Toscano, Altamura's tactical choices, the last-minute success, and the illness: will the club confirm the coach or change?

The success at the last breath, the players' celebration under the fans' section. The collective embrace at the final whistle. Toscano who suffers a health issue and does not show up in the press room. The communication director, Giuseppe Sapienza, assures: “Everything is fine”. The health issue, yes. And what about the coach's future? It is still uncertain whether Toscano will stay or not.

Vice president Vincenzo Grella left immediately after the match returning to Sicily, accompanied by the management team. Again, no official word. It seems that Toscano, as confirmed by Casasola and Donnarumma, who were tasked with commenting on the success, really felt unwell: “The tension built up during the match…” explain the two players, and the sentence ends there because it is enough.

Toscano must have also absorbed the rumors and negative thoughts circulating during the week about his certain, very certain dismissal, which has been postponed. Now we await the long meeting of the executives who, upon returning to headquarters, gathered for a lengthy discussion overnight.

Can a coach be fired after a victory achieved at the last moment? The team believed in it, no one “played against” as is said in these cases. On the contrary. Zeal, struggle, running, even mistakes. But there was commitment and the result came. Fortunately, due to skill, and the strength of pride that marked the somewhat irregular rhythms of this challenge.

In short, the team is with the coach, the management that had discussed the coach's position at length during the week, in fact had also probed more or less significantly Caserta (but he had already signed with Empoli), Maran (who had given a preliminary availability), Pagliuca, and a few other options, then continued with Toscano. With the approval, indeed the certainly influential and decisive opinion of president Pelligra. Now? Three points, the search for continuity in results, performances that have not been bad… Everything had suggested the confirmation of someone who has been leading Catania on the field for a year and a half. Instead... Reflections are ongoing. The same.

Of course, the story of the health issue, which is true, has two interpretations: Toscano is visibly affected by this moment of great discussions. And, in any case, he has also avoided discussing hot topics. The group, the dialogues with the executives, the results, the forecasts for the future that remain in the balance.

The club, which granted as planned in advance, two days off to the players since Catania will take the field against Casarano on Monday evening, has time to reflect, decide, and perhaps communicate. Because silence always gives rise to all kinds of conjectures. And at this moment there is a need for clarity, assuming there is actually any. There is a need to strengthen Toscano's position or the change of coach explaining why there might be reconsiderations.

That there have been frictions over the 12 points behind Benevento despite recent good performances is also understandable. That there is a city upset over that missed first place is logical. But that there is a desire to fight to reach B through the playoffs, a very clear and evident concept, must also be explained and reiterated. With Toscano or with another.

The coach of Altamura, Mangia, expressed his opinion instead: «We played the best match of the season and even the draw, at one point, felt tight. Against a great team like Catania, we dominated. But in the end, here comes the defeat. I don’t want to talk about the incidents that occurred in the second half».