I took in interest in the plight of Napoli, after some contact with Elio
regarding an Italian-born football agent who claimed, at one time, that he
had played for the club.

I am sorry for the situation that the club is in and I can only offer one
way forward. The answer can be found by returning the club to the ownership
of the fans. That is the future for those clubs who have fallen from the
top, because the difference in the financial status of the top clubs and the
rest is now enormous.

In England even clubs like Leeds United and Liverpool find it hard to keep
pace. Names like Nottingham Forest have fallen from the top level. Sheffield
Wednesday are playing in League Two (which is level 3). Leeds have been on
the edge of bankruptcy. Everton have been forced to sell Wayne Rooney
because they just cannot compete. And small clubs (like my own team Port
Vale) just have to refocus on what football means.

What does it mean? It means having passion for the team that you grow up
with, the team that is in your home town, the team that your family have
followed for generations. Not being a "glory hunter" by just following the
top team.

And for the clubs themselves, the only way forward is for those true fans to
find the money needed to buy the club, create a wide share ownership with no
dominant owner and take each step back a day at a time, a week at a time.
Football is not about money. It is about passion for your club and the joy
of success on the field and the anguish of defeat.

I pray that Napoli finds new life in level C and comes back to be a club for
the fans, not for the men in suits.

Best wishes

Tony
Grapevine Texas and formerly of Burslem Staffordshire in England, home of
Port Vale FC

www.port-vale.co.uk
www.onevalefan.co.uk
www.portvaleonline.co.uk