Bertram Derthona, after the series of defeats in the championship and the exclusion from the Final Eight of the Italian Cup, decided to change the technical leadership by dismissing coach Marco Ramondino and hiring Walter De Raffaele.
Derthona’s president, Marco Picchi, expressed mixed feelings: disappointment at parting ways with Ramondino, who led the team from Serie A2 to one of the greats in Serie A, and excitement at starting with the new coach.
De Raffaele, known for his two championship titles and his long career in Venice, is moving to Derthona on a contract until June 2025.
While recognizing the importance of treaties, President Picchi stresses that they are often overtaken by the reality of the facts. The quickly signed agreement with De Raffaele reflects the urgency and ambition of the Tortona club.
De Raffaele, in his first speech as Derthona coach, spoke of the need to quickly familiarize himself with the staff and squad and avoid talking about the transfer market until he has a clearer idea of the situation. He emphasized the importance of finding a team identity and gradually integrating the new players Noua and Ross into the team.
De Raffaele’s immediate goal is to clear the critical table situation and get back to winning ways. His confidence in the team’s potential is high and the intention is to take it one game at a time without making any prior calculations.
Finally, it was announced that Iacopo Squarcina, a young and well-prepared coach from Virtus, will join the Derthona staff and, together with Vanni Talpo and Edoardo Rabbolini, will complete the technical team.
