To Supporters of Palermo. I am a freelance journalist and currently writing an article about the great recent success story that is Palermo. Specifically I am looking for information on your chairman - Maurizio Zamparini . I would very much appreciate it if you could tell me more about Mr Zamparini, his character, the impact he has had on your club and any funny stories. Any contributions that I use will feature in the Guardian newspaper and I will forward contributors a copy of the article. Kind Regards Andrew Greeves. Please email me at andygreeves6@hotmail.com

Ai Sostenitori di Palermo. Sono giornalista da Inghilterra e scrivendo e l'articolo della grande persona di successo che è Palermo. Specificatamente cerco delle informazioni sul suo presidente - Maurizio Zamparini. L'apprezzerei molto se lei me potrebbe dire più di Zamperini di Signor, il suo carattere, l'impatto che ha avuto sul suo club e qualunque storie buffe. Qualunque contributi che uso caratterizzeranno nel giornale di Guardian ed inoltrerò dei contributori una copia dell'articolo. Il tipo Considera Andrew Greeves. Per favore l'email me a andygreeves6@hotmail.com

He's Cockey and he doesn't know when to shut his mouth. He is a carismatic charicter but when he really believes that his side are better than Inter that should call into question his knowledge of the game. rumour in Italian sports parer tutto sport claimed that Maurizio Zamparini is also gay.

È Cockey e non sa quando chiudere la sua bocca. È un charicter di carismatic ma quando crede realmente che il suo lato siano migliore di ciò Interra dovrebbe chiamare in interroga la sua conoscenza del gioco. il rumore nello sport di tutto di parer di sport italiano ha preteso che quel Maurizio Zamparini è anche gaio.

Irish Black Blue,

I do not think Zamparini ever said that Palermo is in absolute better than Inter. He said that on the night it was by far the better team. Believe me please, he was right! I know, I was there and I only saw one team that dominated the game from beginning till the end. The two Inter goals have been episodes (the second goal was at the 94th and last minute).

Zamparini who came from a poor background to become a very successful entrepreneur. He knows about football (he was also a player in a minor team as a youngster) and he tranformed the team as well as the club in just three years. Achieving this in the South of Italy and in a town like Palermo is not an easy task. He is married and a grandfather. The fact that he may or may not be gay is something I read now for the first time and sounds very odd to me. He is also a simpathyser of the Centre-Right coalition in Italy, which is not usually an appealing side for non heterosexuals. Having said all that, I do not see what sexual prefereces have to do with football and business, so I will drop the argument.

4 Andrew Greeves, give me a bit of time, and I will provide you with more information by email, then if you need to know more just ask.

PS number one reference about the club history, and the supporters is the http://www.pianetarosanero.com , where Leandro, the webmaster and a very popular guy among the non- organised supporter, speaks English quiet well. Maybe you can post your message again there

Ciao Skiver - not seen you on here for ages. What do you reckon to this year's chances, then?

Must admit, I thought it would be very difficult to beat last year's 6th place finish after selling Toni and Zauli, and replacing with just Makinwa/Caracciola! Beating a very good Inter side would have been hard to imagine last year. I didn't see the match - how were they so dominant - battling hard, or by creating chances?

And Andrew Greeves - try posting on a Venezia forum too to get a bitter view of Zamparini!

Ciao il ferret,

It is very difficult to say at this stage whether we can repeat last year's performance. Zauli and Toni aside, there are still many of last year's players in the first team, but with one year more experience. Del Neri is giving the squad its style. Many factors will come into play tough, and the season is very long. One of the problems is that the fans are still very tempered. if things go well, they support the team, otherwise they look for scapegoats...
We need stability of results.

On Saturday we did both things. We broke their play, defending very well on Adriano and Martins, and creating at least 8 clear chances, of which we scored only three. It was an outstanding performance, which compares with and overcomes last year win against Juve. Contrary to what journalists say, Inter played very well, we played fandabidosi ;-)

easy now fellow sicilians (yes i know im juve but im also sicilian from near agrigento)

Take not of how many palermo boys played in the game vs Belarus..i think they were outstanding even ex Palermo boy toni. And yes baing successful in sicily is a miracle in itself (although i wouldnt be surprised if there isnt some kind of mob involvement nobody gets past those b*stards in sicily without paying its why nobody wants to invest there)

JuveBoy,

I agree with you that it is difficult to do anything in Sicily without some "wise" guy coming to you, but I think that is too much stereotype. And we should be able to do and think better.

Mafia existed, as it is now, for the last 150 years at least, hence for the last 33, when Palermo was relegated to lower divisions and even got decleared bankrupt in the 80s. We were forced not to play football for a year before starting from C2, a courtesy that has not been given to Fiorentina, who started immediately. i this is evidence that maybe the mob isn't always where you look for it.

regarding the more interesting football matters, I think the team has outstanding players and a very good coach, but many things are important in a long season, and no less the temperamente of the fans and what happens in the Italian football association. We have absolutely trashed Inter and we have a good team, but it ends there, no proclaims about the future.

To Irish Blue and Black, Il Ferret and Skiver. Many thanks for your contributions - all the info I can get is much appreciated. I'm really enjoying researching this article. I spent last summer in Sicily with staying with my friend in (whisper it quietly!)Catania. I managed to get to see Catania vs Fiorentina the day Palermo got promoted to Serie A (you wont forgive me that I know!!). The day later I went through Palermo on a coach to the airport. Dont think Ive ever seen so much pink in all my life, from every house, shop - it was amazing. I also saw your stadium which looks cracking. As a Spurs fan I was desperately hoping we would get into the UEFA Cup this season and play Palermo in your first European tie. Sicily is so beautiful and such a great passion for football - my kind of place! Andy Greeves

spurs1961,

I have posted your message on the pianetarosanero website. Sorry if could not yet email you

Venezia fans will tell you that Zamparini is a treacherous sh_tbag who is only interested in furthering his own interests and that of his poxy supermarket chain.

quote:

Originally posted by Giovanni Lavafiume:
Venezia fans will tell you that Zamparini is a treacherous sh_tbag who is only interested in furthering his own interests and that of his poxy supermarket chain.

And they would, of course, be right. Zamparini and Preziosi, two chips off the same block...