In a stunning turn of events, Modena recently decided to fire its coach Radostin Stoytchev after a long-standing feud between the coach and his players. The team’s biggest star, the Frenchman Earvin Ngapeth, even chose to leave the club for Russia’s Zenit Kazan due to the conflict. The last straw of the matter was when Modena‘s players went on live TV, after they were eliminated from A1 League’s semifinals by Civitanova, and stated that they would not remain on the team if Stoytchev continued as its coach.
The move is surprising for many reasons: 1) Stoytchev is one of the most decorated coaches in volleyball, 2) The club had already lost Ngapeth anyway, 3) Stoytchev is a personal friend of Modena‘s president, Catia Pedrini.
After her decision, Catia penned an emotional letter to fans taking full responsibility for the fiasco:
“Dear friends,
I thought a long time before writing these lines. This certainly is my most difficult moment since I decided to dedicate my passion and life to Modena volleyball. Exactly a year ago, challenging many opposing opinions, I thought it was possible to realize a dream for the great people of the small city of Modena. I imagined adding to the team, in the service of a single cause, the competence of an excellent coach and the talent of extraordinary champions.
It did not work. I was wrong. I take full responsibility for what happened. This disappointment requires me to confide my regret. What I dreamed of turned out to be unrealizable. What I bet on, freely and sincerely, did not produced results. I’m sorry.
My collaborators and I have not been able to repay the enthusiasm of the ever present and always affectionate supporters. There will be time to translate self-criticism into an alternative project. For now, I tell myself that detractors can celebrate. Catia Pedrini, female version of Icarus, stupid also as a woman, foolishly wanted to fly too close to the sun. And I lost.
What can you do? I may seem normal, but it is the instinct that makes me fly (forgive the quote, it is the fault of age).
I apologize to Rado, maybe the team that I preside was not able to help him fully understand the reality of Modena and certainly the fault is mine. I apologize to the players, maybe I had to listen to their discomfort before the embarrassing epilogue. Above all, I apologize to my people, to our fans. I am guilty, I have sinned by loving too much.
But one thing, I want to add: Only those who fall can get up. “Yeah, I’m still here …” (Vasco Rossi)”
To recall the Ngapeth x Stoytchev feud saga, visit the following articles:
- Trouble Brewing In Modena After Ngapeth’s Feud With Coach Stoytchev
- Modena Confirms It Will Take Disciplinary Action Against Ngapeth
- Modena and Ngapeth Reach An Agreement
- Earvin Ngapeth Announces His Transfer To Russia’s Zenit Kazan
- Stoytchev Fired From Modena
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