The yellow-blue colony in Abruzzo. Buonocore and Lubrano still together

There are stories that last over time, others destined to make immense turns and others that end, amid gossip and controversy. The last one closely involved Ischia Calcio, during the last sports season.

a troubled year, that of the islanders, who achieved salvation only in extremis. Many obstacles overcome, but also a technical revolution that shook the environment: the farewells of coach Enrico Buonocore and sports director Mario Lubrano. A tandem that made the square dream with performances and successes. The victory of the Eccellenza championship was their signature and the tandem also confirmed itself in Serie D, obtaining an excellent placement in the playoff zone with a newly promoted team.

Then the first cracks at the beginning of last summer, a few too many rumors about the position of the Procida manager and a fracture - healed only on the surface - that widened with the arrival of autumn. The fluctuating results and the ranking pushed Buonocore first and Lubrano later to resign. The coach started again immediately, accepted an offer from the mainland and left his mark, winning the Promotion championship with Santegidiese. A result that confirmed the skills and vision of Buonocore, architect of the "beautiful football" seen on the island in the last three years. In Abruzzo the coach expressed his idea and led the team to promotion to Eccellenza.

Seven months after that terrible performance against Manfredonia, which cost them their separation from Ischia, the duo has settled back in Sant'Egidio alla Vibrata. Buonocore, who took over during the season, has rediscovered that special understanding with the environment that he had already experienced as an absolute protagonist on the field, when he enchanted the public with his free kicks and his left-footed goals. The club had no doubts and confirmed him in the role of technical guide. At his side will be the sports director Lubrano who has put himself back in the game, saying yes to the proposal of the Giallorossi club. The pair has therefore recomposed themselves and will try to emulate what happened at Mazzella some time ago.

Their early farewell has triggered a phase of profound changes at Ischia. After the brief interlude with Antonicelli and the recent appointment of Ferrante, president Taglialatela is now busy redesigning the entire management structure. On the technical front, after Buonocore's farewell, Corino and then Foglia Manzillo took turns, but the latter will not be confirmed for next season either, paving the way for the arrival of a new coach. On the contrary, Santegidiese has decided to focus with conviction on the Buonocore-Lubrano tandem, with the aim of reaching a new prestigious goal.

In the meantime, the yellow-blue colony in Abruzzo has become large because Gabriele Pastore, who left Ischia a few weeks ago, will also start again with the yellow-red team. An important investment by the owners, who decided to satisfy Buonocore's requests and gave carte blanche to director Lubrano. A top-class addition, without a doubt, also accompanied by the signing of Giovanni Vito Ballirano, the coach's favourite. The left-back, fresh from his experience with Carlo Sanchez's Real Forio, will seek redemption - after an intermittent season - at Sant'Egidio alla Vibrata. The yellow-reds have also chosen to keep Alessandro Gadaleta, who arrived during the last winter transfer window.

In recent months on the island, the Buonocore–Lubrano duo has had to deal with some unfair criticism. Despite the results obtained in the previous two years – a promotion and a surprising season as newly promoted to Serie D – some choices and decisions have come under scrutiny.

Now, with Santegidiese, the two have the real opportunity to redeem together those final months in yellow and blue, marked not only by errors of judgment, but also by a complex management, aggravated by the lack of Mazzella, delivered to the team only in January. A situation that inevitably forced the staff to review the technical project on the fly. Lubrano, for his part, has always carried out his work following the directives of the company and operating with the budget made available, still managing to hire category profiles, useful to the cause.

Some choices have not yielded as hoped, but the club has also paid for the structural and competitive gap with the opponents of Group H, among the most difficult of the entire Serie D. Now, in Abruzzo, the two are starting again with confidence, determined to demonstrate that the criticism received does not undermine the value of a path that has already left its mark. Their challenge, together once again, is to be experienced.