Alpha Romeo Metaphor II

Seano said:
Fantastic work. Detecting Puke on shoes :P
Click to expand...

Can you say that in Italian? Google sez: Vomitare sulle scarpe. Maybe Detective Vomiscarpe? Vomitarino? Vomitarelli? I dunno ...
 
Last edited:
Sunday, 22 February 2015

I forgot to mention the Friday night results, Modena did us a favor by holding Livorno to a scoreless draw. Every time whatever team holds the cursed chalice of third place, they tend to drop points. And whenever the trailing teams drop points, it just hastens the day when we can confirm promotion.

View attachment 304599
 
Last edited:
View attachment 304590Monday, 23 February 2015

View attachment 304589

I drove three hours down the Adriatic coast to see Pescara take on Avellino. We'll be playing both of them pretty soon. It's a cold and foul day with a strong westerly wind off the Adriatic. Stadio Adriatico is unprotected from these winds. This means that I'm pretty much unrecognizable.

But let me digress into wardrobe. Obviously, I can't wear anything from my Bologna Wear as I wish to remain incognito. So I put on my polyproylene long johns and long sleeve base layer. After a turtle neck, I had a sweater on under a heavy leather coat. I borrowed a non-descript hat and scarf from Gwen. All this was piled on the seat next to me during the drive down as the Alfa was comfortably warm. I must have been a strange sight climbing up and out of the Alfa then pulling layer and layer out of the car in preparation for my two hours sitting in the frigid Stadio Adriatico.

Avellino are plummeting down the table and Pescara are in trouble in the relegation zone. A victory for the home side would catapult them up two places and out of the relegation zone and into 18th.

The Delfini got lucky with an own goal by Avellino just before half time, but Avellino looked hopeless. And Avellino's penalty in the dying seconds was a dive. The ref should've booked the Lupi player instead of granting the penalty.

Bottom line is that both teams have plenty of weaknesses that we can exploit.

View attachment 304588

View attachment 304583
 
Last edited:
View attachment 304044Sunday, 1 March 2015 1pm-ish

As per usual, we ran killers this morning. Do you recall what killers are? Start at the end line, to the 6 yard box and back, to the penalty box and back then to the half line and back. I split the squad into two groups. When the first finishes, the second starts. Rinse, lather, repeat until I have my pound of flesh. I wasn't particularly vindictive this morning as Morleo's red card and the horrid weather had played a part. The players are used to the pattern now, they were prepared. They know what will happen after a loss and do everything they can to avoid an embarrassing loss. I do have a bit of a temper and a reputation as a bit psychotic, after all. I've got to keep up my reputation.

Then we split up and played 5 on 3 games to work on getting creative to exploit numerical advantage. I kept an eye on the four groups and I'd periodically stop a group to talk strategy and tactics.

Then we showered and ate. Afterwards, we watched the match excerpt video. I wanted to make some points about both our attacking, defending and positioning in various situations. Finally, we watched excerpts of Vicenza who visit us next week.

I'd just sat down and opened my laptop. I was about to watch the Serie B Goals of the Month as Casarini had won it for February for his tomahawk missile goal against Frosinone.

There was a knock at my door.

"May a have a moment of your time, boss?" Marti Riverola asked.

"Of course," I said in Spanish as I motioned for him to sit down on a couch. "Please sit."

I knew as soon as I saw it was him what our topic was. He hesitated and then sat at the edge of a couch.

"I'm not playing again," he began in Spanish. No ****, Sherlock. Casarini's my creative midfielder if he's available and I just added Vacca for some extra steel and a wee bit of the creativity. Furthermore, I don't think he could cope in Serie A. He's Serie B or Liga Adelante player. "I thought I was doing well back in December and January. I know we talked earlier and I've been working hard in training. But I really need to play and if I don't ..."

"Marti, you have been doing everything I ask which is why I've been giving you playing time," I replied. "But you're a squad player here. If you can't be satisfied as a squad player, all I can offer is to put you up for sale in the summer. Is that what you want?"

"I realize that Casarini's a local boy and a fan favorite," he said. "If you don't rate me as a starter, I'd like to move on in the summer."

"If that's what you want," I said. He nodded. "You've played your part well so far, you've made enough appearances to get a Serie B medal before you leave here, providing of course we win the league. Please don't give me any reason to demote you to the reserve squad and end your stay here in an ugly manner. I've got a couple of teenagers who'd love to pick up the minutes you are getting."

"No, I'll keep working hard, I promise," Riverola said as he rose. "Thank you for your time."
 
View attachment 303777Monday, 2 March 2015 9:06pm

"Good evening," I said. "I haven't kept you waiting, have I?"

"Not long at all," Albano Guaraldi replied. "How are you?"

"Better than yesterday," I said. "That Carpi match was horrid weather-wise and Morleo's red card."

"I hope you like the wine," he said.

I laughed. He'd ordered the white. There was only two kinds. White or red. Of course, it was from his brother's vineyard just outside of town. And, most importantly, it was always excellent.

We ordered our food and Guaraldi pulled up a report on his iPad.

"924 shirts sold is good," Bologna's President began.

"Yes, and 400 and some were Casarini shirts," I interjected.

"Yes, right," he agreed. "Match day commercial activity was only 135."

"Let me guess; hot tea, coffee and hot chocolate were top sellers?"

"Hah. Um ... well ... yes. Total income was 1.46 million, total expenses were 2.48. We're still expecting an overall profit of over 5 million and our cash flow is good. We're in good shape overall financially and you have us looking good for promotion and that is the most important thing for us financially."

Our salads arrived and we ate in silence.

"I haven't mentioned this to you, yet, but this squad is not adequate if we achieve promotion," I said. "I've got my scouts searching for players ..."

"Like?" Guaraldi interjected.

"... well like central defenders, wingers and strikers," I said. "Unless a player that is an upgrade becomes available, I'm basically set in central midfield."

"How much is that going to cost?" Guaraldi asked.

"I'll operate within whatever budget I get," I replied. "We have 28 players out on loan right now. If we can offload these players, that should provide me with at least a few million. Of the 28, I'm only interested in 2 of them returning for next season. Nicolo Cherubin and Leonardo Guerra."

Cherubin was part of the squad that was relegated last season, but he's a fairly decent, reasonably determined and experienced defenders. In the worst case, he would make a good back-up. Guerra, as you may recall, was a good prospect out on loan to Serie C side Tuttocuoio to get some playing time.

"Plus, you know my record of getting good value for money," I said. "I always uncover bargains. Just so you know, striker is top priority as both Cacia and Aqua have had trouble scoring in Serie A and haven't exactly been prolific in this league this season."

"Understood," he said.

"What, if any, is new with the Americans and Canadian friends?" I asked.

"I don't know," Guaraldi shrugged. "They've not firmed up their offer and committed. Plus, the heat is off me with you winning matches for us."

"I can only imagine what it's like to endure all that," I observed. 'Fkn brown-noser,' I thought to myself.

Our primi course arrived. We ate in silence.

"I would have expected you to want to talk about a new contract by now," he said. "And pushed harder to get Casarini signed."

"We have a bit of safety over that," I said. "You'll formulate next season's budget just before team's can try to sign him for free. He and I have talked and he's cool so far with doing a deal then. It might cost us more, but he wants to stay. Hopefully, that doesn't change between now and then."

"As for me," I said. "I'm fine waiting plus you know Luca and how he negotiates."

Luca had the ability to stay on fairly close personal terms with nearly half of Italy.

"Yes," he replied. "I have had a few negotiations with him."

We made small talk for the rest of the meal and I processed what he'd said. There was a distinct possibility Guaraldi would remain President and there'd be no takeover by Joey Saputo. There was a possibility that they wouldn't offer me a contract. Stupider **** had occurred at this club but they'd hire someone else under the excuse of needing an experienced manager to avoid relegation. He might even go back to his old ways of **** poor financial management and selling off valuable assets.

Who knows ...
 
Serie B: Bologna v. Vicenza

View attachment 303415Tuesday, 3 March 2015

View attachment 303413

My preferred fullbacks Archimede Morleo and Gyorgy Garics are both out suspended, Garics for yellow accumulation. So in come Francesco Migliore and Luca Ceccarelli. Barba needs a rest so Marios Oikonomous is in. Pazienza and Casarini need rests so in goes Antonio Vacca and Marti Riverola. Despite not playing well last time out, Cacia keeps his place because Aqua's decision-making and distribution in his 15 or so minutes was awful.

Vicenza are missing several key players, too. Central midfielder Federico Moretti, attacking lynchpin Davide Di Gennaro and French fullback Olivier Davidas are all out injured. Without Di Gennaro, Vicenza might be a little toothless up front. At least that's my hope.

We pressed right from the start. We created a half dozen decent chances but they either fizzled or ended in weak shots right at the keeper. Lepiller did blaze a free kick high over the crossbar.

Then in the 26th minute, Migliore chopped down their right winger Ignacio Lores. Stefano Giacomelli hit a cross to the back post once their tall players had all come forward. Oiks and Zuculini were marking two players at the back and didn't even bother to jump. Matteo Gerbaudo smashed a header off the underside of the bar. It bounced up and hit somebody then Mario Sampirisi smashed it home to give the visitors the lead.

0-1

**** me but that was terrible defending.

Vicenza decided to park the bus and make us beat them. This was a decent strategy as it was drizzling and 3 degrees. They held us fairly easily until halftime.

But they had a break up their right side a minute into the one minute's extra time. Lores beat Migliore but Migs recovered with a desperation tackle to put the ball out for a corner. Giacomelli jogged over to take the corner as the Biancorossi defenders ran forward. He arrowed a cross to the back post. Ceccarelli lost Lores and Lores while falling away headed the ball across the goalmouth. Sampirisi was free again and his header grazed the crossbar.

Tweeeeeeeeeeeet! Tweeeeeeeet! Tweeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

And I stomped into the locker room lucky to only be down a goal. I told Casa and Troi to get warmed up as both Lepiller and Riverola were coming off. Lepiller because he only had 45 minutes in his legs today and Riverola because he was **** today.

My halftime speech worked wonders as we immediately put Vicenza under pressure and kept the ball deep in their half. In the 54th minute, we caught their striker offside. Keeper Dejan Stojanovic thumped the ball foward, they thumped the ball right back. Oiks intercepted their long ball and thumped it toward Daniele Cacia. Cacia contorted his body so that the ball hit his chest yet in a twisting, turning way so that it looped over the head of the defender as he raced past. He touched the ball once then stroked a shot past the keeper more like a pool or billiards player would strike the cue ball.

1-1

We continued to dominate. We worked the ball into Cacia in the 59th minute, but he dallied too long waiting for the bouncing ball to drop a little lower for a volley from 15 meters and his shot was blocked. In the 65th, Vacca smote a shot with all the fury of Hercules. Everyone was up off their feet, but it smashed into the advertisements behind the goal, inches wide of the post.

We had a scare in the 81st. They hoofed a hopeful ball forward and Oiks got to it first. As he pulled his foot back to pass back to Dejan, their striker Daniele Martinetti lunged in with a two-footed striker's tackle. He got all Oiks with his tackle, got up and shot anyway but, thankfully, right at Dejan.

Oiks needed treatment but he was okay. I spent the interlude trying to get the refs attention and asking the fourth official questions that, unsurprisingly, were never answered.

I replaced Vacca with Pazienza to get some fresh legs on in the middle and to prevent any fast breaks from starting against us.

We continued to press. Paz hammered a shot right at the keeper from just outside the box in the 85th minute. The keeper was screened and it hit him. So close.

We continued to press, but Vicenza were hanging on desperately. The fourth official held up his board and I beheld the most lovely number five. Five minutes of extra time.

We still couldn't break them down. In the 94th, they broke upfield and Oiks repaid Martinelli with a shin-high scissors tackle. Martinelli rolled around on the ground for quite a while as his teammates remonstrated with the ref for a red card. Only yellow. Phewh.

Dominico Maietta and Antonio Ragusa clashed heads going for the high ball from the resulting free kick. Ragusa had to come off to stop the blood from flowing. The Biancorossi were out of subs.

The ref had blown for an infringement of some kind by Vicenza and we restarted once Ragusa was helped off and quickly brought the ball forward. We kept moving the ball around the top of the box but couldn't find a way past the fullbacks and seven central defenders.

I watch the ref look at his watch. I look back at the action as Sergio feeds a pass into Casarini's path just inside the box. It looks like he has a lane in which to get a shot on goal. Are we about to have some late-game Casa-magic?

Nope. He blazes high and the ref ends it.

View attachment 303419View attachment 303420

View attachment 303418

View attachment 303417

View attachment 303416
 
Last edited:
View attachment 302417Wednesday, 4 March 2015 9AM-ish

As I rolled up to the front gate of Casteldebole, Enzo came barreling out of his booth indicating he wanted to speak with me.

"My little Devil," he said as I rolled down the window. "You are taking this all too hard. You have been through it all with this club. You helped save the club from relegation, you've been relegated though nobody could fault you for your effort, you were here when we floundered in Serie B. You were the rock in front of the back four when we won promotion back to Serie A. You know what kind of squad wins promotion. You have assembled a side that can and will win promotion. You must remember this and that all the odds are in our favor."

"Thanks, Enzo."

"While we live and we die for these colors, you must know this," he continued. "Suffering for your side is the most important thing. It makes success all the sweeter. I have stood and sang on Curva Bulgarelli through a little good and a lot of bad. But this season you can nearly taste the promotion on Curva Sud. You can't know that. You can't sit up there. You can only wave to them from beside the dugout. They are confident you are leading this club to glory. They see you sweating blood, yelling, screaming and all that. They see how well the side is prepared and they all believe in you. I can see the stress on your face. I have watched you pass through these gates for many years now. You must find a way to relax and enjoy this promotion campaign."

"You're the best, Enzo. The best."
 
I think pucci will relax when his strikers learn to put ball in net.

Keep it up Its a great story and I can't wait to find out if you can secure promotion or not.
 
View attachment 301802Monday, 16 March 2015

View attachment 301801

It was a ****-poor night to drive up to Brescia, but I did. And by ****-poor, I mean that literally. Raining all night and cold. My Assistant Manager Graziano Vinti joined me. Probably for the same reasons I'm going. It's a distraction from thinking about how erratic we're playing. Just when I think we're turning a corner, we lapse back into the bad habits of poor concentration and wayward finishing. We talked about it during the drive. Then we climbed out, pulled our warm gear from the boot and ran to the nearest ristorante to get some food and change.

There are some legitimate factors that we need to recognize play a part in our erratic form. First, the pitches suck. They're in shambles. Rutted, lumpy and the goalmouths are quagmires. When you see Calcio on the TV, you see the Serie A clubs who have a superior cash flow and hire a platoon of groundskeepers. Furthermore, the bigger clubs (Bologna included) have expensive drainage systems. The smaller clubs have **** pitches and that's just how it is.

Also, fatigue is a factor. The finishing line and the promised land of Serie A is not yet in sight. We have eleven matches yet to play. We have a automotic promotion cushion of seven and lead Varese by five. Graziano seems to think that once we're at nine or eight games left, the players will start to see the finish line and will be able to dig deep.

On to the match. Dull, dull, boring, dull, drab, dull, wet and drab. Oh, and I forgot cold. Davide Gavazzi won it for Ternana in the 79th with a nicely hit volley from outside the box. Many of the passes at this point were lofted as the pitch was pretty torn up. Congrats to Ternana who move up into second place.

View attachment 301800

View attachment 301799
 
Last edited:
View attachment 301488Wednesday, 18 March 2015

Like all clubs, Bologna have a youth system. We have leagues starting at U8 going up to U15. The coaches and scouts watch these leagues for prospects. They also make sure that we have enough players for our U18 team. Today is the day that all the players we have identified get a trial for our U18 team.

There is no Roberto Baggio or Paolo Maldini's in this lot. Several have potential but that all depends upon how they progress under the tutelage of our youth coaches.

One kid stands out and we immediately offer him a youth contract.

View attachment 301490 View attachment 301489
 
After a scrimmage between the U18s and the trialists, it appears we have decent keeper and left back prospects. As always, you never know how these kids are going to develop. It'd be nice to have a pleasant surprise ... for example, a striker maybe? Yeah, that'd be great.

View attachment 301230
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

FMBase

Beta

Resources

Back
Top