If you register for free, you will be able to post threads, vote on polls and lots more. If you have problems with the registration or logging in, please contact the administrator.
Thanks for all your kind comments lads. Keeps the pressure on me to keep playing/writing!
__________
Wednesday nights match against Vis Pesaro came around before I knew it. Every day at the club this week had been hectic with one less staff member around the place and it looked things will remain this way for a while yet after Castellano squarely rejected a couple of management offers saying that these people were not of the calibre required at Sorrento. On Monday morning I also learnt just how well Capace knew Castellano when as predicted a full-time coaching contract was placed in front of me. I'd initially been put on a weekly wage of 450 euros which I was more than happy with given my coaching experience.
Quote:
04.08.04 Vis Pesaro @ Communale Italia, Sorrento - Pre-season friendly
Serie C1 side Vis Pesaro visited the Communale to play us under the barely adequate practice lights and we expected a very tough test from a side that last season was playing two divisions above us. For us the match couldn't have started better when Esposito poked home Russo's cross which was spilled by Vis Pesaro's keeper. At the half whilst Vis Pesaro had dominated possession the best of the chances were ours and we were more than happy with the lead. De Simone and Maraucci came on up front for Guariglia and Di Ruocco after the starting two had been largely ineffective. The transfer listed De Simone immediately provided a spark and on 57 minutes he delightfully headed home Maraucci's cross in from the left to make it 2-0. Despite continual pressure by the side from Pesaro we continued to make chances on the counter, when the final whistle blew the match had ended in convincing 4-0 victory. Maraucci scoring one for himself on the hour and then an awful own goal to complete the scoring. A crowd of 160 - up by a whole 11 people on Sunday’s fixture - turned up tonight to witness Ferrara once more as the outstanding Sorrento player. Esposito and Maraucci were the other two standouts for us tonight, however - truth be known - of the 19 players that graced the pitch in the red and black not one was beaten. The only disappointment from this match is the injury incurred late by Maraucci. The physio saw to it straight away however we will have to wait for the scans back from the hospital.
What a turnaround after Sundays match. The four goal margin may have been a bit generous but it was a very positive result none the less, especially considering the off-field situation at the club this week. Castellano announced to the players and staff tonight that a new striker would be arriving on Sunday with another signing to be finalised on Monday.
Thanks dixie and telstar! Glad to hear that i have a few readers
__________
With speculation mounting that Pescara boss Giovanni Simonelli is to be the new manager at Sorrento Calcio the local media attention has certainly been focussed on the club in the last day or two. Whilst Simonelli has not confirmed or denied the claims the speculation locally has been founded on the fact that the chairman Castellano was spotted up in Naples with Simonelli on Friday and it is believed that talks are coming along quite positively. The players appear to be quite pleased with the change at the top and training in the build up to this Saturday's match against Serie B side Catanzaro has been very enthusiastic to say the least.
In injury news after spending a night in 'Santa Maria della Misericordia' Hospital with his injured foot it looks like Maraucci will be out for at least a month after the scans of the foot clarified that it had been broken in a seemingly innocuous challenge late in the recent match with Vis Pesaro. After starting the pre-season with a promising outing up front it appears the rugged Maraucci will sit out the first month of the season and may struggle to force his way back into the side as the season takes off.
We were totally outplayed by a superior Catanzaro side today and despite Ambra's heroics we never really threatened the away goal. The class of the Serie B stood out in a match when we never looked like doing more than getting some match fitness in the player’s legs. Young Balzamo and Buonomo were with Ambra the standouts but some serious questions are surfacing about the class of our defence with the likes of Pezzella, Aruta and Gargiulo really struggling today.
This week we welcome two new signings as Castellano begins to shape the post La Scala era at Sorrento. First arriving late on Sunday there was the young Brazilian midfielder Neto who has been recently playing in Italy with Itala San Marco based almost on the border with Slovenia in Gorizia, San Marco play in one of Italy’s regional divisions (the equivalent of Serie D or E really). An attack minded midfielder Neto has the flair and touch that you would expect from a Brazilian playmaker and his partnership with Buonomo in the middle of the park will be interesting to watch. Then just this morning the second arrival turned up at the Comunale as Laurent Sanda arrived from fellow Serie 2 side Olbia based on the island of Sardinia, Sanda is a young striker from Cameroon who started his professional career in Genoa's youth team before moving down to Olbia. Sanda offers a touch more sharpness and depth up front than our current strikers and will be expected to start.
With the new boys at training for the first time today I was pleasantly surprised how well the current squad took to the new ones. I'm sure Castellano put it to our senior players to ensure that these two are welcomed into the club with friendly arms but to see this actually happen first hand I was quite impressed by the mentality of our squad. In this country you do not assume a single thing when it comes to how you'd expect a non local to be treated in a town the size of Sorrento - let alone a non Italian - like these two are. Anyway maybe it's got something to do with being a tourist town, maybe we've just got a top bunch of lads playing here. Either way it was fantastic to see Sanda and Neto being embraced by the same players that new they would probably lose their place to the new signings. But that's professional football I guess.
On top of these two signings Castellano announced that the backroom staff had been strengthened with the signing of a couple of new scouts. Julian Carrera and David Jarrett join our current scout the free-loading Giampaolo Grilli and it appears that the chairman has almost certainly outlined this area as one in which the club must improve. I am certain that we will soon see the benefits of this situation as the club looks to rebuild towards the coming season after the departure of La Scala.
Quote:
10.08.04 Summer Signings Pt.1
Neto - AM/F C - 25
After joining for just €1000 Neto Leonidas Pereira looks set to further his career at a higher level after making the move from lowly Itala San Marco. A genuine midfield playmaker Neto looks certain to gain a start in the centre of the Sorrento midfield this season and will be expected to create many chances and push forward just behind the front two.
Laurent Sanda - S C - 22
Another €1000 signing, Sanda has spoken of the great determination and desire he has to make it here in Sorrento after a couple of less than successful seasons in the Serie C2A with Sardinian club Olbia. Never afraid of a party Sanda has spoken to me already about his passion for the Italian lifestyle and another holiday town like Sorrento is perfectly suited to the affable young Cameroonian. A certain starter as we embark on the new season and the campaign to stay in the Serie C2.
Julian Carrera - Scout - 32
A Catalan journeyman Carrera has spent much of his professional career in various roles in the English game with both Watford and Tottenham however it is his ambition to get back to the mediterranean lifestyle that has led him to Sorrento. He has been given the newly created role of youth development trainer as well as his scouting role.
David Jarrett - Scout - 22
After spending his earliest years in Canada, Jarrett has since spent his entire life - which at 22 isn't much - in and around Colchester on the east coast of England. Apparently he had a promising football career cut down by injury after progressing through Ipswich Town's academy up till the age of 17. It's amazing how many youngsters had promising careers chopped down by injury, not many mediocre careers ended prematurely are there? Anyway I’m sure Castellano has spotted something special about him, either that or the chairman has just taken to employing backpackers after the obvious success he has had with me.
Before training today Mariana decided that I needed to start looking for a permanent residence now that my contract has been inked. I was surprised that Mariana was looking to help me find a place considering she had been less than accommodating lately, but who knows maybe her opinion of me is changing. After calling a local agent she took me down to Piazza Tasso were we met with the agent who showed me through a couple of apartments just in behind the square off Corsa Italia. The first place was not at all suitable - I do not intend on living in the back pocket of an elderly couple that are looking to rent out their loft. Luckily the second place was much more impressive. When I didn't understand the agents description and Mariana translated it as a 'shiny apartment' I was intrigued, just off Via Accademia - and I soon realised - not far from Capace's little piece of luxury, it was just what I was after a little one bedder with some nice new appliances. To make the location just perfect it opens directly onto a laneway with all the little local fresh produce sellers and market stalls selling numerous lemon products including the notorious limoncella. So it looked like I would be moving out of Ostello delle Sirene almost immediately and to be honest I have been becoming a little tired of living amongst travellers and freeloaders - you know - now that I’m practically a local.
Tonight our final pre-season friendly of the season sees Cattolica Virtus, a Serie D side from Florence make the trip down to Sorrento for the unveiling of our two signings. After last weeks less than impressive result we looked to return some faith to our supporters with a confident on field performance.
In a tightly fought contest in front of only our most enthusiastic Tifosi (fans) - the 'Hells Army' down in Tribuna Sud must have made up more than half the attendance tonight - we could and possibly should have taken the lead with new signing Sanda wasting a couple of good early chances. Costabile was impressing on the right flank and Neto was certainly impressing in the middle of the park. Cattolica Virtus looked determined to give nothing away and on 75 minutes the impressive Manuel Mazzoli put away his chance after a woeful mistake by Ambra losing the ball on the edge of his own area. Mazzoli made it 2-0 just minutes later and the result was decided. Both Balzamo and Neto had good shots saved by the away teams keeper late in the game but the result stood at 2-0. Sanda showed glimpses however his finishing looks to have a lot of room for improvement, his movement off the ball and vision certainly are his strengths. Our most consistent performer today was Costabile on the right, however on the flipside of this Ambra in goal was terrible again and the search for a replacement must not be far off now.
I should comment on the magnificent role that the Hells Army our devout group of tifosi (supporters) who travel everywhere to support this side. Apparently they are one of the better behaved groups of ultras in the country. They take pride in the fact that they will not stoop to the inequalities that grace many ultras in Italy. Why the 'Hells Army'? From what I can tell it appears to be a reference to the blood red and black team colors of the club and when you add a couple of rose coloured homemade flares then they have looked quite hellish by all accounts. Whilst not as intimidating as some supporter groups they are essential to the support of Sorrento and they always involve the more passive local tifosi at the Comunale.
With the moving process over quite quickly - well that's what happens when your entire collection of belongings can be bundled into a hiking pack and a plastic bag from spar - I ventured down to the Stadio Italia. Interestingly I’d noticed that despite Sorrento's grounds official title being 'Comunale Italia' the seemingly more user friendly titles of 'Stadio Comunale' or 'Stadio Italia' were commonly used by all the locals, and as such will be used be me now too. Today chairman Castellano has called a press conference. If you believe the press it is to officially announce the town's worst kept secret that current Pescara boss Giovanni Simonelli would be stepping down from his managerial post in the Abruzzo, and stepping down literally from Serie B to the Serie C2 to take over here at Sorrento. Personally I believe that between Mario Capace, current caretaker manager Catello Di Somma and myself we have the core of a coaching group that can lead the club forward immediately. Perhaps I shouldn't have pressed this issue quite so firmly when the three of us were sharing a particularly boozed up evening with what was an unofficial meeting of the backroom staff this week. Whilst the chairman appeared to be initially impressed by our enthusiasm he soon tired of it and when the final member of the coaching staff - La Scala's old right hand man - Antonino Cinque decided he'd heard enough and began shouting me down it seemed the time for talking was done. Cinque was disgraced by our disrespect for what La Scala had done here with Sorrento and how we (Capace and I) had driven him out of town. It was one of those important nights in the development of an organisation where things were spoken from the heart and there was no holding back as true feelings were placed squarely in the centre of the table.
The gathering press were murmuring as I arrived. Perhaps due to the apparent predictable nature of the announcement, perhaps due to the searing July sun beating down on the ill prepared temporary press facilities that had been set up just outside the main entrance to the clubrooms under the main stand Tribuna Centrale. Antonino Castellano addressed the waiting crowd perfectly to the second as to the press release. Two thirty on the dot. Interestingly he stood alone, not flanked by Simonelli as was the common way to do these things. Surely he had some grand plan to unveil the new boss with the flair and nous that Castellano had become known for. This was the announcement that everyone in town had been waiting for. Simonelli was to be the new allenatore that would lead AS Sorrento Calcio into a new era of Serie C football. Well that's what everyone at Stadio Italia today was thinking as Castellano stepped towards the gathered press...
AS Sorrento chairman Antonino Castellano shocked the awaiting media when he announced that 32 year old Italian-Australian Cristian Piccolino as his clubs new manager following the recent departure of Pino La Scala.
Piccolino had just weeks ago been hired as a coach under La Scala but now it seems that the untried manager will have the weight of the entire town on his shoulders after this shock appointment. Today it was expected that Pescara boss Giovanni Simonelli would be unveiled to take over the top position. The mood swung suddenly from one of excitement to one of confusion when the relative unknown Piccolino was unveiled seemingly not just to the surprise of the awaiting media but also to his own surprise.
In his first statement to the public Piccolino ensured everyone that he would look to uphold the integrity of this great club and would ensure that chairman Castellano's dreams for AS Sorrento would be fulfilled. This blatantly illustrated his poor understanding of football in Sorrento - a town that celebrates footballing mediocrity to the full extent. Apparently the Simonelli deal fell through when it was discovered that he had expectations that the Sorrento board would ensure that his remaining Pescara wages would be covered on top of his new wage here in Sorrento, Castellano reacted furiously tearing up the contract as it stood and any talks ceased immediately. It was at this point that Castellano explained today that he had been looking so hard all around the country that he had not noticed that the best candidate had only recently joined the club and was in fact working right under his nose. This coming Friday sees Piccolino's first challenge in charge as the team travels to Gela down in Sicily for the opening match in this seasons Serie C Cup against Gela Juve-Terranova.
To say I was shocked would be a massive understatement. Not only had I just faced the local press for the first time as manager of AS Sorrento, but I’d just done it on five minutes notice. As Castellano had stepped to the gathered press I noticed Mariana frantically signalling to me - rushing over I noticed that club coaches Capace and Di Somma were standing by her - the Simonelli deal had fallen through and Castellano was about to announce to the footballing world that I - Cris Piccolino - was to be the new manager here in Sorrento. What! Apparently I’d impressed the chairman so much since the La Scala departure that he was now 100% sure that I was the man to take the club into the coming Serie C2 campaign. I quickly realised that this decision had already been made and allowed Capace and Mariana to prep me for the press that were no doubt expecting some sort of initial statement from the new manager.
After sitting down at length with Castellano following the whirlwind that was the press conference he explained his situation in depth. Whilst I wasn't even in the picture for the manager position his talks with prospective manager Simonelli had made him realise that he needed to appoint someone closer to home and realised that any high profile manager would be taking this job for the wrong reason. He needed someone that had a passion for the region and the club - I was his man - with the guidance of Capace and Di Somma I could (in good time) lead this club to glory. He could offer me a transfer budget of €6,952 for the season and a weekly wage structure of €8,500 of which we were only utilising €6,200 at present so there is room for me to bring in a few players if I thought they were required. Castellano made it quite clear that this season would be tough, the jump from Serie D to Serie C2 was a large one and it would be my job to ensure our survival this season. This season is about preservation not glory!
Linear Mode
