Davide Ballardini: The Verdict

By: cathal | November 13th, 2009

A couple of week’s ago, I asked you to vote on whether you thought Ballardini was responsible and should be held accountable for Lazio’s poor run of form. Since then, the situation has only worsened but I think it would be fair to say that the tifosi are somewhat split and undecided. 62% of you thought he should be given more time or that his dismissal would make no difference whereas 35% of you want to call time on the coach with half of those voters asking where Delio has been hanging out recently. Thanks for all the votes; this is what I think of the situation.

DELIO

I’m with the slight majority. Since his appointment, I have not been able to grasp what the new “project” is and why Davide was selected to oversee it. However, Ballardini is a renowned youth coach who is partially responsible for a vast number of underage talents emerging in Serie A. At Cagliari and Palermo, he took sides who were slowly degressing and pulled them out of their respective holes. He brought the best out of their youth, worked wonders tactically and managed to take them to very respectable league positions. He has many positive attributes and all the credentials needed to take this Lazio forward but it hasn’t happened. Nevertheless, my finger doesn’t point at the bald man with the sunglasses but rather the balding man with the lighter spectacles.

Why? Firstly, it is Lotito’s responsibility to pick the right coach and if Davide is guilty of anything, he is guilty for being the wrong coach to walk into Formello at the wrong time. The summer was a disaster; Claudio went out and blew the transfer kitty on Zarate, made things personal between himself, Pandev and Ledesma (rightly or wrongly) and compromised the overall side by not bringing in good players for key positions. For this, I do not hold the coach responsible. As a result, Davide has had to choose between Baronio, Manfredini and Perpetuini for his midfield, a choice I believe he has got correct and in addition to this, he has had very little to work with in attack. Putting that aside for the timebeing, he has also had to choose between a Brazilian who is low on confidence, a 36 year-old centre-back who can no longer defy age and two inexperienced whippersnappers who are on the verge of great things but still falling short. His hands have been tied by the president and I am not sure what he is supposed to do; at least until January.

glasses

I think the lump that stuck in many a fan’s throat was the decision to leave Foggia on the bench regularly. There is no doubt that Pasqualino is a fan favourite and the type of player who can change a game in a second but Davide has worked with the Napolitan long before they renewed conversation in Rome and questioning his judgement on this issue is difficult for me. Perhaps he has got it wrong but in the last couple of games, the little guy has done nothing of any relevance. Then again, not many people have which begs the question; do the problems extend beyond the coach and on that one, I can say “yes” without hesitation. The atmosphere is atrocious, otherwise, there would be no ritiro and as far as I am aware, Ballardini has no magic wand. We simply have more problems than you can shake a stick at.

thespecs

Thus, I will stand by the eyewear guru. A change of coach may benefit us in the short-term but if we want to rediscover the glory days, we need to be prepared to walk a long, hard road with a young, talented coach who can deliver the goods. In time, I think Davide will prove he is the man; I just wonder and ever so slightly doubt if he will be given that opportunity. Which brings me to this week’s poll; I want you to choose a possible successor from the two most likely candidates; Edy Reja and Sinisa Mihajlovic. If you have the time, please explain your reasons in the comments section and on Monday, I will reveal the results and voice my opinion. Forza Lazio!

Out of the Two Frontrunners, Who Would You Pick; Reja or Mihajlovic?(online surveys)