Football
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Maurizio Zamparini says he will step down as Palermo president

Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini insists he will step down from his position next season.

It is not the first time the 75-year-old has threatened to sell the Sicilian club, but this time he is convinced he will not be involved with the club from the summer.

"I'm extremely tired of football -- I've only got two more months left, then I'm leaving," he said outside a Lega Serie A meeting in Milan. "I'm not going to be president next year. I'm 75 and I've got better things to do. Today is one of my last [Lega] meetings."

Zamparini has appointed seven different coaches this season, yet the Rosanero dropped into the relegation zone for the first time at the weekend. He nevertheless has faith in his current pick Walter Novellino to keep them up, and says he is not quitting just because fans would turn against him if they go down.

"It used to be me sacking coaches, but now they leave of their own free will, but we'll get out of this with Novellino," he said. "We're not going to stay up if we only draw games, though. We need to go everywhere to win, apart from at the Juventus Stadium.

"It's been a bad year with everything that's happened. There are about 50 people in Palermo protesting about me -- that's nothing; that's not representative of Palermo. The true Palermo would give me a big hug even if we were to be relegated."

Novellino picked up his first point in charge at the weekend with a 0-0 draw at Empoli, but Carpi's win at Hellas Verona saw them climb out of the drop zone for the first time this season at Palermo's expense.

The Sicilians travel to Chievo in their next fixture on April 3, before hosting Lazio a week later. They then travel to the league leaders Juve.

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