Rinaldi's Blog

Happy birthday Christian Rigano’ - the bomber who helped...

Fri, 25 May 2012 11:51:35 +0100

Happy birthday Christian Rigano’ - the bomber who helped bring Fiorentina back to Serie A. Dio perdona, ma Riga-no!

Seba Veron: 100-word hero #31

Wed, 23 May 2012 09:02:41 +0100

Back to the guest posts this week, courtesy of Richard Graham (@RPG_1988 on Twitter) with another glorious baldy. If you like it, check out his blog at Lazy Man’s Calcio.

With his shaven head, goatee and knee tape Juan Sebastián Verón looked more like a pirate than a footballer.

However, when the ‘Little Witch’ stepped onto the football pitch he couldn’t help but produce magic.

UEFA Cup victory with Parma, and a Scudetto with Lazio (only their second ever), gained Seba recognition as a classy and technical midfielder. Able to pick the perfect pass, Verón was an expert at dictating play.

A (Calciopoli) Scudetto with Inter followed a passport scandal and an ‘unsuccessful’ spell in England. Verón was an inspiring central midfielder and a joy for any spectator to watch.

Read the rest of the series here.

Image via Old School Panini

Was this really 16 years ago? Juventus beat Ajax in the...

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:24:12 +0100

Was this really 16 years ago? Juventus beat Ajax in the Champions League final in Rome. The game finished 1-1 after extra-time and went to penalties with the Bianconeri eventually triumphing 4-2. Edgar Davids missed one spot-kick for Juve but Ferrara, Pessotto, Padovano and Jugovic converted theirs…

Welcome back Pescara. It was 1992/93 the last time we saw them...

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:27:16 +0100

Welcome back Pescara. It was 1992/93 the last time we saw them in Serie A and they produced this cracker at the Adriatico against Milan. Among the scorers, a certain Massimiliano Allegri…

Mario Balotelli: 100-word hero #30

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:02:52 +0100

No Balotelli, no party.

A figure loved and loathed in equal measure, Super Mario is never less than gripping entertainment.

His off-the-pitch antics often run the risk of obscuring his talent. But, when it shines, it is truly blinding.

Briefly with Lumezzane, he was snapped up by Inter where he showed how inspirational and infuriating he can be.

A move to Manchester City provided more of the same but he shared their league glory with a pass to set up Sergio Aguero’s title-winning strike.

Why always him? Nobody will care too much if he helps deliver Euro 2012 for Italy.

Read the rest of the series here.

Image via GQ Italia

How Roberto Mancini proved he could manage in the English Premier League

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:52:06 +0100

Roberto Mancini is used to confounding the critics. They said Sampdoria could never win the Scudetto - but he teamed up with Gianluca Vialli to prove them wrong. Then his own Serie A colleagues questioned his coaching credentials - so he delivered silverware with every single team under his control. And now, in the most dramatic fashion, he has silenced those who thought he was not ready to manage in the English Premier League.

A farewell to Fiorentina: why the Viola revolution must bring fun back to the Franchi

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:15:38 +0100

“We need to sign players who see Florence as a starting point. Fans need to be allowed to dream and enjoy themselves again. The ideal thing would be to get a good mix of youngsters and experienced players like we had a few years back.”

Thus spoke Fiorentina supremo Andrea Della Valle, and who could argue? A lacklustre draw with Cagliari was a fitting end to a mediocre season for the Viola. The departure lounge at the Stadio Artemio Franchi now has longer queues than Heathrow Airport.

The Amauri experiment failed, Houssine Kharja looks likely to be banished after reacting badly to supporter ire and Riccardo Montolivo’s transfer to Milan was one of the worst-kept secrets in the game. Others more or less likely to go include the solid Cesare Natali, the underused Marco Marchionni, the mysteriously-injured Per Kroldrup, the below-par Juan Manuel Vargas, touchline rumbler Adem Ljajic, the lesser spotted Felipe and even il Portiere Santo Artur Boruc.

In other words, pretty much a whole team could be leaving Florence. The irony will be lost on nobody that Alessio Cerci could be one of the building blocks of the club’s future. Talk about trying to construct a house on quicksand.

Yet those who want to see the glass as half-full can still pick out the sparkle of a future side from the ashes of this season. If Stevan Jovetic can return to full fitness, he is one of the few superstars still operating in Serie A. Valon Behrami guarantees drive and determination from midfield. And Matija Nastasic was one of the defensive revelations of the season. It is not a lot to get excited about - but it at least gives a little sliver of hope.

First indications were that Claudio Ranieri would be given the reins, but fan protests seem to have delayed that decision. Gabriele Oriali has been mentioned as a new sporting director - another blast from the past - but again nothing has been confirmed. They really need to be put in place before the new team starts to take shape.

Among the priorities, in no particular order, are - a striker to lead the line and take pressure off Jovetic in the scoring stakes; a midfield director to replace Montolivo; a solid and experienced central defender to assist the development of youngsters like Nastasic and Michele Camporese; and, if Boruc goes, a good back-up goalkeeper to compete with young Brazilian Neto. Again, pretty much the spine of a whole team.

But, above all, what Fiorentina fans want back is a bit of fun in their play. From the embattled Sinisa Mihajlovic to the stressed-out Delio Rossi there has been precious little to smile about among those catching a train home after the game from Campo di Marte station. Nobody seriously expects a Scudetto, but some entertaining football and a shot at Europe is surely not too much to ask.

Juventus v Atalanta from January 1989. One of the...

Thu, 10 May 2012 12:49:57 +0100

Juventus v Atalanta from January 1989. One of the Bergamaschi’s rare victories in Turin although they did manage two in that calendar year - the one in October, their last in Serie A away to the Bianconeri.

Evair grabbed the winner in this one for Emiliano Mondonico’s side. “The beauty of football is that when David plays Goliath, sometimes David wins,” said the moustachioed coach.

Video uploaded by TeleATALANTA

Bruno Conti: 100-word hero #29

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:02:24 +0100

He could bob and bamboozled like a little Roman elf possessed by the devil of dribbling.

After loan spells with Genoa, by the early 1980s he had become the most mesmeric and magical wideman in the Italian game - a giant for the Giallorossi.

His zenith came in a spectacular three-year peak any player would envy.

His lengthy locks skipped round defenders to win the Mondiale at Spain 1982, a Roma Scudetto 12 months later and lose a European Cup final another year down the line.

Still red and yellow to the core, Bruno Conti was breathtaking brilliance in boots.

Read the rest of the series here.

Image via Oldschoolpanini

The undefeated. Here’s another Serie A side which lifted...

Tue, 08 May 2012 15:05:00 +0100

The undefeated. Here’s another Serie A side which lifted the Scudetto without a single loss to its name. They then blew their perfect record on the final day.

No prizes for guessing which team it is.

Juventus and the Scudetto: How nine years can seem like a lifetime

Mon, 07 May 2012 11:37:52 +0100

For some sides it would seem like an instant, but for followers of Juventus it felt like a lifetime. After nearly a decade of abstinence, they have a Scudetto which will remain in the record books. Normal service has been resumed.

Back in 2003, of course, it was just the continuation of a period of prolonged success. The Bianconeri were a domestic and European powerhouse with a global reputation. Their latest triumph under Antonio Conte feels more like an old prize-fighter reclaiming his title after some bruising defeats.

Read more at Football Italia http://www.football-italia.net/18545/conte-gratulations-juventus

Delio Rossi v Adem Ljajic: how the red mist descended for the Viola boss

Thu, 03 May 2012 15:11:35 +0100

Delirio Rossi – Rossi Frenzy – the banners read when Fiorentina replaced Sinisa Mihajlovic as Coach earlier this season. It was supposed to indicate the fans’ delight at finally getting shot of their Serbian boss. Few would have forecast how aptly it would sum up the moment of madness which put paid to his successor.

The stunned looks of the players on the Viola bench said it all. Like the rest of the world, as the images flashed around the globe via satellite or social media, they could not believe what they had seen. The normally affable Delio Rossi had just launched himself at Adem Ljajic.

"It was a few seconds which let out months of stress. I am sorry because the coach has never done..."

Thu, 03 May 2012 10:59:55 +0100

“It was a few seconds which let out months of stress. I am sorry because the coach has never done anything like this. But for his good, and to make him understand he made a mistake, I had to take this decision. No provocation can justify that reaction.”

- Andrea Della Valle, on why Delio Rossi was sacked after his skirmish with Adem Ljajic

Alvaro Recoba: 100-word hero #28

Wed, 02 May 2012 08:29:55 +0100

He was one of Massimo Moratti’s favourites and also won the heart of Twitter’s most prominent Venezia fan, and my cousin, Marco Rinaldi (@marcoarrinaldi). Little wonder with the skills he possessed…

El Chino Recoba was a player who seemed to have the world at his feet (his left foot, at least) but who never quite made the breakthrough his talent deserved.

His greatest moments came for Venezia on a half-season loan from Inter when he saved them from relegation with 11 goals and nine assists in 19 matches.

Sadly no other team was willing to build the team around him as Venezia had, and so his mercurial talents were never given the stage they deserved.

He now plays in Uruguay - but will always be held in high regard by the Arancioneroverdi.

Read the rest of the series here.

Image via Storiedicalcio

Napoli 1 Palermo 2, December 1951. Vintage footage of the...

Tue, 01 May 2012 10:49:46 +0100

Napoli 1 Palermo 2, December 1951. Vintage footage of the Rosanero’s only victory in Naples in Serie A in 18 attempts. The salt thrown on the pitch clearly did the trick.

It was the 11th round of games of the season and the victory, courtesy of goals from Helge Bronee and Gino Giaroli (Paolo Todeschini scored for Napoli) put the Sicilian side into third place in the league. That would pretty much be high watermark of the season as they ended up in 11th spot sandwiched between Atalanta and Pro Patria.

Napoli, for their part, would end up five spots higher in 6th position with a great deal of thanks due to 25 goals combined from Mario Astorri and Amedeo Amedei.

Roy Hodgson for England: his Italian adventure with Inter in summary

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:47:00 +0100

Inter’s time with Roy Hodgson, summed up via the official club website.

Season 1995/96: Played some decent, even good football. Faded near season’s end. Sneaked into UEFA Cup places.

Season 1996/97: Starts well but again fades in Serie A. Good UEFA Cup run, loses final on penalties to Schalke. Resigns.

Season 1998/99: Brought back to “save the season” but misses out on a UEFA Cup qualification place in a play-off.

My summary: So, based on Inter story, England can expect Hodgson to start well, play OK football, fade a bit, get a bit lucky, miss out in crunch games.

Roberto Mancini: graduation day for the Manchester City boss?

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:07:03 +0100

Image via Interleaning

Watching Roberto Mancini in pre-season training in the Tuscan hills was sometimes comedy gold. When he was under the gaze of his coach, he reluctantly did a few press-ups. But, as soon as backs were turned, he lay on the ground taking a rest. And only when any watchful eyes were upon him would he start to make an effort again.

That was back in the days of the happy Sampdoria band being put together to win that club’s one and only Scudetto. If they indulged Mancio, it was not exactly surprising. He rarely let them down on the pitch and always seemed to have a matchwinning moment of magic up his sleeve. Un cavallo di razza, they called him, a thoroughbred.

Yet if those spell-binding days and a glorious swansong with Lazio confirmed him as a Serie A legend, the same did not hold true with La Nazionale. He was impressive enough in the blue of his country, but not quite to the level that his club form promised. He would be overtaken and eclipsed, with the Azzurri anyway, by Roberto Baggio.

And there is a similar nagging doubt which has followed his managerial career - despite the trophies it has brought. There was a furore when he was fast-tracked into a coaching post at Fiorentina as the club went through financial meltdown. Many of his counterparts felt he had no right to sit on a Serie A bench without getting the proper qualifications. Mancini cocked a snook at that view by delivering a Coppa Italia.

He went out of the economic frying pan and into the fire at Lazio, another club facing monetary hardship and won another domestic cup. It was enough to convince Milanese giants Inter that he was the man who could finally deliver them the long lost title. Finally, he would have some hard cash at his disposal.

But it would take a sporting earthquake to allow him to land the Scudetto. The Calciopoli match-rigging scandal saw Juventus stripped of a couple of titles and one of them handed to Inter. Mancini followed up with more championship wins but some said they were won while many of his key rivals were either relegated or suffering severe points penalties. He found his achievements being constantly undervalued.

Whatever your point of view, some of the criticism stuck and the Nerazzurri eventually moved him on despite all the silverware he helped to bring. He couldn’t produce a Champions League winning side - it took Jose Mourinho to do that. Instead, after a break from the game, he landed another role at another big spending side - taking over from Mark Hughes at Manchester City.

There were definitely reservations among some about the wisdom of the appointment. But, after being criticised in some quarters for his cautious approach, he has now come up with a team that is in with a shout of winning the English Premier League. No doubt he has had enormous resources to do so - but you still have to get the right team out on the pitch.

But the constant questioning of his credentials at the very top of the game means the clash with Manchester United and remaining few matches are vital ones for Mancio. Surely, if he can come and win in England he will have proved himself to be an outstanding manager and worthy of the respect some will only grudgingly provide at the moment. Otherwise, there will still be those who question whether Mancini the manager is quite as magnificent as he undoubtedly was as a player.

Atalanta 2 Fiorentina 2, 1984/85 season - including a goal from...

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:01:23 +0100

Atalanta 2 Fiorentina 2, 1984/85 season - including a goal from Brazilian legend Socrates.

Roma 1 Fiorentina 2, bringing the story up to date. After Amauri...

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:19:07 +0100

Roma 1 Fiorentina 2, bringing the story up to date. After Amauri the improbable hero of the San Siro, it was Andrea Lazzari’s turn to deliver a surprising winner in Rome. And relegation seems a little bit less likely.

Stefano Fiore: 100-word hero #27

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:03:31 +0100

Rocco Cammisola (@rcammisola) of The Football Express gives an underappreciated star the 100-word treatment.

Stefano Fiore had a playing career bookended at either end by his home town club: Cosenza.

Given a chance at Parma in Serie A at 22-years-old – kept out of the team by Dino Baggio, whom he would surpass for a national team spot in 2000.

Eighteen goals in 67 games for Udinese between 99-01 helped the midfielder reach Lazio.

When he arrived the stars had departed, but Stefano continued to shine. In four legs of the 2003-04 Coppa Italia semi and final, Fiore would score 6 goals against Milan and Juventus.

He is now the manager of his home-town club.

Read the rest of the series here.

Image via Museo Amaranto