Another season of mediocrity?

After a summer of the Doria hierarchy releasing press statements involving Cassano, Marotta and percentages the season is finally upon us.

Luigi Del Neri was announced as the Blucerchiati coach 6 days after Walter Mazzarri walked away after what can only be described as an below average 2008/09 campaign. Del Neri brings with him a reputation of building hard working teams with limited financial resources which will obviously come in handy with Signor Garrone at the helm.

The summer mercato has been fairly unremarkable where Doria have been involved. Daniele Mannini & Fernando Tissone both have arrived on co-ownerships from Napoli and Udinese respectively, Tissone being my personal highlight of a poor mercato so far. Luciano Zauri has arrived on loan from Lazio and will provide much needed guidance to likes of young Marco Rossi who we’ve taken on loan from Parma. 35-year-old goalkeeper Matteo Guardalben formerly of Palmero has signed a 1 year contract with us seemingly to provide back up to Luca Castellazzi, the move could also see Vincenzo Fiorillo spending the season elsewhere to gain much needed experience.

Argentine Hugo Campagnaro left for free spending Napoli after 2 years in Genoa to the annoyance of many but with a new coach comes new ideas the other big name departure came when Gennaro Delvecchio who left for Catania after scoring 13 times in 85 appearances with us.

The most welcome news of the summer was the announcement that Cassano, Pazzini and Palombo wouldn’t be leaving the Luigi Ferraris this summer but I do believe this season will be Cassano’s swansong in the blue-ringed shirt of ours with Antonio trying everything possible to work his way back into the Nazionale in time for the 2010 World cup.

Our preseason fixtures have been fairly low key with the exception of our trip to Rotterdam where we were humbled 3-0 by Feyenoord. We recorded two victories over lowly Italian opposition either side of a poor showing against Serie B side Padova which ended 1-1.

I may have come across as down beat but that’s how I feel about next season and Doria. For me our mercato has done little to improve us and I believe it will take a sizeable chunk of our season for the squad to grow into Del Neri’s 4-4-2 & 4-3-2-1 systems by which time it’ll be too late for any kind of challenge for the European places.

Enjoy the season.

Forza Doria!

Fantantonio.