Chapter one - Arrival
"Mr. Coppola?"
I wake with a start. As my eyes refocus from behind my glasses I am greeted by a womans face, smiling kindly at me.
"That’s me", I answer, returning her smile.
"Mr. Rosso and Mr. Vercellone are waiting for you inside. I am Laura Valeri, secretary of the club."
"It’s great to meet you", I say, and slightly awkwardly return her mandatory kiss on the cheek.
"I’m sorry you had to wait so long. Follow me, O.K?"
I have a good look at Ms. Valeris slender figure as she walks me down the corridor to the office of Marco Rosso, Cuneos chairman. I had arrivied in town by train a good three-and-a-half-hours ago after quite a long journey from Dortmund. The last part of the train ride was absolutely spectacular, as the rails spiral themselves up the mountains through long tunnels and when you finally come out into the light you can see mile after mile of tracks spiraling the mountainside beneath you. Upon arriving I spent the first hour trying out a local pub, Il Difensore. A dim-lit, half-asleep kind of old drinking house, but it was just down the road from the club facilities and the local G.B. Burlotto red wine really was quite excellent. I walked in for my three o’clock interview about twenty minutes early, but somehow I ended up having to wait over two hours, and after some time I fell asleep in one of the brown leather armchairs seated next to the reception. Now though, I am finally about to get my interview for the manager position at Cuneo. Laura opens the door for me and I step inside.
“Kaiser!” Mr. Rosso comes forward from behind his desk, very quickly for his age, and greets me with a triple cheek kiss. A bit perplexed, I try to just play along. I’ve never met him before. He is a man with a sympathetic and somehow tired face, long silver hair combed back over his head and a thin gray moustache resting comfortably over his upper lip. Although obviously quite old, there is something both youthful and gracious about him.
“Say hello to Kaiser, Valter.” Valter Vercellone, Director of Football, is the other man in the room. He is a rather slim man dressed in a dark blue Adidas tracksuit, some years junior to Rosso but still by no means a ‘young man’. He approaches me a bit more cautiously but heartily tells me they’re very happy to have me there, before leaving me with Mr. Rosso.
“Kaiser, you had to wait a long time. A very urgent matter came up that Valter and I had to attend to at once. Accept my apology.” I look at him and nod.
“No problem”, I say.
“So, I don’t wanna waste anymore of your time. Ezio will not be managing Cuneo next season. I guess you already know.”
“I heard about that” I say briefly. Of course I know what he was talking about. After a online betting site was hacked last week news quickly slipped out about more fixed matches, just what italian football needed. It had turned out Ezio Rossi, rather newly appointed manager of Cuneo had been heavily involved.
“Yes… it really is a shame. But Kaiser, we are very happy you agreed to come here. We know how well you have done at Dortmund. I’ve talked to both Klopp and Dr. Rauball and we have agreed on a fee…” I couldn’t really say why, but upon hearing him say this I almost panic.
“Mr. Rosso, I think we should get on with the interview. I’ve prepared a 60 page file I would like to show you laying out whatever potential and problems I see with the team and how I would like to build and improve on that. I’ve also got a couple of DVD’s of last years matche-“, I was cut short mid-sentence.
“Kaiser, I want you to take the team. I am sure you will do good things.”
I don’t know what to say. I don’t know why Mr. Rossi is handing me the club and I don’t know why it suddenly feels like we’ve known each other for a very long time. I just stand there and look into his eyes.
“Are we both happy with that?” he finally askes.
“Very much so.” I mumble.
"Mr. Coppola?"
I wake with a start. As my eyes refocus from behind my glasses I am greeted by a womans face, smiling kindly at me.
"That’s me", I answer, returning her smile.
"Mr. Rosso and Mr. Vercellone are waiting for you inside. I am Laura Valeri, secretary of the club."
"It’s great to meet you", I say, and slightly awkwardly return her mandatory kiss on the cheek.
"I’m sorry you had to wait so long. Follow me, O.K?"
I have a good look at Ms. Valeris slender figure as she walks me down the corridor to the office of Marco Rosso, Cuneos chairman. I had arrivied in town by train a good three-and-a-half-hours ago after quite a long journey from Dortmund. The last part of the train ride was absolutely spectacular, as the rails spiral themselves up the mountains through long tunnels and when you finally come out into the light you can see mile after mile of tracks spiraling the mountainside beneath you. Upon arriving I spent the first hour trying out a local pub, Il Difensore. A dim-lit, half-asleep kind of old drinking house, but it was just down the road from the club facilities and the local G.B. Burlotto red wine really was quite excellent. I walked in for my three o’clock interview about twenty minutes early, but somehow I ended up having to wait over two hours, and after some time I fell asleep in one of the brown leather armchairs seated next to the reception. Now though, I am finally about to get my interview for the manager position at Cuneo. Laura opens the door for me and I step inside.
“Kaiser!” Mr. Rosso comes forward from behind his desk, very quickly for his age, and greets me with a triple cheek kiss. A bit perplexed, I try to just play along. I’ve never met him before. He is a man with a sympathetic and somehow tired face, long silver hair combed back over his head and a thin gray moustache resting comfortably over his upper lip. Although obviously quite old, there is something both youthful and gracious about him.
“Say hello to Kaiser, Valter.” Valter Vercellone, Director of Football, is the other man in the room. He is a rather slim man dressed in a dark blue Adidas tracksuit, some years junior to Rosso but still by no means a ‘young man’. He approaches me a bit more cautiously but heartily tells me they’re very happy to have me there, before leaving me with Mr. Rosso.
“Kaiser, you had to wait a long time. A very urgent matter came up that Valter and I had to attend to at once. Accept my apology.” I look at him and nod.
“No problem”, I say.
“So, I don’t wanna waste anymore of your time. Ezio will not be managing Cuneo next season. I guess you already know.”
“I heard about that” I say briefly. Of course I know what he was talking about. After a online betting site was hacked last week news quickly slipped out about more fixed matches, just what italian football needed. It had turned out Ezio Rossi, rather newly appointed manager of Cuneo had been heavily involved.
“Yes… it really is a shame. But Kaiser, we are very happy you agreed to come here. We know how well you have done at Dortmund. I’ve talked to both Klopp and Dr. Rauball and we have agreed on a fee…” I couldn’t really say why, but upon hearing him say this I almost panic.
“Mr. Rosso, I think we should get on with the interview. I’ve prepared a 60 page file I would like to show you laying out whatever potential and problems I see with the team and how I would like to build and improve on that. I’ve also got a couple of DVD’s of last years matche-“, I was cut short mid-sentence.
“Kaiser, I want you to take the team. I am sure you will do good things.”
I don’t know what to say. I don’t know why Mr. Rossi is handing me the club and I don’t know why it suddenly feels like we’ve known each other for a very long time. I just stand there and look into his eyes.
“Are we both happy with that?” he finally askes.
“Very much so.” I mumble.