All change at Fiorentina

Massive changes at boardroom level may have secured the financial future of AC Fiorentina.

Surprise appointment
Joeri van den Herik, son of Feyenoord president Jorien van den Herik, has joined the board of directors at Fiorentina in a surprise move orchestrated by the Italian club’s president, Vittorio Cecchi Gori.

Serious difficulties
In recent months, Fiorentina have experienced dramatic financial problems which have brought the club to the edge of bankruptcy. Several leading players, including Francesco Toldo and Rui Costa, have had to be sold in an attempt to save the club from ruin. However, at Thursday night's assembly of club members, Cecchi Gori presenteed a plan which could guarantee the survival of one of the Italy's most-famous clubs. This includes nominating a new board of directors, a move which became possible after the resignation of the sole managing director, Luciano Luna.

Familiar faces
The new board of directors will be composed of Ugo Poggi, a former vice-president of the club who has been become president, Raffaele Righetti, the former general secretary of the club, Attilio Repetti, Sarkis Zerunian (who will occupy the position of managing director), and Van den Herik.

Long-term plans
An official statement issued by the club after the assembly said: "The selection of Joeri van den Herik as a member of the board of directors came about as a result of a meeting held in Rome on 24 January 2002 with club president Vittorio Cecchi Gori, in which various programmes for the future development and promotion of AC Fiorentina both at national and international level were discussed and examined.

The Feyenoord connection
"Mr Van den Herik has already confirmed his readiness to assume an active role within the club in the near future, based on his experience working with his father, Jorien van den Herik, who is president and a board member at Feyenoord, as well as president of the multinational construction group RDI operating in Italy, Europe, the United States, Australia and South America."

Cash injection
The election of the new board of directors was accompanied by the decision to give the club a huge cash injection. This means the arrival of liquid assets of some €4m by mid-February which will allow the payment of the players’ unpaid wages.