Chinaglia slams 'arrogant' Lotito

[Jager]

Chinaglia slams 'arrogant' Lotito
Saturday 7 October, 2006
Ex-Lazio legend Giorgio Chinaglia is continuing his bid to buy out the club, but admits Claudio Lotito won’t budge on principle.

“I still hope I can return to Lazio, but we have to be realistic. There’s an insurmountable wall blocking our path and I don’t know how to knock it down,” said the retired player.

Chinaglia was a hero for the Biancocelesti faithful when he helped them to the 1974 Scudetto and has been leading a consortium of investors eager to buy out President Lotito.

However, the current patron – suspended as a result of the Calciopoli scandal, which saw the team docked 11 points – has refused to negotiate despite continuing protests from the fans.

“With regards to Lotito, the Lega Calcio don’t even want him anymore,” added Chinaglia on a local radio station.

“The problem is that he has no intention of leaving that throne. It’s an absurd situation. Nobody wants him, the fans no longer go to the stadium, but he continues along his path without looking at what’s around him.”

Lotito rescued the Biancocelesti from bankruptcy, but has never been particularly popular with supporters due to what they claim are penny-pinching techniques that have made UEFA Cup qualification the top objective Lazio can aim for.

“Unfortunately, we have all realised that Lotito has no intention of selling Lazio. The worst thing was trying to make people believe our approach was just a bluff. The truth is that Lotito wouldn’t be interested in negotiating even if Bill Gates turned up with his chequebook at the ready.”

http://www.channel4.com/sport/footba...lia/oct7c.html