The four people beside Piatelli now had their files already open, pens lined up as the session began.
"Enrico," he began, voice calm but firm, "we're going to get straight to it. There are several issues we need to address regarding your tenure with the Under-21s."
Baldini leaned back, folding his arms.
He didn't respond, just waited.
One of the men, silver-haired, glasses low on his nose, pushed a folder forward.
"We've reviewed your performance across the cycle," he said.
"Results aside, the overriding concern is the trend. The team has regressed under your management. The win rate is low, but more importantly, the way the team plays shows no clear progression."
Another staff member, the woman with the laptop, glanced up.
"We've monitored training sessions. There's been little tactical variation. You also seem not to be actively involved in the session. You leave it to your assistant, who actually seems to have a better understanding of your own players than you do."
