retired_brittni10

Jamie took his tie off, folded it up and stuck it in his wardrobe. The first league game of the season had come and gone, he was now back in the comfort of his home some several hours later. All was calm now, nothing compared to the frenetic and intense atmosphere that had passed in the time before-hand, all season would be like this he thought. The whole match had passed in what seems like nanoseconds. The result would linger long in his memory and the goal from the penalty spot by Simone Berardi, beloved by the Titani tifosi, was almost the stuff of Roy of the Rovers. The emotions that had spilled out from on the touchline both before and after the game, the tension before the kick-off, the roar of the supporters as the teams had entered the field, he contested every decision he felt had been harshly awarded against his side, the quiet before the goal, the relief. Then holding on, holding on for an eternity, the hope his side might snatch another and then more relief at the final whistle. The excitement. He knew though that his life would never be the same no matter what whilst he was in charge. The emotion, that would always be there, it was impossible to be distanced from it, even now he felt a slight nervousness and tension passing through him. It was like electricity was coursing all around his body and inside his mind. He just couldn’t switch off. He couldn’t rest. His heart skipped a beat.

He tried to sleep but just lay in bed, eyes closed. He couldn’t stay in the same place for ten seconds and was constantly moving. He opened his eyes and glanced around the room. His sights catching the photographs on his youth; one showed him lifting the Coppa Primavera with Fiorentina‘s youth team, another celebrating a goal for the full team, then his eyes centred on another picture, slightly closer to home. It was on his bedside table. It showed his mother and father, both smiling inanely as they looked at the baby his mother was cradling, it was him of course. He picked it up and a tear ran down his cheek. ‘If only they were still here’ he thought to himself. His mobile phone chirped to life. He looked at the clock on the wall, it was three am…

‘Hello?’ he said awkwardly.
‘Jamie I know you’re awake. I need to come over, I’ll be there in ten minutes okay?’ It was Marco Ragini
‘Marco do you know what time it is?’ he asked wearily.
‘I’m know, I’m sorry I just need somewhere to stay for the night, there’s been a little accident’
‘Okay Marco’ he replied hesitantly. His night was just going to get longer…

retired_w0lfpack1

Brutal cliffhanger!

retired_brittni10

Monday 28th August 2006
San Marino Oggi

Titani bring in young duo

San Marino Calcio have completing the signing of Luca Brandi and Davide Cardinale on free transfers.

Brandi, a goalkeeper, fifteen years-old, and Cardinale, a central defender, sixteen years-old, were both born in San Marino and have joined the club on youth contracts. They are signings fifteen and sixteen of the season so far.

Manager Jamie Waggett said: "I am very happy to have signed both Luca and Davide. I feel they have potential and I expect them develop and show those at the club what they’re capable of. People may say I’m making a lot of signings but I‘ve been bought to the club to reinvigorate it at all levels and investing in youth is just one way of doing this. Expect more signings."

The club were further boosted with the news that striker Giovanni Abate had resumed full training following his recovery from a broken jaw, it’s sure to be a welcome return to the squad for the talented attacker.

retired_brittni10

Wednesday 30th August 2006
La Tribuna Sammarinese

Titani swoop for teenager

Ahead of tonight’s Coppa Italia Serie C clash the Prato the Titani have revealed that former Cesena striker Matteo Valli had returned to the club and become the seventeenth signing made by San Marino Calcio manager Jamie Waggett since his arrival in July.

The nineteen year-old, who has signed a three year contract, spent last season at the Serie B side but failed to break into the first-team having joined them from Titani at the start of that season.

Having progressed through the youth set-up at the Olimpico Valli played nine times as a seventeen year-old in Serie C2/B impressing national selectors and Cesena enough to offer him a chance at a higher level but sadly it just didn’t work out.

Valli said: "I know there were quite a few other clubs after me but I am very happy to be here. This is a challenge for me - I am looking forward to training with the other players and making my second debut for the club. I perhaps shouldn‘t have gone to Cesena when I did, I could have stayed longer but I chose not to sign a new contract and return here as I wanted to make a more gradual progression. My aim for the coming season is to get in the side as quickly as possible and score goals. I’ve shown I can score at under twenty-one and youth level and I feel I can progress to a higher level, hopefully with San Marino Calcio.”

Valli, who has been capped seven times by the San Marino under-twenty-one’s, scoring four goals in the process, is believed by many to be the long-term successor to striker Andy Selva in the nazionale as well as having the potential to be one of the most talented San Marinese players of all time.

Titani scout Massimiliano Righi said: “I like Matteo a lot, when you watch him play you sense there’s a certain something different about him compared to your average player - he‘s got good technique, pace, can dribble and is also very good in the air, as you‘d expect from someone over six foot tall. It’s a real coup for San Marino to bring a player of his potential to the club and I feel he could definitely play at a higher level. The only thing stopping him will be how far Matteo himself wants to go.”

With the confirmation of the signing of Matteo Valli the club also confirmed that they had terminated the season-long loan of Federico Ligori, who has returned to Serie B Spezia. The twenty-four year-old striker featured twice as a substitute this season, once in Serie C1/B and once in the Coppa Italia Serie C but failed to shine on either occasion.

retired_w0lfpack1

An update, with no answer to the cliffhanger question of what the 3am accident was? Now that's really cruel!

retired_jgirl87

I've just read all of this - it really is top quality. KUTGW Wag :thup:

retired_brittni10

Thanks for the comments Amaroq and Spav

retired_brittni10

Wednesday 30th August 2006
Coppa Italia Serie C, Group F #3
Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle

Having shocked Perugia in Sundays Serie C1/B match it was back to the business of trying to squeeze into the next round of the Coppa Italia Serie C little over three days later. In between the games San Marino have unveiled the signing of nineteen year-old San Marinese striking prodigy Matteo Valli and he made a surprise debut in place of fellow striker Alberto Villa who dropped to the bench having scored once in three games so far but had looked lack lustre in his last two outings. San Marino’s opponents would be Serie C1/A side Pistoiese who had collected four points from their opening three games in the competition but had little chance of qualifying for the next round so the two and a half hour journey from Pistoia was one not many of their support made. Despite this 2,618 people were at the Stadio Olimpico, no doubt many on the back of the result against Perugia but perhaps some curious to the fact that San Marino were so far unbeaten in both of the matches they’d played at the Stadio Olimpico so far this term and were looking to make it three.

There was something of a party atmosphere in the crowd before kick-off as they celebrated the return of Matteo Valli to the club from Cesena and the noise only rose as San Marino attacked their opponents almost straight from the kick-off. Luca Ceccarelli picked up a cross field pass from Alex Gasperoni on the right wing and looked to feed Matteo Valli with a low ball into the six yard box but the striker was only a whisper away and the Pistoiese defence cleared it’s lines. The young striker was causing problems early on with his height, hold-up play and pace but it was Pistoiese who got the first shot on target when Claudio Pani hit a central free-kick from around thirty-five yards straight at Emiliano Dei in the eighth minute, the goalkeeper comfortably catching the ball without much difficulty.

Time quickly flew by with both sides enjoying some possession without ever threatening before a foul on Luca Ceccarelli by Fabrizio Boccaccini high up the pitch near the right hand edge of the area presented San Marino with a perfect chance to open the scoring. Alex Gasperoni curled the ball into the box where it was met by Luca Ceccarelli who saw his header deflect to the edge of the area. Central defender Luca D’Angelo reacted quickest and drove the ball back towards the penalty spot for Matteo Valli to instinctively flick the ball firmly into the bottom left hand corner of the net with his head leaving Pistoiese goalkeeper Alessio Bandieri flat footed and the striker with a goal within eighteen minutes of his second debut for the club. As signings go so far his looked a good one and he celebrated his strike by saluting the San Marino fans near corner flag before he was mobbed by his new team-mates.

Ten minutes later he almost made it two. Alex Gasperoni raced onto a cross field ball from right back Simone Berardi, got beyond Pistoiese right back Lorenzo Collacchioni and fed the young striker just inside the area, however, his first touch was heavy and he saw his second, a shot, deflect off defender Marco Teani and wide of the target for a corner.

San Marino were looking vibrant in attack with the wing play of Alex Gasperoni and Luca Ceccarelli being ably supported by the hold-up of Matteo Valli, the passing ability of Davide Faieta, Francesco Giorgetti and the tenacious defensive work of Nicola Napolitano. The defence was also looking extremely solid but had to reshuffle in the forty-first minute when on-loan AC Milan left back Salvatore Ferraro was forced off the pitch with a twisted ankle injury that would keep him out of action for a month. Former Domagnano utility man Giacomo Maiani, a San Marino international, coming on in his place. Maiani almost immediately looked the part and was involved at the start of a move which lead to a chance for Nicola Napolitano on the stroke of half-time, the stand-in left back bursting forward then crossing for Davide Faieta to chest the ball down into the path of the defensive midfielder who unfortunately just couldn’t keep his shot down with the Pistoiese goalkeeper and defence looking extremely flat-footed.

Neither side made any alterations at the break but the Pistoiese players had to endure the whistles of their small pocket of travelling fans as they continued to under perform in the opening stages of the second half. When they did manage to attack captain Luca D’Angelo, Simone Berardi, Giacomo Maiani and the impressive Roberto Di Maio all worked together as a concrete unit to deny their forwards space and time which saw the away side limited to shooting from long range. A sixty-seventh minute effort, the first attempt they’d managed of the second half, from Lucas Simón which went well over the bar testament to how well the defence was working. Emiliano Dei, who had been a relative spectator for much of the game was called upon to claim a tame Claudio Pani free kick as time ran out. San Marino had won relatively easily and stretched their home record to three wins in a row as they looked towards their final group match against Ancona with qualification hopes still alive.

Pistoiese 1-0 (Matteo Valli 18)
Attendance: 2,618
MotM: Roberto Di Maio (San Marino)

San Marino Calcio:
Emiliano Dei; Simone Berardi, Salvatore Ferraro (Giacomo Maiani on 41), Luca D’Angelo ©, Roberto Di Maio; Nicola Napolitano, Luca Ceccarelli, Alex Gasperoni, Francesco Giorgetti, Davide Faieta; Matteo Valli

Pistoiese:
Alessio Bandieri; Lorenzo Collacchioni, Fabrizio Boccaccini, Marco Teani ©, Emanuele Venturelli; Cristian Romanelli, Saverio Maranzano, Claudio Pani, Marco Parolo (Cesare Massaro on 72); Lucas Simón (Simone Vaglini on 72), Simone Motta (Federico Gerardi on 72)