zipman

07.08.05 - 16:00 - Sant' Abruzzese, Melfi - Friendly

Melfi - Castrovillari (Calabria, Non-League) 5:0 (2:0)

Wet 26°C
Attendance: 128
Referee: Gabriele Gava

Melfi (4-4-2)
Nicoletti
Addo - Rodio - Cuomo - D'Angelo (C)
Selvaggi - Roma - La Porta - Liberti
Venturini - Rubino

Goals:
Venturini (16', 28')
Lauria (68', 82', 83')

MoM: Federico Lauria (ST, Melfi, scored a hattrick in 28 minutes on the pitch)

For the first time we entered a game as favourites and we really showed the pundits that they were right. From the first moment we dominated our opponents from the very South of Italy. Key to victory was that we controlled the ball (56 % possession) and that we didn't allow Castrovillari a single shot on target.

The whole team was playing well, but the strikers Venturini and Lauria were key players with their superb finishing.

Now we have one friendly and a fitness test on Monte Vulture left before the first cup game.

zipman

Grazie Mille Just came back from me real Italy vacation - guess its also giving results

zipman

10.08.05 - 19:30 - Sant' Abruzzese, Melfi - Friendly

Melfi - Crotone (Calabria, Serie B) 0:2 (0:2)

Dry 29°C
Attendance: 139
Referee: Diego Preschern

Melfi (4-4-2)
Nicoletti
Marciano - Montano - Patarini - Avolio
Esposito - Doumbia - Cammarota - Gravante
Di Giacomo - Roberto

MoM: Nazzareno Tarantino (ST, Crotone)

As expected Crotone who play two leagues above us and who have among others players from Paraguay, Brazil and Morocco in their squad were at least two numbers two big for us. We had a brilliant chance to take the lead after 32 seconds, but our striker lost his nerves one on one with the goalie. Crotone deserved the lead at the break, but the second half was an open affair.

Now we have one week left until the first match of the season

zipman

11.08.05

Agostino Roma whom I offered to other clubs went public complaining about me. His contract is running out at the of the season, but I doubt he would stay under the current financial situation. So I decided to offer him to other clubs to relieve my wage bill already now. Guess he will leave Melfi soonish.

zipman

14.08.05 - BAN (SF) - Melfi's final preseason fitness test on Monte Vulture

Melfi Coach Andreas Fritsche continues to use special preseason methods to prepare the team for the new season which starts with the first Serie C Cup on Wednesday.

Yesterday morning at 8:00 (doesn't Fritsche know the average Serie C2 player isn't sleeping before 5:00 on Saturday morning?) the remaining 1st team squad (21 field players, 2 goalkeepers) gathered at Melfi Station. But this time they didn't take the train; station was the starting point for some cross country run to the summit of Monte Vulture, a 1326 m high mountain around 10 km's South of Melfi.

Asked why he sends his players uphill, Fritsche answered that he wasn't quite happy with the level of fitness some players showed during friendly matches. Fritsche himself rode on his bike to the summit, where he stopped the time of every player. "100 minutes should be the absolute limit to arrive at Monte Vulture", Fritsche told his guys at the station.

19 year old defense specialist Gianmarco Rodio, who played very well in preseason arrived after only 47 minutes. Gaetano Avolio came in 2nd, while strikers Jacopo Venturini and Federico Lauria shared 3rd place. Four players didn't make it in time. Young defensive midfielder Luca Selvaggi (106 minutes), offensive midfielder Antonio La Porta (113 minutes), as well as both goalkeepers (Ermanno Fumagalli 116 minutes, Michele Licoletti 140 minutes).

After everyone arrived, the whole squad continued for a nice mountain hike which goal was the Abbay of St. Michele where the monks already waited for the team with a healthy breakfast. While late finishers Selvaggi and La Porta had to the dishes, the goalkeepers were sentenced to spend the whole weekend with the monks. Fritsche thought its a great way for them to concentrate for the next match.

We all are curiously awaiting the effects of this special preseason finish. Fritsche hopes that many show up for the cup match against Pro Vasto.

zipman

15.08.05 / 16.08.05

Crotone's midfielder Luigi Gaetano who caught my eye during the friendly joined us on loan. He will at least bring us some pace and passing skills in midfield.

Defensive utility man Stefano Fumagalli joins us for 6.000 € from non-league Ragusa. He offers pace and some heading and might us allow to trade another defender away.

zipman

17.08.05 - 19:30 - Aragona, Vasto - Serie C Cup Grp G

Pro Vasto (Abruzzo, Serie C2/C) - Melfi 0:2 (0:1)

Dry 29°C
Attendance: 337
Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Melfi (4-4-2)
Nicoletti
Marciano - Rodio - Cuomo - Avolio
Selvaggi - La Porta - Cammarota (c) - Gravante
Venturini - Lauria

Goals:
Lauria (18', 66')

MoM: Federico Lauria (ST, Melfi, was deadly in front of the goal)

We left Melfi at 10:51 on Wednesday morning with the regional train to Foggia. After changing trains there we arrived in Vasto, a coastal town just before 14:00. Enough time to have a nice walk on the beach and have a tactical talk.

I had to make some difficult decisions: who should start on goal? The unfit and lazy Nicoletti or the hero of last season Fumagalli? Right defender was also not easy, but I chose the young and fast Avolio. One of my promising defensive midfielders (Rodio) started in central defense. The right and left midfielder were chosen due to their tackling and marking skills as I expected an offensive oppoent. Gravante first choise. Lauria was a given starter as striker, whilst I chose Venturini as his counterpart instead of Roberto.

On the paper Pro Vasto was very offensive and I would have been happy with a draw before the game, but somehow they didn't get anything going as didn't allow them any space in midfield. I had to two very good chances in the first 15 minutes before Venturini picked up a long ball by goalkeeper Nicoletti, which he played to the free Lauria, who scored easily. I should have doubled my lead before halftime, but finishing was a bit poor.

Also after halftime the hosts were poor on offense and several defensive blunders gave me more scoring chances which were all wasted. Just when Pro Vasto appeared to start contolling the game Lauria faked three defenders and scored his second goal of the game. The hosts were done and we should have added more goals.

On the wy back (we had two longs breaks in Pescara and Foggia) the guys celebrated their unexpected raid with wine and some Melfinese song I never heard before.

Well done, guys!

Back home our chairman Guiseppe Maglione welcomed us at the station and praised our performance.

zipman

20.08.05

As expected we unloaded Agostino Roma and his high wage. He was sold to our league rivals Viterbo.

Currently we are 90.000 €/year above our wage budget.

Elsewhere:

Community Shield
Arsenal - Chelsea 1:0

French Champions Trophy
Lyon - Auxerre 6:4 after penalties

German League Cup
Bayern Munich - Werder Bremen 1:2

Italian Super Cup
Juventus - Inter 4:5 after penalties

zipman

21.08.05 - 19:30 - Rubens Fadini, Guilianova - Serie C Cup Group G

Guilianova (Abruzzo, Serie C1/A) - Melfi 3:0 (3:0)

Dry 30°C
Attendance: 1233
Referee: Andrea De Marco

Melfi (4-4-2)
Nicoletti
Marciano - D'Angelo - Cuomo - Avolio /c)
Selvaggi - La Porta - Gaeta - Gravante
Venturini - Lauria

Goals:
1:0 (9')
2:0 (17')
3:0 (44')

MoM: Massimiliano Memmo (ST, Guilianova, decided the game with his two goals in the 1st 17 minutes)

Another trip to the Adriatic Coast, just a bit North of my last opponent Vasto. We were big underdogs as Guilianova's squad included some players on loan from Serie A and some others co-owned by Roma. The pundits didn't give as any chance to get away with anything there, and they should sadly be very right.
During the 90 minutes we managed two shots on goals and at half time the game was decided. At least we managed some decent defending in the 2nd half. I'm not overly sad with this defeat as it might show my guys that they have to fight hard in every game to get something going.
I spent the four hours in train on our way back home with some personal talks to some players. Only three days left until the league kicks off.

zipman

21.08.05

My playmaker Martino Gravante signed a new three year contract during our train ride home. He even agreed to a paycut, which means he earny 12.000 €/year from now on. Good guy!

22.08.05

Also Franco (DC), Roberto (ST) and Montano (DMC) agree to new (lower paid) contracts. Selvaggi, Doumbia, Esposito and Fumagalli reject.