Remarks from the Head of Youth Sector, Giuseppe Vecchio

Here are the words of Giuseppe Vecchio, Head of the Aquilotti Youth Sector: “I feel right at home here. The roles may change, but the pride and passion I have for working with this Club remain the same. I’m grateful to Ownership and Management for their trust in me and for entrusting me with such an important and delicate role.

Our goal is to develop individual players to help them break into the First Team and professional football. It’s something we’ve been working toward for several years, and we’ve already seen success, considering how many players have worn, or are still wearing, the Aquilotti jersey.

Dedication, a sense of belonging, and a deep understanding of this Club's history are essential for anyone who wants to play at Spezia. The match against Cesena is a perfect, recent example of what it means to play for this jersey.

Claudio Terzi and I have both spent many years in the white jersey, and I believe it’s hard to find someone better than him to help players understand what it means to represent Spezia Calcio. It’s a natural continuation of the path we want to follow in our youth sector: combining the strong technical expertise of our coaches with the human ability to instill important values, both personal and club-related.

Our Primavera team is full of promising young players. We need to give them the tools they need to develop their skills and continue to grow. That is our primary goal. Of course, if we’re fortunate and skilled enough to achieve team success, that will be the icing on the cake, but first and foremost, we must give these boys the opportunity to grow and work toward reaching the First Team.

In the Under-17s, we’re excited to have brought back a seasoned coach like Alessi. He brings tremendous experience in youth development, and I believe he’s the right person to help our boys take the next step forward. The same goes for Mr. Giunta and Mr. Corallo with the Under-16s and Under-15s, who are well-prepared coaches focused on individual player development. While we have leagues and standings, our ultimate goal is to develop players capable of making it to the First Team.

There are many players on the First Team who came through our Youth Sector, and for me, the satisfaction is even greater since I had the opportunity to coach many of them. With the exception of Candelari and Giorgeschi, who joined later, the rest are all boys who came up through our academy, showing how our work starts at the grassroots level and develops year after year.

Those of us who live here know the true value of the white jersey and the pride the city of La Spezia and its people bring to the table. It’s impossible not to fall in love with this place—it gets under your skin. Every young player who grows up here absorbs this from a young age, no matter where they’re from.

The grassroots work is essential because that’s where we lay the foundation for the future. Along with Paolo Rovani, who brings a wealth of experience, we’re trying to take another step forward. It’s not easy, given the strong foundation we’ve already built, but we must always aim to improve.

As for the Women’s First Team, we wanted to create a pathway for our girls, and achieving this milestone is a great source of pride for us. Now, every girl who joins our youth sector can strive to grow, improve, and aim to wear the First Team jersey one day.

What does Spezia mean to me? When you spend so much time within a club, having worn the jersey and the captain’s armband, and then take on other roles, it’s hard to describe the feeling in just a few words. I’ve been to many places, but the connection I’ve felt here in Spezia is unmatched. It’s become a part of me and will stay with me forever. My heart will always beat for these colors”.