When it comes to success and failure on the football pitch, it’s often the players and their coaches who are linked with either outcome.
However, the importance of directors shouldn’t be underestimated at all.
In an article for la Gazzetta dello Sport, Valerio Clari explains how Giuseppe Marotta shifted the balance in Italian football.
The former Sampdoria general manager landed in Turin back in 2010. Slowly but surely, he reignited the club’s dominance on Serie A, launching a winning dynasty that lasted for nine years.
Beppe had clear ideas on the transfer market. He was often cautious with his approach, but whenever a great opportunity presented itself, he wasn’t one to back down.
His favorite moves would often see him landing double blows, by strengthening his squad while at the same time weakening his rivals. The transfers of Gonzalo Higuain and Miralem Pjanic are two prime examples.
And most importantly, Marotta knew he had to win market duels against his main rivals – which more often than not happened to be Inter – like sprinting to sign Paulo Dybala from Palermo.
Since making the move to Milano, Juventus have been on a decline, while the Nerazzurri occupied the Old Lady’s place at the helm of Italian football.
Bringing in his former ally Antonio Conte and giving him Romelu Lukaku was one of the main game-changing moves that shifted the whole dynamic of Calcio.
The article mentions how Leonardo Bonucci once claimed to have shifted the powers within Italian football after making the move to Milan.
The defender was obviously wrong in over-assessing his impact, but if there’s one man who has a claim for changing the whole scenery then it can only be Marotta.
