Perinetti: 'Passionate presidents like Cellino and Zamparini no longer exist'

Mauro Perinetti, one of the well-known figures of Italian football, made highly striking statements by recalling the periods he served in the past and the presidents of football clubs during those times. He stated that presidents like Cellino and Zamparini are remembered for their pure passion for football and that such figures are increasingly declining today. Perinetti's statements are of great importance as they shed light on the profound sociological and economic transformation the football world has undergone. Along with these views, he pointed out that the understanding of modern sports management has lost its outdated romanticism. This situation reveals the changing dynamics of not only Italian football but the global football ecosystem in general.

The experienced figure, noting that today football has increasingly turned into a 'business' and a massive commercial activity area, emphasized that this structure is also reflected in the nature of the clubs. While in the past, presidents' direct and emotional interventions in the field, players, and tactical decisions were frequently seen, it is stated that this picture has completely changed now. Modern football coming under the control of massive investment funds and large companies has institutionalized management styles, removing them from being personal. As a result of this structural change, corporate profit margins and commercial successes have come to the forefront rather than who the presidents are or what their personal football philosophies entail. Perinetti believes this situation weakens the spiritual bonds of the clubs and their sincere relationships with the fans.

Giant funds having a say in the football commercialization process has brought the management understanding of sports clubs to a discipline resembling companies on the stock exchange. It is stated that in the new era, the individuals or funds taking over management make calmer, result-oriented, and profit-driven decisions due to corporate and commercial concerns. The experienced observer points out that the identities of the real decision-makers behind these funds or large companies cannot always be clearly understood. Financial power becoming so decisive has created a system that highlights economic balances and brand value rather than sporting success. Perinetti thinks these vaguely defined commercial powers push the soul of the game and the sporting goals of the clubs into the background.

It is known that figures like Cellino and Zamparoni, as passionate and extraordinary characters who left their mark on Italian football, left deep impressions on the fans with both their positive and negative aspects. Such presidents could make bold, sometimes impulsive, but always genuinely football-loving decisions that could change the destiny of the club single-handedly. Their desire to experience everything and their efforts to stay close to the fans on the street are remembered as a great nostalgia today, as football increasingly turns into an institutional and robotic machine. Presidents of the old era cared about the fighting spirit displayed on the pitch as much as trophies, ensuring that football maintained its nature as a 'game'. However, today, the romanticism of those eras has been replaced by a management approach that tries to meet the expectations of sponsorship agreements and shareholders.

As a result, Perinetti's pivotal observations form an important reference point for everyone who wants to review the evolution football has undergone. Football is no longer just a 90-minute game played on the pitch; it has transformed into a giant industry where global financial markets, media, and international capital are intertwined. In this massive industry, the survival of passionate and old-school presidents has now become almost impossible. The experiences of these old experienced figures also contain important lessons for managers trying to strike a balance between preserving the deep-rooted values of football and the ruthless commercial necessities of the age. This sincere evaluation of Italian football also invites deep thinking about the future of modern football, where sporting success tries to balance financial power.