Marco Picchi: ʺWe have chosen players who have great enthusiasm. We want to continue expanding our structure
"Together with Marco Ramondino, we've chosen players who have shown great enthusiasm in embracing the project, joining us at a very early stage of the market ," begins Marco Picchi, CEO of Bertram Derthona, " and depriving themselves of the opportunity to explore other offers. Compared to the team from two years ago, it's difficult to make comparisons because each team has its own identity and is built according to specific criteria . "
Looking to the near future, the construction process for the sports hall has continued in recent weeks, which is "a gift the Gavio family wanted to give to the city of Tortona and Derthona Basket." The program agreement was signed in recent days, and the City Council will vote on it on Monday, July 22, before the decision is passed to the regional authorities. There is great optimism that work will begin within a few months: it will be a historic moment for the city and a significant opportunity for Derthona Basket.
This week, the roster for the 2019/20 season in the black and white jersey was also finalized: Picchi focused in particular on the choice of Andrejs Gražulis, who " is the best possible player for Marco's playing system and the structure of our team. We didn't look at his passport but at his characteristics: our hope, like that of the fans, is that he can revive the memory of Sorokas, who won an Italian Cup with us and played a great season . "
"We selected Italian players who didn't have a single season's horizon ," Picchi continues, "as we want athletes who can embark on a journey with us. They are all young but have significant experience in the championship behind them: furthermore, they are not at a stage in their careers where a single season is decisive for them. I therefore believe that judgments on the team should be made in the medium term . "
The Juventus Club's CEO then spoke about the development of the negotiations, which "were simple because the shared will of the parties allowed us to find a solution. I must say that I was struck by Matteo Martini's willingness to explore the possibility of coming to Tortona despite having an existing contract with a Serie A club. His input was decisive and a source of great pride for us . "
Picchi then focused on consolidating the corporate structure, which he believes is crucial for planning for the future: in this regard, "the 2018/19 season, which was negative on a sporting level, nevertheless allowed us to lay some building blocks for an increasingly solid home. In many areas, such as communications, we have made important steps forward; furthermore, the proximity of the Gavio Group allows us to plan long-term and grow as a club. In jokes, whether joking or superstitious, Dr. Gavio and I occasionally talk about Serie A: this is because Derthona is ambitious by nature, and he is on an entrepreneurial level. We want to increase the number of fans and season ticket holders and reach 150 sponsors, so that the day we realize the dream of Serie A does not remain ephemeral . "
"We made a thoughtful choice regarding the season ticket campaign ," the Club's CEO continued, " not asking our fans to make a blind bid. We chose to complete the work on the market: the phase dedicated to last year's season ticket holders will begin on August 26th, while general sales will begin on September 10th. We also opted for this decision based on a pricing policy, taking into account that in recent years we have always recorded a plus sign in front of the percentage of season tickets and tickets sold, proving our fans' unwavering love for Derthona . "
In closing, I couldn't help but remember Luigino Fassino, the soul and driving force behind Derthona Basket for nearly thirty years: Picchi recounted that " when I received the call from Tavernelli or Pullazi's agent, confirming the deal, I instinctively dialed Luigino's number and was moved because for years, whenever I closed a deal, the first call was to him. We've missed him greatly this year, as his unconditional love for this team, for these colors, and for this arena was evident when things were going badly. I always say he wasn't there in Cervia, when we won the A2 league, and in Jesi, when we won the Italian Cup, because he didn't feel his presence was necessary. Luigino was always there in every difficult moment, and today I miss him every day, because of the relationship I had with him; however, I believe he would be happy to see this house continue to grow and become ever more beautiful." He is present everywhere in this building, thanks to the photos that portray him, and I am happy that people stop me and ask me what he would have said at certain moments.
