordjievic after the defeat against Sassari only to then call him back two days later and pretend that nothing had happened. At the end of the season the Serbian coach won the championship, then was replaced by Scariolo himself.
INSIGHTS
The Virtus press release
This is the company’s official press release: “Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna announces that it has arranged for the dismissal of coach Sergio Scariolo. The coach’s statements released to the press on 13 September 2023, which follow those released during the end-of-season press conference on 27 June 2023, Unfortunately, they undermine the serenity and enthusiasm of the Virtussian environment and of the group that is about to face the first official commitments of the new sporting season with the aim of achieving important results at both a national and international level.
The club also announces that first assistant Andrea Diana has been relieved of his duties.”
From De Raffaele to Trinchieri, the successor
The full names for the replacement are now open, eight days before the start of the official season. Virtus Bologna will play the semi-final of the Italian Super Cup against Milan on 24 September. He had been contacted in the summer Walter De Raffaele, former coach of Reyer Venezia, and he could be in pole position. The name Trinchieri is also mentioned. The names of Luca Banchi, who led Latvia to fifth place at the World Cup, and Gianmarco Pozzecco, current coach of the Italian national team, are more secluded.
What Scariolo had said
The coach from Brescia had already been critical of the club in the press conference at the end of last season, but yesterday he made matters worse with statements that did not please the owner and the entire Bolognese environment, even among the fans who had immediately taken a position in favor of of society. “The club gave me the team and I receive it, but the construction belongs to society – Scariolo said yesterday on his return from the Philippines where the Spain he coached had been eliminated in the second round as reigning world champions -. There is no doubt that the natural offensive quality is lower, this season will be a gamble for many players.”
“We will no longer have Teodosic managing possessions when the ball is hot. Who can be his replacement? I haven’t spotted him yet and no one so far has in the past. The exclusion of Iffe Lundberg from the roster is a company decision. – he added -. young guys are giving us a hand in training, and maybe they will also be able to give us a few minutes in the championship, a minute that is not Milutinov (in reference to the big transfer target missed and which went to Olimpia Milano, ndr)”. Words that owner Zanetti did not like, as well as other past attitudes of the coach who during the championship finals had had contact with the Toronoto Raptors and with Real Madrid. Now the dismissal and, almost certainly, the end of his adventure at Virtus.
1970-01-01 00:00:00
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