The first outing of the new president at the Picchi stadium: “Let’s make plans in five years, up to at least B”
“I think Livorno is unique. As they say in Brazil, in São Paulo, where I was born, `love her or leave her´”. Thus begins the new owner and president of Livorno, the Brazilian financier Joel Esciua, at his first press conference at the Picchi stadium, seven days after the purchase of the company by the outgoing president Paolo Toccafondi. “A quick and well thought-out negotiation”, he defined it when introducing himself to the city.
Livorno his real challenge
—
Esciua will take office starting from 1 July: “Livorno is a different city – he said – open and passionate, multicultural compared to other Tuscan cities, which impressed me, which thrives on sport and where you always feel involved. I see both the city and the team as a diamond in the rough. It’s a challenge. I like challenges. It means taking on a team with a great past, a great history and it’s not easy.”
First objective: professionalism
—
“Livorno – recalled Esciua – is in 25th place among the teams that have scored the most points in Serie A, the second in Tuscany. Furthermore, we are starting from a healthy club that has no debts. We make plans for five years, at least up to the B. The first goal now is to get back into the professional world immediately. We need to get off to a good, fast and decisive start with the right people in the right place”.
Reconnect the public
—
“In addition to winning Serie D, there is also the idea of bringing the public closer together. You have to learn from Livorno basketball to bring people closer together: more than 30,000 people in four games at the Modigliani Forum sports hall. We have a solid fan base, but there they want more and we need to rekindle the spark of enthusiasm. This depends on us, to be clear in our projects, words and deeds”.
A sustainable project
—
“I want to include Livorno in international football – he concluded – with other important supports when we move up in the category. What is certain is that we will no longer train on the Pro Livorno field, which is unacceptable. We have various solutions: if necessary, we have the Coni di Tirrenia which it’s a security.”
The honorary president
—
The conference was also attended by the honorary president Enrico Fernandez Affricano – from Livorno, entrepreneur in the agri-food sector, honorary consul of France – who did not hide his trust in Esciua: “I hope that your coming can give us back those positions that the club deserves. Today is a significant day for Livorno football”
April 12 – 3.23pm
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED
