Bologna on my mind: Prisoners. (7 Dec)

Written by: Massimo Sampaolesi. Translated by: Carlotta Belluzzi

Having to deal with people who are less experienced than you, and to convince them to do what’s right, is always hard. And it seems that Bologna is currently paying the price of this with Donadoni, who is probably having to solve very complex and intricate issues. This is the third “new” Bologna that we have seen in the last three years, the child of three different owners who came one after the other. We’ve been through Matuzalem and Torosidis, Zuculini and Pulgar, Bessa and Nagy, just to name a few. Actually – let us sort them properly – the players that are still with us since our time in the second league are Da Costa, Oikonomou, Morleo, ‘MBaye, Maietta, Gastaldelo and Masina: basically only the defence. The rest of the team has been completely revolutionised. However, some players who were with us last year, are still part of the squad: Destro, Taider, Pulgar, Krafth, Rizzo, Mounier, Donsah, Floccari, and Mirante. Among these, many have been away from the pitch for varying periods of time because of injuries, namely Destro, Krafth, Rizzo, Donsah, and even Mirante, who went through a very unusual phase, which has luckily resolved in the best possible way. 

However, this whirlwind of names is not enough to understand the period of weakness that the team is experiencing at the moment. This weakness is not evidenced as much by the latest defeats against Atalanta and Udinese (the latter because of a trick at the 93^rd minute by the most talked-about Udinese player), but more by the sudden lowering of mood and energy in the team. Sadly, mood and energy are what make o break a team that is so heavily reliant on young players: the tactical and technical details are still being perfected, but what we are really missing is exuberance and eagerness. More precisely, I am not talking about being insecure or shy on the pitch, as the grit does seem to be there – but it is a very disorganised grit. The latest instance of this is the dismissal of Pulgar in the match against Udinese.

I therefore think that the most pressing issue for Donadoni to tackle right now, is the psychological side. And this is especially difficult because most of the team are indeed young and hopeful; as hopeful as the Rossoblu fans, who are waiting to see their dreams become reality – preferably soon.

But to do this, it is first necessary to ‘unleash the hare to make the dogs run’, as they do in dog races. At the moment, however, the hare does not exist, at the line between those who have set up the team and those who manage it is very thin. Donadoni has always shown to us – even through his calm attitude and long silences – that his aim for Bologna is one step further than the continuous re-arrangement and re-organisation envisioned by Bigon, whose prudence probably derives from Verona’s relegation last year, when he owned the team.

So maybe that’s where the problem lies: a discrepancy of vision between the coach and the director. However, the young players cannot get caught in the middle of this, and lose their enthusiasm. They should not be instilled with fright. We should stop looking behind our back, because the last few places in the league should not haunt us at all – that was last year’s worry material. Now we have to think about growing. But from fear can grow only prisoners.

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