retired_avidal

Saturday August 26 ~ The next encounter

With European qualifications upcoming, I decided to give my starting XI a rest, and use the backups, since a number of them will also be playing for their countries, to serve as a way into getting into game shape, and resting the big guns. A match against Portsmouth would suffice, and off to the field I went.
Barclay’s Premiership
Manchester United vs. Portsmouth
Old Trafford, Manchester

Starting XI:
GK – De Sanctis (c)
DC – Iannicello
DC – Rossi
WBR – Rosi
WBL – Vidal
DMC – Lucas Pezzini
MC – Kallstrom
MC – Nakamura
AMC – Miccoli
FC – Aguero
FC – Gilardino
Subs: Buffon, Chiellini, Montolivo, Del Piero, Toni
12 minutes of football was played when Man U opened the scoring. Sergio Aguero hammered home a half volley home from a deflected Miccoli effort to put Man U one goal to the good. Alberto Gilardino doubles our lead after heading home a Nakamura free kick at 38’. Aguero makes it 3-0 at the stroke of half time with a gorgeous 25 yard audacious chip, which beats the keeper, and he’s absolutely delighted with his glorious effort.
The second half sees Portsmouth react to their manager’s talk as Stefonic kicks Rossi and receives a red card. Down to 10 men on the pitch, this game is as good as over. Alberto Gilardino makes it 4-0 with a screamer of a shot from 30 yards out, catching the keeper and me completely off guard. Shunsuke Nakamura continues the goal gluttony with a rounded effort to make the scoreline equal 5-0. Kim Kallstrom after the kickoff stole the ball, and walked in on the keeper, chipping him perfectly to make it 6-0. 7-0 comes to fruition as Fabrizio Miccoli blasts one home from long range. Gilardino completes the hat trick at 85’ with a diving header after great work from Aguero to get open and deliver the ball to him. Kallstrom adds his second of the game after taking a feed from Pezzini and hammering a low shot to the keeper’s left, bringing the score to 9-0. Miccoli makes it 10-0 after leaving his man with a clean set of heels, and passing one to the keeper’s right. The referee mercifully blows for full time, and I know I will never be able to record another victory like that again.

Final Score
Manchester United 10 (Aguero 15’ 45’ Gilardino 39’ 72’ 86’ Nakamura 77’ Kallstrom 78’ 90’ Miccoli 84’ 90’) Portsmouth 0
Man Of The Match: Alberto Gilardino (10)

retired_avidal

August 28th 2006 ~ Care To Join Us?
After giving the internationals a day off, I decided to take some personal time to myself. Italy was due to play Lithuania and France, and I was contemplating travelling to see the Azzurri, and maybe get a closer look at their talented U21 squad, which will see 13 of my youngsters play brings nothing but a smile to my face. Manchester United don’t play again until September 9, so I have plenty of time to sit back, relax and watch some great football. But before I do, I have some business to take care of back home.....

I went back home to Canada, the land I had left almost 5 years ago and never thought twice about it. In order to make it in a football world, it can’t work in The Great White North, especially with the lacklustre Canadian Soccer Association at the helm. Their ancient ways, and the monopoly of British only coaches in the higher ranks constantly leads to bitter disappointment. With the lack of a professional system as well in Canada, since the boy sat the CSA see the Premiership and Scottish League as the “only viable options” in football has sent Canada backwards in player development, and is the reason why our best and brightest will no longer play for them. But the final straw came while gaining my licence, and the head of the Canadian Soccer Association personally conducted my session. I ended up failing due to the fact I ran my session “ran incorrectly” since it was held going east to west, as opposed to north to south. After the “incident” I had filed a complaint with the CSA and CONCACAF, which had been ignored. I then published an open letter in my local newspaper, and being journalism major at the time, submitted it to my school newspaper, which incidentally was picked up by the national media, and had been asked to do a cover feature by some local and national sports news outlets. Long story short, I had exposed a major racial profiling scandal within Canada’s governing soccer body. I was then essentially blackballed from coaching even at the recreational level. I however had a backup plan; thanks to my parents applying, and receiving my papers to be named an Italian citizen due to my parent’s not yet being citizens of Canada, I had the opportunity to, at any time renounce my Canadian citizenship and pick up an Italian one, since I was once upon a time, a highly touted prospect in my own country, with some Italian clubs looking to sign me at a young age. It never came to fruition, partly from my own contrition. Anyways, I had immediately obtained my badges through the Italian FA, and was signed by Juventus after a very impressive interview as their youth team coach, and quickly moved up the ranks due to my technical and tactical brilliance. In an interview with the press after my hiring, I told them of my dealings back home, ripped the CSA, and taunted that I would never return. And now, 5 years later I had gone back on my word...
I had landed in Toronto, and immediately made my way to the newly built BMO (National Soccer Stadium) Field. With Toronto FC holding open tryouts, I decided, since we have an agreement in place with Toronto, that I’d take a close look at some youngsters. While I sat in the stands, the coach Mo Johnstone (A Scot, I might add) began his speech about the game of “soccer.” After about an hour, he finally began working the boys into matches, and was cutting players left and right. There was a young man who had caught my eye, Frankie Bruno. This kid had that special something you can’t name, but once you see it, you know. Coach Mo ripped into the kid, and sent him packing, and I had missed why. The kid grabbed his stuff, and made his way towards the exit. I got up from my seat, and walked over to him. I asked him a few questions, and he would not have any of it. He was still upset about his being asked to leave the field, and was close to tears. I saw this kid had passion, and offered him a plane ticket to England. During the confusion, he failed to realize who I was, and it wasn’t until after I had left that he realized I had essentially given him a chance to join Man U. As I was leaving, I was stopped by an official from BMO Field, who asked for me to return. As I entered, Coach Mo approached me and asked me what I was doing. After I explained to him who I was and my purpose, he flew into a fit of rage. Words were exchanged, and I basically talked down to him, and this club’s purpose. After ripping into him, Toronto FC and the CSA again, I walked away, and Coach Mo decided to flip the bird in my general direction. Just a shame I had my camera phone with me, and a contact in the local media, my former journalism professor....
Coach Mo was released from his TFC contract with immediate effect, and I smiled as I was on my way back to Manchester via Milan, with Frankie Bruno and his family two rows behind me on the private jet Manchester United provided for me.

retired_avidal

August 31 2006 ~ NO CHANCE
With my arrival at the San Siro, the Italian FA announced that despite rumours of talks, my naming as national team coach is not going to happen anytime, only because a 24 year old coach would not be met with a lot of confidence by the Italian faithful. Despite the big guns, who all play for me asking and begging that I be named as the new coach. However, the Italian FA decided that Roberto Donadoni would succeed Lippi as national coach. I was asked how I felt about the decision, and responded that although disappointed, I didn`t feel I would be able to handle the pressure of being the boss of one of the greatest footballing nations. That being said, I decided to skip on the games, and went back to the office to look over the youth training and reserves matches. I was pleasantly surprised at the progress of the young lads, and once satisfied with their progress that day, gave the boys the evening and morning off to travel around Manchester, as long as they don`t cause any trouble. I decided to take a few more days off, and prepare our strategy for our next game.

September 9 2006 ~ The contest
Barclay’s Premiership
Manchester United vs. Fulham
Craven Cottage, London

Starting XI
GK – Buffon (c)
DC – Iannicello
DC – Rossi
WBR – Rosi
WBL – Vidal
DMC – Montolivo
MC – Ronaldo
MC – Peters
AMC – Miccoli
FC – Rooney
FC – Gilardino
Subs: De Sanctis, Chiellini, Pirlo, Del Piero, Toni
After a rather forgetful first half which saw a lack of excitement to say the least. It was like amateurs playing the game, and I made sure that the boys heard it at half time. It woke them up, as Man U woke up, and began to play close to their potential, and started firing from all angles, and really testing the Fulham keeper. Montolivo finally broke the deadlock at 62’ with a Beckham-esque free kick from just outside the area. Even Del Piero, who in my own opinion is the top dead ball kicker around stood up and applauded the youngster’s strike. After the goal, I sent Chiellini in for Ronaldo, who was calling for a substitution due to playing both Portugal international matches over the weekend. Rooney nearly made it 2-0 with a scorcher from well outside the area, but it struck the upright and bounced clear of Gilardino’s awaiting left foot. The rest of the match was as dull as the opening half, but I’ll take the 3 points.

Final Score: Man U 1 (Montolivo 62’) Fulham 0
Man Of The Match: Jaime Peters (8)