Chart your own path with commitment, attitude and passion. These are the guidelines that Dominic
Fracchiolla, General Manager of Virtus Francavilla Calcio from June 2022 and sports lecturer
Business Academy, presents to young people and all those who would like to work in the world of soccer. E
Fracchiolla says this knowledgeably: he knows what it means to start from the bottom, pursuing a
goal without ever losing sight of one's innate abilities and never forgetting the importance of the
study and training. "I believe a good training course is essential, for all managers and
for all those who are about to enter the world of soccer. I think the skills related to the
passion are the basis for success.", he stated.
Fracchiolla, in fact, in addition to having Law graduate, began his career in pure youth clubs, first with the Pro Inter Bari and later with the Wonderful Bari. Then from 2014 to 2016, he served as the Sector manager Bari youth and subsequently worked for the 2016/17 season with Udinese as the responsible Academy. Then, in the 2017-18 season, he was sports director of the Virtus Francavilla Calcio and, after a brief experience in 2019 in Romania with hermannstadt, became Sports director of Calcio Lecco January 2020 to June 2022.
"When I was young, I realized that playing soccer was not for me.", he told us. "I thought, however, that
I could still stay in the sports arena, fulfill a dream of my life but in another capacity."
Then, telling us about himself, he confessed, "Calcistically, I was a fairly rough central defender and
slow (smiles ed.). I could have, in my opinion, made a career in amateurs, but it didn't make sense, so I preferred to quit and study. Compatibly, I majored in law."
In short, a path where training and passion went hand in hand and that Domenico Fracchiolla
explained to us in an interesting interview.
First, what do you think about your experience in Sport Business Academy and what do you teach your
students during SBA courses?
The path proposed by SBA is very interesting and intriguing. Before accepting the collaboration with the
myself I wanted to feel for myself the value of these paths. I believe that the world of soccer, and the
sports in general, needs young people who nevertheless have some basic training.
I try to make kids understand that the world of soccer is beautiful because no matter what one may
give, the concept that must also pass is that the world of soccer is a difficult, tough world, and that at the
Sometimes passion is not enough, you have to put skills in. Skills are the basis of success.
Success, however, does not mean making it to the Serie A but working in the world of soccer, and already that,
considering the competition in the industry, it is a lot. In short, you have to have a target skill set
high.
What do you think are the main competencies, skills, that a learner must have if he or she wants to
work in this area from a managerial perspective?
He must first understand that the organization of a company is the basis of its success.
Organization brings points in the long run, so all areas-especially those closest to the
team, such as the medical area, team organization, logistics--must be organized in the
best possible way. The society must be well coordinated, and this is the first competence.
Therefore, it is necessary to know the organization of a football company, which has its own peculiarities.
As a second thing, it must be understood that the technical area, and therefore the sports management, is at the center of this
organization. Everything must revolve around the sports director and the technical area. There cannot be
an area that is aseptic and detached from the sports area. The other skills needed are acquired by studying, always taking into account what one wants to do: if you want to be a manager, you have to study certain things; if you want to play other roles, such as observer or video analyst, you have to study more. In short, knowledge and updating are necessary. It is a world that is updated especially from a technical point of view because there are always new players, so those who choose to work in the technical area must always organize themselves in that sense.
So even though soccer is a highly competitive world, does it offer possibilities? If one
acquires the skills, upgrades and all, has opportunities?
Yes. The difficulty is just in getting started. Let me explain: every one of the young people who approaches this world
must be able to leave, and not necessarily from a labor contract or a high level. Young people
interested in entering this field must first begin. Getting started and then jumping into the
sea to see if it can be noticed. All my experiences have started from a beginning. If a young person
does not start and wait for someone to come up with something satisfying all-around wrong. So a
young person must acquire skills, study but then jump in and ride. The important thing, in any case, is.
put their own consciences into it because then, in the end, as in all jobs, the everyday is that
That makes you better.
There is so much bad talk today about young people. You, on the other hand, what experience have you had with your students? And what
What kind of pupils do you have?
I like the SBA training especially because afterwards I have the opportunity to continue working with
kids by keeping them in internships. My goal is just that, really.
Series C companies do not have the strength to create a network of collaborators, or to be able to
take the best employees and pay them in a certain way. Instead, placing young people in internships and
understand if they have potential, let them grow, is that thing that all societies should do. So, to
Regardless of the lectures, it's interesting the path I take some of the kids on. And there are kids
who continue to collaborate with me-I had them both in Lecco and now in Francavilla. In my opinion.
the main goal is this: the smaller the societies, the fewer the resources, so you have to
figure out how to do everything, achieve all the goals with those resources. In this, in my opinion, the kids
young people, who need to start and gain experience, are very important.
Who is your favorite soccer player? And how did your passion for soccer come about?
My favorite soccer player is Roberto Baggio because he was the childhood soccer player.
My passion for soccer is basically a family passion: my grandfather was the first
social doctor in the history of Bari, plus he was also a doctor for the national team; my father is a
pure youth sector executive, passionate about working with young people. We experience soccer as
something that can be meritocratic and can bring development, innovation and possibility. The
my family has always contributed something to soccer, never speculated on the same as
Instead, it sometimes happens.
In short, our lecturer Domenico Fracchiolla states it clearly: training, talent and passion
are trump cards for entering the football managerial world. A philosophy, this one Sports
Business Academy also approves and disseminates through its very rich educational offerings.
