The Alfa Romeo Metaphor

diariodecadiz.es 7 April 20124
Cadiz stumble against Cordoba Bs under new manager Gay
Bogdan Laba

New manager Jose Aurelio Gay failed to deliver the victory Cadiz CF needed to move up into the promotion playoffs. Cadiz fell 2-1 to the Cordoba Bs on a cool, wet evening in Cordoba.

Captain Mikel Martins was restored to his normal role as midfielder and played well. Unfortunately, forwards Juan Villar and Aymen Souda did not have a good time in Cordoba and only managed a shot apiece.

Left midfielder Perico tied the game up just before halftime after Antonio Puertas opened the scoring in the 38th minute. Cadiz started the second half flat and Christian Bravo punished them in the 49th minute.

Gay tried to jumpstart the team with a triple change in the 79th minute, but Kike Marquez, Abdoullai Fall and youngster Mario Diaz failed to make an impression.

Los Submarino Amarillas fall to 6th in the table after this loss.
 
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Day in the life ...

First thing that I do when I get up is check to see if there's a text message from my agent. Next I check my emails. About every other day is a message of one sort or another that he'd heard back from some club that they would not consider me for their open manager position.

Then I make a cup of coffee. Then I read my online news sources: La Gazelle dello Sport and La Repubblica for Italy; BBC, Daily Mail and The Guardian for the UK and Mundo Deportiva and La Marche for Spain.

If it's nice and it pretty much always is, I go for a walk for a couple of hours. Sometimes I meet Ana Maria for lunch. Otherwise, I eat some leftovers or make a sandwich.

I ordered a cookbook I'd heard about called How to Cook Everything online. It's a godsend. It's for fools like me. I try and cook something most nights. Sometimes it even works out.

Nights are hardest. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights I watch European matches just like usually do. Friday and Saturday nights I'm out with Ana Maria.

Freaking Out
I usually only freak out after reading my emails from my agent explaining who has rejected me or late at night when my brain start racing. Although panic attacks can come at any time. Let's face it -- I've got too much free time.

Thank God for Ana Maria, Esteban and my Mom. My shaves on Tuesday and Fridays and calls with my Mom are always reassuring.

My time with Ana Maria is getting intense. We both realize the end is approaching. Not because either of us want it, but because of circumstances beyond our control. That's life I guess.
 
Cadiz win at home to Arroyo.

They score early, but the boys even it up before halftime. Juan Villar's second in the 79th give us ... erm ... them the win.

View attachment 429404

Jorge Luque is hurt during the match. That could be bad. Cadiz are up to 4th as Linense lost. They lead Linense by 2 points for the final playoff spot.
 
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Tuesday, April 15, 2014

My phone jangles. It's my agent.

"Luca, some good news for once?" I asked.

"Ciao, Enrico, yes," he replies. "The English side Gillingham want to fly you to London and interview you."

"England, huh?"

"Gillingham is south of London, but not far. The Gills, as they are called, won promotion back into League One. League One is actually the third division in England ..."

"I'm familiar with their league structure," I interjected.

"Right, well, they are clinging on to survival in League One by the skin of their teeth and want to talk to you about becoming their manager," he continued. "They heard about how you kept Cadiz in the hunt for promotion despite having no money and want to talk to you. They like that you managed to play attractive, attacking football despite having no money."

"When?"

"How about Thursday?" he replied. "They'll pay for a hotel near Heathrow and you'll be back in the morning."

"Let me check my schedule," I replied and paused for effect. "Yup. I'm free."

"I'll email with all the details of your itinerary," he replied.

"Thank you ever so much, Luca," I said. "You're the best!"

"Just be sure to research the club a bit," he replied. "I'll see if I can uncover some video for you to watch."

"Ciao."

"Ciao."

England, huh? Gillingham, huh?. Martin Allen is the guy they are considering replacing. He has managed a bunch of lower league sides. He is the manager who won promotion to League One for them.

View attachment 478825 View attachment 478822

Gillingham are worth EU3.3M (with a loan debt of EU1.9M). Priestfield Stadium looks decent at least from what the internet tells me:

View attachment 478832 View attachment 478824

Apparently, they train right next to a graveyard. Google tells me that Beechings Cross is on Yokosuka Way or the A289. West and south of the training area is the Gillingham Cemetery.

View attachment 478839
 
Enrico Pucci said:
Tuesday, April 15, 2014

My phone jangles. It's my agent.

"Luca, some good news for once?" I asked.

"Ciao, Enrico, yes," he replies. "The English side Gillingham want to fly you to London and interview you."

"England, huh?"

"Gillingham is south of London, but not far. The Gills, as they are called, won promotion back into League One. League One is actually the third division in England ..."

"I'm familiar with their league structure," I interjected.

"Right, well, they are clinging on to survival in League One by the skin of their teeth and want to talk to you about becoming their manager," he continued. "They heard about how you kept Cadiz in the hunt for promotion despite having no money and want to talk to you. They like that you managed to play attractive, attacking football despite having no money."

"When?"

"How about Thursday?" he replied. "They'll pay for a hotel near Heathrow and you'll be back in the morning."

"Let me check my schedule," I replied and paused for effect. "Yup. I'm free."

"I'll email with all the details of your itinerary," he replied.

"Thank you ever so much, Luca," I said. "You're the best!"

"Just be sure to research the club a bit," he replied. "I'll see if I can uncover some video for you to watch."

"Ciao."

"Ciao."

England, huh? Gillingham, huh?. Martin Allen is the guy they are considering replacing. He has managed a bunch of lower league sides. He is the manager who won promotion to League One for them.

View attachment 478825 View attachment 478822

Gillingham are worth EU3.3M (with a loan debt of EU1.9M). Priestfield Stadium looks decent at least from what the internet tells me:

View attachment 478832 View attachment 478824

Apparently, they train right next to a graveyard. Google tells me that Beechings Cross is on Yokosuka Way or the A289. West and south of the training area is the Gillingham Cemetery.

View attachment 478839
Click to expand...

best of luck my friend ;)
 
OMG I am a HUGE gills fan PLEASE TAKE THE JOB!!!!!!!!! IM BEGGING YOU!!!!!!
:)
 
Road to Gillingham? Planes, trains and automobiles

I took the train to Sevilla, then a flight to London's Heathrow. After customs, I looked for a driver and there he was, holding a "Pucci" sign. He drove me to a nearby hotel.

"Enrico Pucci, I have a meeting," I said to the woman at the reception desk.

"Good morning, Mister Pucci," she replied then typed into her keyboard and examined the results on a screen. "Your party is awaiting you." She activated a key card. "Room 323. Elevators are directly to your left. Enjoy your stay in London."

"Thanks!"

I entered Room 323 and was greeted by Chairman Paul Scally and Director of Football Scott Phillips.

Scally looked the part. He's in his late 50s or so, salt and pepper hair (mostly salt), close cropped, wire-rimmed glasses and a bit of a cleft chin. Phillips is a tall, blond former center back; he certainly looks like he was one.

We exchanged pleasantries then got to talking about the club.

"We heard some about what you've done in Cadiz, but please tell us about yourself," Scally said.

I told them I was an American with Italian roots who got lucky and got a try-out with Bologna. I explained how through dedication and hard work I managed to create a career. I also explained that I'd realized in my last few years of playing that I'd like to become manager and gotten my licenses.

I told them that I knew going into Cadiz that the finances were bad as a result of the stadium. I told them I had no transfer budget and relied on a few Bosman transfers and loans from our affiliates Udinese and Fluminense. I told the story of how I cobbled together a defense and our defensive woes.

"But weren't you also the top scoring side?" Scally interjected.

"Yeah, well second top," I corrected. "League leaders Albacete had us by a couple. In all our losses except two, we were shut out. I was on track to getting us in the promotion places according to the rate our prime opponents were gaining points." I then explained my calculations.

Scally explained the history of Gillingham. How they try to balance fiscal discipline with providing a competitive team that can get The Gills back into the Championship.

"What would you think about having a ?150,000 transfer budget?" Scally asked concluding his history lesson.

"From what videos I've seen of your matches this season, that sounds like about the right number to build the team up to solidy your position in this league, if you retain it of course, then start pushing the team up the table."

"Okay, what if the budget was ?50,000?"

"Well, I can make do with whatever I'm given," I replied. "But from my analysis of League Two, League One and Championship transfers in the last year is that ?50,000 wouldn't be sufficient to get Gillingham back into the Championship. It takes money to do that, unfortunately."

"Tell us more about your philosophy?" Scally asked.

"First and foremost, I would adapt Gillingham's style of play to best suit the players I have available," I replied. "I prefer to sign young players with potential. This provides the team with two things: first, less expensive talent than the same skillset in a 30 year old; second, if we uncover a gem or two large transfer sums."

"How else would you want to be judged as a manager if we hire you?" Phillips asked.

"That's mainly it," I replied. "I would adapt to work with whatever I'm given. If a team has a strong defense, but few attacking options, that's a very different kind of coaching than if you have plenty going forward but are weak on the back end."

They both thanked me for coming to London to talk to them and I thanked both of them. They urged me to go into the city center and see a bit of the city and suggested their favorite sights.
 
Luca Piccioni <[email protected]> 12:37PM Today
To: Enrico Pucci <[email protected]>
FW: Gillingham and Pucci

From: "Paul Scally" <[email protected]>
To: "Luca Piccioni" <[email protected]>
Date: Monday, 21 April, 2014 11:49AM
Subject: Gillingham and Pucci

Luca,

Please thank Enrico for taking the time to fly to London to talk about managing Gilliamham Football Club. Unfortunately, we have
decided to take another direction. We wish you and Enrico all the best in your quest to match him with a club.

Cheers,

Paul
Click to expand...
 
"Gillingham?" Esteban asked after I'd told him of the interview and subsequent rejection. "Who and where in the hinterlands of the United Kingdom is that?"

"Just southeast of London," I replied. "They're in the third division which the English call League One."

"Hmmph," Esteban grunted. "I'm sure it makes sense to them. So how does that go? How do you approach and interview other managers while keep your current manager in the dark."

"Meet at a hotel room near a major airport, I guess," I replied.

"So you never got to see the stadium or the training ground?"

"No."

"You weren't here on Friday and judging by your stubble I will guess you extended your stay?"

"You are correct, my dear detective," I replied. "I moved my flight to first thing Monday morning and moved to a hotel nearer the center."

"I've never been to that island," Esteban remarked. "What's it like?"

"Weird," I replied. "On the one hand you've got buildings and streets dating from the 1500s. Yet, you have modern office towers shoved down right in the middle of it all. It can modern and ugly but turn and look a different direction and there's St. Paul's Cathedral or Parliament or something and those are beautiful. It's a vibrant, chaotic, modern city like nothing else. I only scratched the surface."

"Oh, they drive on the wrong side of the road," I exclaimed. "That would take some getting used to. I nearly got killed stepping out into traffic only a dozen times or two."

Esteban thought that was funny.

"And I have a surprise for you," I said. "Knock on the wall. No, not that wall, the other."

He looked puzzled but knocked on the wall anyway. I'd given his gift to the bodega owner next door and told him to wait for the knock on the wall.

"Santi Cazorla! Number 19! An Arsenal jersey," he exclaimed as his neighbor entered the barbershop holding up the jersey. "You shouldn't have."
 
Noooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Scaly out! Scaly out!
 
1 May 2014

G*d d*mn ****ing **** I hate waiting.

Every day I get another rejection email. I have panic attacks fairly often. Sometimes I get really down. That can last a few days. But I eventually pull out of it. Sometimes I get drunk. Usually on the nights I know I'm too wound up to sleep or I have a panic attack in the evenings.

More than anything it's not having enough to do.

I have been spending my time watching Spanish and English matches. Often on TV but also on the internet. Many smaller clubs broadcast their matches live or the next day. Despite having managed a large portion of a season in Spain, I can't say I really know the Spanish game.

Also, every time a club fires their manager, I do a little research on the team. It helps pass the time a little bit.

But even with all that I still have a tremendous amount of free time.
 
I'm sorry, but I haven't been keeping you all up to speed on how Cadiz CF is doing. Following them feels like stalking your ex-wife via her Facebook page or something. Last you heard, they'd beaten Arroyo and climbed to 5th. They were two points back of Linense and the final promotion playoff spot.

The Wednesday when I was packing and psyching myself up for my Gillingham interview, they hosted Lucena. Lucena's midfielder Fito popped in a goal to start the second half after a scoreless (and shockingly boring) first half.

They piled it on after that, but Lucena's keeper Manu played great and kept them at bay. It was Airam's first game back from his ankle injury and he nabbed a last gasp equalizer.

Guadalajara won but Linense lost yet again so Cadiz remain 4th and now lead Linense by 3 points.

View attachment 479890

The following matchday, Round 36 on Sunday, 27 April, Cadiz traveled to Melilla and lost 2-1. They outshot them, kept control of the ball. Gay played Airam and young sensation Mario Diaz up top. Apparently, they both played like ****.

View attachment 479897

Cadiz fall back to 5th as Linense won and they are tied on points but Linense have the better head-to-head record so they move 4th and Cadiz drop to 5th.

Next up for the Yellow Submarine is Linense. At this point, they need to beat Linense and then need help from Cacarenos on the final matchday to make the playoffs.
 
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Round 37 is the critical match of Cadiz's season. They drew despite being a man up for an hour after their goal scorer Hugo Diaz got sent off in the 31st minute. I would characterize this as a disastrous draw. Just look at the stats. 8 shots taken and only 3 on target.

Gay started the youngster Diaz again, but replaced him with Aymen Souda at halftime. Souda scored the equalizer in the 54th minute.

View attachment 479908

What's bizarre is the number of fouls Cadiz committed. What's up with that?

Cadiz are 5th and they need help next weekend in the final round of the season. They need Cacareno to beat or tie Linense. Cadiz play Cordoba B who are already relegated and the Cordoba side are really quite pathetic.
 
The final round was a nail biter. Cadiz home to the Cordoba Bs was always going to be a victory for the Yellow Submarine. The match that mattered was Linense's visit to Cacares to play Cacarenos. If Linense wins, they're in the playoffs and Cadiz's season is over. If they tied or lost, Cadiz are in the promotion playoffs.

I watched the updates on my iPhone as I wandered the wet streets of old Cadiz. Eventually, I ended up in a bar

Kike Lopez opened the scoring for Cadiz in the 11th minute. Cadiz in playoffs.

Sergio Ortiz gives Linense a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute. Linense in playoffs.

At halftime, Linense are going to the playoffs. I can only imagine what it was like in the home changing room in the Ramon de Carranza. There's nothing they can do except guarantee they still have a chance by not conceding.

Cacareno score to start off the second half. Cadiz are in the playoffs. I can imagine the roar going up from the Cadistas as everyone learns the scoring update.

Linense press and press. They substitute a defender for a forward. They start hoofing balls into the Cacarenos' box. Cacarenos remain stalwart and Linense get no luck.

Aymen Souda scores in the 90th minute as if it mattered. The match in Cacares ended a few minutes after the Cadiz match.

View attachment 479909 View attachment 479911

I realize I'm sweating despite the cool temps and drizzle.
 
Tuesday, 13 May, 2014

My phone jangles. It's my agent Luca. It's 9:21AM. More bad news probably.

"Buongiorno, Luca."

"Good news, Enrico, good news," Luca exclaimed. "Wimbledon want to interview you."

"Wait, what?" I reply. I'm confused. Hadn't the Wimbledon moved like an American sports team and changed their name.

"You know, Wimbledon, tennis, London!" Luca replied not understanding my confusion.

"Do you mean the Crazy Gang?" I replied. "Vinnie Jones, Warren Barton, Dave Beasant and etc.? That club moved and was renamed to something else."

"How many Wimbledons can there be?" Luca replied. "They might want to give you a job you [italian for stupid, feces eating ratface]."

"Hold on," I said. "Let me look up Wimbledon and see which team wants to talk to me." A moment passes in silence. "Ahh ... I see. Supporters formed a new club in 2002 after the club moved. It's owned by the fans. They've won 5 promotions in the 9 years they've been in existence. This could be interesting."

"Well you figure that bit out," Luca said. "I got your bulbous nose in the door."

"Your the best, Luca," I replied. "Despite all the cruel things I say to you."

"Oh **** off I know you don't mean it," he shot back. "I'll forward the itinerary. They want to talk to you this Friday. Fly you in, have a look over the stadium, interview with the Chairman. The usual."

"Love you to pieces you car muffler rapist," replied.

"**** off, Ciao."

Click.

Can you tell that we've been talking far too often?

I need to learn more about AFC Wimbledon. I've got until Friday.
 
I like maps. Here's several I used to help me figure out some important geographic details about AFC Wimbledon. They play at Kingsmeadow in Kingston-Upon-Thames in southwest London. They train at King's College London's Sports Ground in nearby Merton.
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When the FA allowed the Norwegian owners to move the club 60 miles north to Milton Keynes, Wimbledon supporters formed their own club AFC Wimbledon. They forced the MK Dons to relinquish all rights to the trophies and etc the club Wimbledon FC acquired. They held a public try-outs on the Wimbledon Commons and 230 unattached players showed up. They joined the 9th level of English Football in 2002.

The club is owned by the Don's Trust which controls 75% of all shares. The Chairman is lifelong fan Erik Samuelson, a retired accountant. The Don's Trust bought the Kingsmeadow stadium from Kingstonian FC to guarantee the safety and stability of both clubs. The Chair and Board are all volunteers. Samuelson accepts 1 Guinea a year for his role.

The club won promotion 5 times since the club was formed and in the season that just finished managed to stay up in League Two fairly comfortably finishing 16th, 19 points above the relegation zone.
 
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