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The opening eleven minutes to his management career had been far from idyllic but stretch that to seventeen minutes and it was far from dull. But then football is rarely a dull sport or environment to work in. Working with and alongside egotistical, self-proclaiming, overpaid tykes is rarely dull.
Rewind seven days and Stefano Melisi had just been appointed manager of San Potito of Serie C2/C in Italy. In the summer Chairman Giuseppe Maglione had fired the then manager Alberto Novelli for not winning promotion from Serie D but football as they say, is a funny old game. Melfi had suffered at the hands of the heavy- handed FIGC (Italian FA), as Venezia, Fiorentina, Juventus and Genoa had done before and were relegated, Melfi's crime was financial irregularities and as such San Potito were promoted from Serie D to take their place.
Stefano was presented to the media in early August of 2005, a rather small gathering of local radio, TV and newspaper sports journalists covering the next stage of life at the Sant'Abruzzesse, a stadium holding 9,300 (9,000 seating) and "fairly basic facilities" for a professional outfit.
"Giuseppe, Giuseppe," the media cried.
"Yes, Giorgio," the chairman responded pointing to the local sports radio journalist with his microphone thrusting forward.
"Now you've been promoted do you regret sacking the experienced Alberto Novelli?"
"Honestly, no, we had agreed and set out our objectives and he failed to meet them, we are delighted to appoint Stefano Melisi, who has been working here as a coach on a casual basis with us for one and a half seasons and the club feels he is the man to take us on to the next level."
"What are your objectives now then?"
"To maintain our status in Serie C2/C and steer clear of Serie D, we have been given an opportunity and we don't want to and won't pass it up."
"So Stefano, what brought you to San Potito and what experience do you have?"
"Isn't that for you to research...as journalists?"
The room fell silent.
"I took up coaching in the summer of 2000 after I retired due to a series of niggling injuries at Rushden & Diamonds. I coached there for two years before spending a season abroad in Italy at Perugia and Udinese, Holland with AZ Alkmaar and France with AS Nancy learning and gaining new coaching techniques and methods. I then returned to Rushden & Diamonds as a coach. In January of 2004 I moved over to Italy, here in San Potito with my son, Gennaro, so I could be close to my mum and dad. My dad was seriously ill and I approached San Potito and volunteered my services as a coach on a casual basis around being with my dad. Gennaro trained with the youth team. A few months back my father sadly passed away here in this town, the town he was born and raised in so when the manager's post became available I applied and was offered the chance to manager the football team my dad supported as a boy, I accepted and dedicated it to him."
With his speech over Stefano left the room.
Stefano knew the players and staff at San Potito, so no introductions were necessary, so he wasted no time in contacting all Serie A and top Serie B sides to inquiry about which players were available for loan, compiled the list and called Massimo Costantini to his office. Massimo was a scout at the club, he was the only scout at the club.
"Massimo, he is a list of players available for loan that I want you to go and check out - reserve and youth team friendlies and training. Make a report on every player and call me with the details the following morning. We are going to need some good loan signings if we are to survive this season. If you can get information about any unattached players, maybe that were released over the summer by clubs then fantastic, Chairman says money is tight."
'Money is tight' was a bit of understatement, Stefano had always been good with his own personal finances, savings accounts and all but balancing the books at San Potito and ensuring it ran like a successful business as well as a successful football club. The wage bill needed trimming, the squad was young with not many high earners, plus most of the squad only had contracts for the season until 2006 and they would need to be renegotiated, possibly raising the wage bill further. Also due to the unexpected promotion, players were not up to the standard of Serie C2 and they would need to be rehoused.
Next in the office was Nino Trentadue, the only coach on the books.
"Nino, I've put out adverts for an Assistant Manager, Coaches and Scouts to lighten the workload on you, we've got over 30 players at the club and that is too much for just you."
"Ok boss, sounds good."
"Nino, it's Stefano not boss if you please?"
"Ok, I would like to apply for the Assistant's post."
"That's fine by me, I'd be happy to have you as my Assistant, speak to the Club Secretary and hopefully we can get a new coach or two in."
"So I got the job?"
"Steady on, not yet, if Marcello Lippi or Fabio Capello applies I might have to reconsider but if and when we get a coach or two in, we can promote you, you can be the Interim-Unofficial-Assistant Manager if you like.?"
"Sure thing bos...Stefano."
"I will try and assist as much with training as possible but I got a lot of things to do in the ofice pre-season, so don't be offended if I'm not out there much."
The last men in were Salvatore Valvano and Fabio Grieco, the two physios.
"Morning gentlemen."
"Morning."
"With Nino as the only coach, I will be looking for one of you to assist with the fitness side of training if that's ok with you, time depending of course."
"Yeah one of us should be able to assist most of the time."
"I'm hoping you don't have too many guys in their (physio room) this season."
"Guys, most of them are boys."
Salvatore was right, the San Potito squad was young, very little experience but Stefano trusted youth and the almost fearless attitude they brought.
His phone rang interjecting his thoughts.
"Boss, I've had Parma, Siena, Palermo and Lazio on the phone this morning."
"Congratulatory muffin baskets," he joked.
"Francesco Cosenza and yes you've had three so far," replied Alessandria the Club Secretary who carried out far too many duties on her own.
"Go on..."
"The follow-on faxes say they are offering £44.5k for co-ownership of him."
"Reply to all with £120k, two-years and he stays with us."
"Will do Boss."
"Please call me..."
Alessandria had already hung-up before he could finish his sentence. Stefano was playing hardball, the club could not afford to turn down good offers but frankly these were not good offers to him for a young promising centre-half.
The opening eleven minutes to his management career had been far from idyllic but stretch that to seventeen minutes and it was far from dull. But then football is rarely a dull sport or environment to work in. Working with and alongside egotistical, self-proclaiming, overpaid tykes is rarely dull.
2-0 down away to non-league Faenza was not the start he had in mind. As he scratched his head, he thought and said, "Sorry dad." Paolo loved San Potito and always watched the home games, in the ten years he spent in England, not being able to watch I Leoni (The Lions) was the hardest part, not the poor weather that rained when the sun should have shined and vice versa or the food. Hold the phone, on-loan striker Piero Balistreri pulled one back and what a good finish it was, more Palermo in Serie A than San Potito in Serie C2/C. San Potitio controlled the rest of the first half and the Palermo man did it again just before half-time. The second half was awash with substitutions from both teams and there was no rhythm or flow to the game. Self-respect just about restored with a 2-2 draw.
The newspapers weren't too harsh but cited the interest in Francesco Cosenza as the reason as the reason he played so poorly and were obviously impressed with Piero Balistreri. They also ran reports that Stefano would make his son, Gennaro, a promising Italian centre midfielder his first signing. He read on and saw that Sporting Lisbon had signed the left-sided Frenchman Rod Davies on a free and that American goalkeeper Bryan Alkire, more commonly known as Hick had signed for second-tier Swiss side AC Luagano.
* Author's Note - Lugano unfortunately remained genetically-modified from a previous game and as such are a bit good.
Cheers Guys
Pan Panpardus is in there and I'm sure his agent is working hard.
"What do you think, Modena?"
"Regular Serie B outfit, probably more chance of games than at Chievo or Siena to be honest but it's your choice. There is always San Potito," Stefano quipped.
They both laughed.
"Modena at least play in yellow if that's any consolation." (as do San Potito - yellow and green)
"You will play for Italy son but you've a lot of learn first and have to earn it, put in the effort and you will be rewarded."
"Cheers dad."
Stefano had always said managers should never sign their son's, it isn't good for team atmosphere and unity and the other players are always suspicious of favouritism but of course he would love to have a player of his quality and undoubtable potential at San Potito.
Anyway Stefano had bigger issuses to contend with as Serie A side Cagliari were in town and he had not made any signings, so it was the same XI that took to the field against Faenza, that started against Cagliari, the XI he considered his strongest at present. It was hardly surprising that San Potito were overwhelmed by the visitors who fielded a very strong side and swept into a 2 goal lead but this time there was no shame in that. At half-time Stefano told his players to enjoy the challenge and again the second half was full of substitutions by both teams, which suited the home side as it was disjointed but the Sicilian's scored a third in front of a 9,233 strong crowd, just shy of capacity.
The newspapers in the morning confirmed that Italian midfielder Gennaro Melisi had signed for Serie B side Modena. Also Scottish/English defender Simon Furnivall, more commonly known as Terkaldinho had signed for English Premiership side Aston Villa, rejecting the offers of Newcastle United and Portsmouth.
Stefano had been busy this week, defender Cosenza, midfielders Gianmarco Rodi and Martino Gravante and striker Vinicio Paris had all signed new contracts with the club. Whilst leaving the club were three of the top-earners, 30-year-old attacking-midfielder Nathan Schiavon to non-league Sorrento in a deal worth £24k. 24-year-old midfielder Diego Russo to C2/A side Lecco in a deal worth £12k and 30-year-old forward Federico Lauria to fellow C2/C side Nocerina in a deal worth £26k. The wage-bill had been brought in line with requirements to run financially sound for the forthcoming season.
"Signore Melisi," he heard looking up.
"Chairman Maglione," he replied.
"The Cagliari game was worth a few bob the other day and with the three departures finalised, we're looking healthy...financially at present."
"Thank you."
"But how are we looking player-wise, with those three gone?"
"They weren't worth the wage we were paying them, Schiavon and Lauria weren't hungry for the fight and Russo simply wasn't good enough, we've got much younger players of equal quality."
"I want to stay in Serie C Melisi so don't be afraid to use a little cash on new faces to achieve this."
"I'm trying really I am but the loan players we've approached just don't want to play in this division, so I'm now looking beyond the likes of AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus and AS Roma."
"I've heard good things about Diego Della Rosa, you know him?"
"Yeah but the papers say he's off to Palermo or Marseille, we can't quite compete with the likes of them...yet."
Italian/Argentinean left-winger cum forward Diego Della Rosa had signed for Lille instead of Mallorca, Marseille or Palermo and Nigerian Ali Lune Weah, Luna to his friends, headed for Brazilian side Juventude.
Stefano entered his office and a stack of faxes awaited his arrival. The first set concerned Francesco Consenza again and co-ownership deals, Chievo, Fiorentina and Treviso the interested parties offering up to £65k now. He scribbled on them £120k and took them to Alessandria, who was working on Reception.
"Are you the Receptionist as well?"
"I'm whatever you want me to be," she replied.
"Um...ah...."
"That came out all wrong."
"Can you prepare and send some faxes back for me please, juse these three."
"Yeah sure, you've got another load here."
In amongst the multitude of rejections, were some positive referrals, three Lazio youngsters had agreed to sign on season-long loans. Left-midfielder Andrea Langiotti, Stefano Pandolfi who looked an all-round better player than Piero Balistreri but the two would in all likelihood compete for the one striking spot in the 451 formation Stefano had adopted in the first two games. He had been around football, especially Italian football long enough to know that you build from a solid base and would look to spring forward when in possession to a 4231 with the full-backs pushing on. The third lazio loanee was arguably the most important full-back Lorenzo De Silvestri, as Danilo Massaro the only other right-back option had looked out of his depth in the first-team but at 18-years-old could progress with a strong couple of seasons in the under 20's. The fourth signing came from Leece, right-winger Alessio Carteni, again on a season-long loan. Stefano was happy with the four captures but was still after a strong centre-midfielder or two and a centre-back to challenge Cosenza and Luigi Cuomo for a starting shirt.
My Life In Yours (Sign-Up Story) 
I ame surrised that I didn't wind up in MLS though.
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