Notes from Verona: All change at the Bentegodi (again)
The latest from Verona resident Richard Hough
With the fixture list for the forthcoming season just announced, Verona resident Richard Hough takes stock of the latest comings and goings at the Bentegodi.
Long suffering fans of Hellas Verona have now grown accustomed to the summer being a traumatic period of transition and uncertainty. Such is the nature of life here in Verona, the recent departure of both head coach and sporting director are hardly unexpected. In fact, there was an air of inevitability surrounding their near simultaneous departures as the 2021/22 season drew to a close. But, with attendances soaring and Verona enjoying an unprecedented period of success in the top half of Serie A, the need to start all over again this season is a routine that Hellas fans are facing with defiance and stoicism.
As with the hasty departure of his compatriot Ivan Juric at the end of last season, the decision by Igor Tudor to terminate his contract with Hellas is a bitter blow. Like Juric before him, Tudor was a popular and respected coach, and he would certainly have been offered an enhanced contract to remain. Like Juric, it seems, ambition has got the better of him, as he seeks a club with a bigger budget and higher expectations than mere survival. Like Juric, the nature of Tudor’s departure has left a bitter taste in the mouth, his status in the city tarnished, yet another ‘mercenary’ in the eyes of the fans whose only true loyalty is to the colours of the city.
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