Aston Villa Fans
Francesco Calvo has stepped into the role of Aston Villa’s president of business operations, succeeding Chris Heck. Calvo has pledged to foster an open and transparent relationship with the club’s supporters, aiming to mend the disconnect created by his predecessor. With a background in managing fanbases at top European clubs, Calvo is poised to bridge the gap between the club’s business operations and its passionate fanbase.
Francesco Calvo said: “I arrived here a bit in advance of when I was supposed to be here because I wanted to discover the city, to discover the club and to start getting to know the people and understanding the culture of the club. I’ve been visiting around Birmingham and the Midlands, trying to understand where I’m arriving because I want to know everything properly in order to start in the right way. Between my previous experience and now, I’ve had some time to study and I’ve been reading books. That’s extremely important for me, for all the club and also for the owners – they’re fully aware of that. An open and transparent approach, for me, will be key, and I know very well what the fans represent to the club and what the club represents to them. We’ll do our best to develop the club and to build a strong and further relationship with the fans. I know, probably, we will not always agree or they will not always agree with us, but if we’re able to explain and be open, transparent and explain our decisions, that will be very useful to build a long-lasting relationship with them.”
Calvo’s extensive experience in European football, including roles at Barcelona, Juventus, and Roma, equips him with the expertise to manage a demanding fanbase. His tenure at Roma, in particular, provided him with insights into working with passionate supporters, which he intends to leverage at Aston Villa. Calvo’s collaboration with Monchi, Villa’s president of football operations, during their time at Roma is seen as a strategic advantage.
Francesco Calvo said: “I think I’ve been lucky enough to work for different clubs and, as you said, big clubs. They are very different from one another. Juventus has an ownership which has lasted for more than 100 years, with a big family in Italy, Barcelona doesn’t have any ownership other than its 155,000 members, and Roma had foreign owners, so I think I will try to take the best out of each club and try to adapt my knowledge to Aston Villa. I worked with Monchi for a short stint at Roma and we enjoyed working together a lot. I think that there isn’t a leading department at the club – we need to work together, helping one another. It’s very important that we work as one club because Aston Villa is more important than any of us. How Aston Villa has been developing on and off the pitch, on the pitch under the leadership of Unai, Monchi and Damian, what has been achieved so far is quite unbelievable given the short amount of time. My focus will be to support the three of them and support the football department of Aston Villa in order to make it an even more successful club.”
Under the ownership of V Sports, Aston Villa has seen remarkable progress, moving from the Championship to the Champions League in just six years. The club is preparing for its third consecutive European campaign, despite financial constraints imposed by Premier League and UEFA regulations. Calvo’s vision is to ensure the club’s long-term sustainability and success, both on and off the pitch.
Francesco Calvo said: “The longer-term goal is to make the club successful 360 degrees. On the pitch, we have the right people to make it successful. Off the pitch, for me, is building on the foundations of the club and the hard work that has been done over the past seven years. The club has been growing a lot and now it’s about consolidating and optimising everything on the job in order to build something which is sustainable and solid for the long-term. I’m really looking forward to it (the new season). It seems like yesterday that the last season was over. The new season will start very soon, and I’ve heard amazing things about the atmosphere at Villa Park. Many people have told me that it’s probably the best atmosphere in European football, created by the fans in the stadium. I’m really looking forward to experiencing it myself.”
Calvo’s leadership style emphasizes collaboration and dialogue, aiming to position everyone at the club to succeed. His commitment to transparency and fan engagement is expected to strengthen the relationship between Aston Villa and its supporters, paving the way for continued growth and achievement.
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