Torino Club Focus: Bianchi – Sell or Stay?

At the end of January, I wrote in this very Club Focus that the contract situation surrounding captain Rolando Bianchi was nothing short of ridiculous.

It seemed unfathomable that a man who had, up until that point, scored seven key goals that were aiding the club in their survival hunt, was leader of the team both on and off the field and well on the way to becoming a Toro icon would not be offered a new contract that his performances deserved.

Fast forward almost two months and that particular saga is no closer to being resolved and it seems that it has now finally gotten to the 30-year-old.

Since the writing of that article on January 21st, ‘Rolly’ has scored just once, in a 4-3 defeat away to Cagliari, and even that came from the penalty spot.

Can you blame Bianchi if this whole frankly tiresome and stupid saga is affecting how he performs on the field.

He is after all only human and it is well known among those at the Olimpico that he is a man who wears his heart on his sleeve, a heart that beats for Torino.

Despite caring deeply for the club and doing his utmost not only to haul them into Serie A with his goals but also to keep them there too, his reward has been a series of non-committal and empty promises from the club with regards to his future.

The former Manchester City man’s contract runs out at the end of the current campaign and many suitors are already circling, waiting to take the Curva Maratona’s latest idol away.

Stuttgart, Palermo and former club Atalanta are all being heavily linked with a move for him in the summer when his deal runs out and the club must now make a final decision.

Bianchi’s brother and agent has hinted that his sibling wanted to stay but was ready to leave if unwanted by the club and that was met by stony silence from the club.

Silence that speaks volumes. But they must now publicly state that he will not be given a new contract because this is becoming an embarrassing situation for all concerned.

His performances have suffered massively given that it is now two months since he last hit the back of the net from open play.

Things cannot get any worse on the field for him if he is told (and the fans too) that he will not be at the club next season and allowed to walk away come the season’s end.

This is a sad situation though if it should come to that and shows a complete lack of nous and respect from the club hierarchy towards a man who has given nothing but his best every time he has stepped on to the field.

Something must be done now because this has all gone on for far too long and everyone associated with Torino must now know where they stand.

Fans can also ready themselves for his departure if they are notified in due course that he will no longer play with the club while his own performances may pick up again if he knows that he will not be at the club he loves much longer.

That may again bring out the best in a man who will want to end his Toro career on a high no doubt if it is to end in June. Alternatively, things could easily be resolved by offering him a contract that will keep him there.

However, this looks increasingly unlikely and you would think that if he were to have signed a new deal, it would have been done by now.

Yet either way, the club owe both the player and fans an explanation either way. And soon.