Wag Posted August 26, 2007 Author Share Posted August 26, 2007 Thursday 20th July 2006 La Tribuna Sammarinese One In, One Out at Olimpico San Marino have completed the signing of San Marinese midfielder Alex Gasperoni on a free transfer. Gasperoni, twenty-two years-old, spent last season with Tolentino and will be looking to break back into the national team, and add to his thirteen caps and one goal, having signed a four-year contract with Titani. Jamie Waggett said: “Alex is a tenacious midfielder, who can also play on either wing as well as in the centre of midfield. He’s got the ability and talent to be a star at this level if not further up the chain and I thoroughly believe he will be an asset to our squad†Gasperoni said: “It took a little longer than expected to thrash out the contract but when everything was finally given to me I was delighted to sign. My previous time with San Marino Calcio wasn’t the happiest but I was younger then and didn’t have as much mental and physical strength as I now possess.†The arrival of Gasperoni has seen Tiziano Mottola return to Roma following the termination of his loan contract. The twenty year-old had been set to spend the entire season at the Stadio Olimpico but with his chances of regular football looking limited it was felt in the best interests of all parties involved to let the player return to his parent club and seek opportunities elsewhere. The left winger is thought to be considering an offer from Serie C2/C Cassino about a loan move. The club also confirmed that it had agreed to a request from Marco Ragini that he be allowed to move from coaching goalkeepers, something he also does and will continue to do for the senior San Marino national team, to taking on more of a role with outfield players. The thirty-nine year-old was reportedly pleased with the opportunity to progress as he wishes to one day become a manager. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 26, 2007 Author Share Posted August 26, 2007 Saturday 22nd July 2006 La Tribuna Sammarinese Titani name assistant manager San Marino Calcio have appointed Mauro Mancini as their assistant manager. Mancini, forty years-old, worked with new Titani manager Jamie Waggett during his time at the FSGC and reportedly jumped at the chance to renew his working relationship when he was approached. "I know what Mauro can bring to this club and that's why I'm delighted to have him on board, he is a tremendous person to have around, whether in the dressing room or on training ground. No matter what level of football the club is at it is very important to have the right amount of hands on deck. It is very important to get the staffing structure at the club right and I think I‘m beginning to move in the right direction." said Waggett. Waggett also revealed that a young San Marinese defender Nicolò Tamagnini had been offered youth contract with the club but that goalkeeper Omar Saponi and striker Manuele Muraccini would not be approached to join his squad on a permanent basis following their time training with the club. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 26, 2007 Author Share Posted August 26, 2007 Mauro Mancini arrived at training on Tuesday, his first day with the players, following his appointment as assistant manager gleaming with confidence and excitement about his new job. He’d waited a long-time to get a chance to coach at club level and he wasn’t going to let the opportunity get away from him now. He’d been pleased that Jamie Waggett had thought of him following the clubs decision to terminate the contract of Antonio Gespi and was determined not to let his new boss down. Mancini was forty-years-old, he was relatively trim, although having retired from football eight years ago to take up coaching with the national team he’d let himself go slightly and developed a slight paunch to his features. He was slightly taller than his manager at around the six foot mark and was a commanding presence both on and off the pitch. As a player he’d never really reached the heights of anything other than Serie D but even then he’d been a determined competitor, a brave central defender and made almost four-hundred appearances during a ten-year career. As a player, then a coach, and now an assistant, he was the type to always have his emotions boiling slightly under the surface, shouting aloud his thoughts, urging the players on and working himself into a regular rage on the touchline or training field. It was this along with his tactical awareness that had made Mauro the first man on Jamie’s list when he thought of an assistant, he had experience and the personality which he felt would fit well with his own slightly more reserved, often subdued but always thinking approach. Sometimes blood and thunder was the key and Mauro had that in spades. While the man he was replacing, Antonio Gespi, had been an abrasive character, Mauro knew when to laugh and smile and possessed what was a wicked sense of humour. He may have had a fierce competitive nature about him but he wasn’t demeaning like his predecessor and the players quickly took to him and his methods. Mancini hadn’t been the only knew arrival to the coaching staff though as in the previous two weeks several other new men had arrived on the scene as Jamie Waggett restructured the coaching staff with people he knew and trusted. Jamie felt he had a good group, all those who had come in had settled well and gained the respect of the players and each other. Former San Marino international Marco Macina, a five foot ten slim athletic thirty-seven year-old with dark hair and brooding good looks, had shown up some players during his first few days there with some impressive technique during small sided games, most notably nut-megging defender Luca D’Angelo much to the delight of his team-mates amongst other things. He and youth team manager Fabio Fantini, a shaven-headed thirty-eight-year-old, could have been mistaken for players from the outside were it not for the differing uniforms for the coaching staff although there was no mistaking the other three appointments as members of the squad. At forty-four-years-old fitness coach Ivan Guerra was the oldest to come into the club, he had a fuzzy crop of greying hair and was stocky, his previous muscles giving way to age and beginning to become slack as he cut down on his training. He was a stern man but giving and willing to help anyone. Marino Righi was a bespectacled figure with a receding grey hairline that made him look older than his forty-one-years, he brought with him a great deal of tactical knowledge though and had been a ferocious attacker in his day. That left just the larger than life figure of Stefano Marinelli, thirty-nine, who was more than a little overweight but when it came to coaching technique was reportedly the best in Sammarinese football. Waggett finally felt he had the right team behind him and they had all integrated well with those already at the club, goalkeeping coach Ermes Moroni, Marco Ragini and Stefano Neri. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 27, 2007 Author Share Posted August 27, 2007 Tuesday 25th July 2006 La Tribuna Sammarinese Defender seals Titani switch Seventeen year-old defender Nicolò Tamagnini has joined San Marino Calcio until the end of the season. Tamagnini, a right-sided full-back, impressed the clubs scouts during a recent youth cup competition and was rewarded with an initial youth contract which could well see him turn professional at the end of the season. He said: “I’m pleased to have signed for the club I have supported all my life, I was born and grew up not far from the stadium so to now be a apart of the club I feel both proud and honoured. I’m determined to give it my all to prove myself here and won’t let anyone down.†In other news Titani were drawn in Group F of the Coppa Italia Serie C along with Ancona (C1/B), Pisa (C1/A), Pistoiese (C1/A) and Prato (C2/B). Group matches will start on 16th August 2006. Director Germano De Biagi remarked: “It’s a tough draw but you always have to do your best and beat whatever is put in front of you. We will be doing our utmost to progress to the next round.†Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 27, 2007 Author Share Posted August 27, 2007 Tuesday 25th July 2006 Friendly Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle San Marino Calcio fell to their second pre-season defeat in three games as they lost one-nil to German Second Division side SV Wacker Burghausen. The home side started brightly with captain Luca D’Angelo unlucky to see a shot from fully thirty-yards crash into the side netting after the defender had made a run from his own defence. Despite the scores being even at the break the away side soon broke through as attacking midfielder Thorsten Burkhardt managed to get behind the defence, round Emiliano Dei and slip the ball into an empty net in the fifty-first minute for what proved to be the only goal of the game. Burghausen 0-1 Attendance: 343 MotM: Ronald Schmidt (Burghausen) San Marino Calcio: Emiliano Dei, Simone Berardi, Salvatore Ferraro, Luca D’Angelo ©, Roberto Di Maio, Nicola Napolitano, Davide Tedoldi, Alessandro Turchetta, Francesco Giorgetti, Davide Faieta, Giovanni Abate I was disappointed to have fallen to another defeat, although at this stage the results matter not, but I felt that we were getting better. At times we would play nice fluent passing football and the two goals we’d scored so far in pre-season were the end result of such direct, incisive passing moves. However, we weren’t scoring enough and were really struggling against players with pace. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 27, 2007 Author Share Posted August 27, 2007 Wednesday 26th July 2006 La Tribuna Sammarinese Bitter Gespi blasts Titani Former San Marino Calcio assistant manager Antonio Gespi says he feels let down by the club he served for so long as a member of it’s coaching staff after his sacking. Gespi, who was expected to continue working with new manager Jamie Waggett, was talking after being installed as assistant manager of Serie C1/B Juve Stabia, where he’ll be assistant to Ezio Capuano, and immediately took the opportunity to fire a series of accusations at his employers. Gespi said: “When Walter Nicoletti left I was told the managers position would be mine, at least in the short-term, and that although they felt obliged to interview others I would be the main contender for the position. However, I was never interviewed for the role and when I asked about it during a training session was merely dismissed and told to go back to training the team and that I’d be contacted later. Regardless this didn’t happen and by the time I did manage to get a meeting with the clubs board they told me I was no longer in the running. It was a complete u-turn. Basically, they put it down to financial matters. They said the footballing side of it was fine, but it was purely financial. I feel very let down by the board.†Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 27, 2007 Author Share Posted August 27, 2007 Friday 28th July 2006 La Tribuna Sammarinese Berardi on the way? Reports are suggesting that Serie C1/A Grosseto are set to put in a bid for San Marino Calcio’s Simone Berardi. The Rome-born full-back, who can also play in midfield, joined San Marino in 2002 and has since gone on to be a regular starter, appearing one-hundred-and-nine times in the previous four seasons for the club. He began his career with Roma before moving onto Pescara and then spending two years in Serie C2/C with Nardò and is held in high esteem by the Titani support. A source close to the club said: “Simone is an important member of my squad and not someone who we’d liked to lose. He loves the club is very much part of the managements plans.†The club also revealed it had entered into talks with midfielder Nicolas Bollini, twenty years-old, and sixteen year-old Michele Bonifazi, a defender, about joining the club. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 27, 2007 Author Share Posted August 27, 2007 Sunday 30th July 2006 SanMarinoRTV.sm Titani in for international ‘keeper? San Marino Calcio are believed to have made an approach to semi-professional side Cattolica for goalkeeper Federico Gasperoni. Gasperoni, twenty-nine years-old, is the current first choice of the San Marino national team and is thought to be highly interested in making the step up to Serie C1/B. However, it’s understood that although no deal has yet been done that discussions would continue over the next few days and that San Marino were confident of completing the signing. Assistant manager Mauro Mancini said: "A goalkeeper of his experience would be great for San Marino Calcio. We want experienced cover for Emiliano Dei and in Federico we‘d have someone who comes highly recommended and would no doubt push the other goalkeepers at the club into improving." One signing the club did confirm though was that of Nicolas Bollini. A twenty year-old Sammarinese central midfielder who joins the club on a free transfer having been found by scout Stefano Conti. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 27, 2007 Author Share Posted August 27, 2007 Monday 31st July 2006 Friendly Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle San Marino Calcio earned a hard thought draw as they kept a clean sheet against Serie B Cesena in their forth pre-season friendly. In front of a near capacity crowd of 6,967 the Titani fans saw the home side restrict Cesena to a few half-chances and shots from long range in a first half during which they saw striker Giovanni Abate have a header disallowed for pushing from a Davide Tedoldi cross. The second half went in much the same way; Tedoldi going closest to breaking the dead-lock with a shot from the edge of the box which brought a diving save from Cesena goalkeeper Luigi Turci. On the hour San Marino were struck a huge blow as Giovanni Abate had to come off injured with what was later revealed to be a broken jaw following a collision with a defender. The twenty-five year-old striker will now miss around the next month of the season which means he’ll likely miss the entire group stage of the Coppa Italia Serie C and at least our first league game of the season. Cesena 0-0 Attendance: 6,967 MotM: Luca D’Angelo (San Marino Calcio) San Marino Calcio: Emiliano Dei, Simone Berardi, Salvatore Ferraro, Luca D’Angelo ©, Roberto Di Maio, Nicola Napolitano, Davide Tedoldi, Alessandro Turchetta, Francesco Giorgetti, Davide Faieta, Giovanni Abate (Richard Jose Blanco Delgado on 56) I was pleased to have kept a clean sheet against far superior opposition, the defence had held firm and the midfield had tackled, harassed and created chances for others. Obviously I was gutted to have lost Abate, he was a poacher in the truest sense and I felt his presence in the team would be vital if we were to get off to a good start in the league, but sadly he’d now be missing from our opening games so Alberto Villa, Federico Ligori, Matteo Valli or perhaps even Richard Jose Blanco Delgado would have to fill the void. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 28, 2007 Author Share Posted August 28, 2007 Tuesday 1st August 2006 La Tribuna Sammarinese Titani snap up youngster San Marino Calcio today announced their fifth signing of the summer with the capture of Sammarinese defender Michele Bonifazi on a free transfer. Bonifazi, sixteen years-old and six-foot two-inches tall, will play for the clubs youth team this season and already looks a highly promising player despite his tender years which is thought to be one of the first things, along with his size, that brought him to the attention of the club. Scout Massimiliano Righi revealed: “I’ve been aware of Michele since he was around fourteen. He’s always stood out in youth games first and foremost due to his size but also due to his pace, intelligence and maturity on and off the ball. I feel he’s got a bright future ahead of him if he works hard and am delighted to have played a part in his arrival at the club.†Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 28, 2007 Author Share Posted August 28, 2007 <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Wednesday 2nd August 2006 La Tribuna Sammarinese Goalkeeper fee agreed San Marino Calcio are reported to have agreed a fee of £3,000 with Cattolica for highly experienced goalkeeper Federico Gasperoni. Titani have been looking for someone with experience to challenge first choice Emiliano Dei and are set to enter into talks with the San Marino international over a move to the club. The other goalkeepers currently at the club; Tommaso Merola, Fabio Ricci and Matteo Gaudino have all been deemed two young and inexperienced to be ready for the role. The club today also revealed it had offered a contract to twenty year-old San Marino under 21 international midfielder Andrea Moroni and sixteen year-old striker Andrea Mignani, after both players were recommended to the club by scout Massimiliano Righi. Elsewhere rumours were rife that an enquiry had been made to Serie C2/B side Rovigo about their versatile San Marinese attacker Matteo Rossi, twenty-six years old. While predominantly a forward the Lugo-born player can also play on either wing and is said to have impressed scouts at the Stadio Olimpico with some excellent performances in pre-season. However, neither club would be drawn into confirming or denying if the speculation was true or false </div></BLOCKQUOTE> Moroni and Mignani both looked to have a great amount of potential. Particularly Mignani although he’d be unlikely to feature in my first-team selection for a number of years my scouts both felt he had the potential to be better than the clubs current top rated striker Giovanni Abate and believed we should sign him at whatever cost it took. He’d shot to our attention after scoring five goals in one game during a youth tournament in Dogana and despite not being blessed with pace he had the skill and off the ball ability to make space for himself which could potentially make him deadly at any level. Another player who I felt had a lot of potential was academy prospect Luca Del Prete. At just fifteen years-old he was already a player who I thought would feature for the first-team in the near future, although I would have to wait until he was old enough before I could give him his debut. Potentially he has a great future ahead of him and because of this I offered him a professional contract, which if accepted he’d sign when he comes of age. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 29, 2007 Author Share Posted August 29, 2007 Friday 4th August 2006 Friendly Comunale, Pizzighettone San Marino Calcio recorded their first victory of pre-season today as they defeated Serie C1/A side Pizzighettone two-nil. Alberto Villa started in the absence of injured striker Giovanni Abate but it was on-loan Lecce midfielder Francesco Giorgetti who took the plaudits with two fine goals. He opened the scoring in the twenty-fourth minute as he struck a stunning half-volley into the top right hand corner of the net following a lay off by Davide Faieta. His second, coming in the final minute, was even better. Again taking a pass from, man of the match, Faieta he rode the challenge of two defenders before drilling the ball across the goalkeeper and in off the left hand post from the edge of the area. Pizzighettone 2-0 (Francesco Giorgetti 24 & 90) Attendance: 386 MotM: Davide Faieta (San Marino) San Marino Calcio: Emiliano Dei, Simone Berardi, Salvatore Ferraro, Luca D’Angelo ©, Roberto Di Maio, Nicola Napolitano, Davide Tedoldi (Luca Ceccarelli on 75), Alessandro Turchetta (Alex Gasperoni on 75), Francesco Giorgetti, Davide Faieta, Alberto Villa (Federico Ligori on 75) The result gives us heart for the season as we thoroughly deserved our win against the side from a similar level than us. In midfield we battled and created whilst never looking troubled in defence. We did however appear slightly toothless upfront without Abate which is something we desperately need to address with the season so close. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amaroq Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 First win! That definitely gives this reader heart! Still enjoying the read, KUTGW! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 29, 2007 Author Share Posted August 29, 2007 Cheers Amaroq Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 29, 2007 Author Share Posted August 29, 2007 Saturday 5th August 2006 San Marino Oggi San Marino sign two as Gasperoni arrives for talks San Marino have completed the signing of midfielder Andrea Moroni and also added the signature of striker Andrea Mignani. Moroni, twenty years-old, has won one cap for the San Marino under 21 side having represented his national team at all youth levels. He said: “I’m really pleased to have been given the opportunity to continue my footballing education with San Marino Calcio. I had the opportunity to sign for several clubs in the Campionato Sammarinese but when I was approached by Jamie Waggett I knew this was the right time to move into professional football.†Mignani, sixteen years-old, shot to the clubs attention in a recent youth tournament and is relishing the opportunity to make his mark with his new side. The Sammarinese striker said: “I had a couple of other offers but this is a chance to be part of something special and unique. Although I may not break into the first-team straight away I know that if I work hard to improve and score goals for the youth team I will eventually progress into senior side.†Their new manager Jamie Waggett commented: “In Moroni and Mignani we have signed two players who represent the future of San Marino Calcio. They are both young and possess the talent and potential to be good players for the club and I feel both have a bright future ahead of them. This is just one more step along the path we are making that will see the club developing Sammarinese talent.†In other news, Cattolica goalkeeper Federico Gasperoni has travelled to Serravalle for contract talks with San Marino Calcio according to a source close to the player. The twenty-nine year-old San Marino international has been allowed the chance after the two sides agreed a fee for the stopper and it is understood that the move could be completed within the next week. Meanwhile, it is thought any interest Titani had in Rovigo attacker Matteo Rossi has ended after the C2/B side slapped a £35,000 price tag on the player. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 29, 2007 Author Share Posted August 29, 2007 Sunday 6th August 2006 La Tribuna Sammarinese Titani offer winger contract San Marino Calcio are hopeful of completing the signing of San Marinese winger Raffaele Moroni after the club confirmed it had offered a contract to the player. Moroni, twenty-four years-old, is a free agent and was to be found most recently playing his football for an Eccellenza side at the sixth level of Italian football. He can play on either flank as well as in the centre of midfield and would become Jamie Waggett’s eighth signing since taking charge at the Olimpico. The manager said: “Raffaele Moroni is going to consider our offer and have a think. He knows a couple of the players here at the club from his time playing at youth level for the Federazione Sammarinese Giuoco Calcio but he needs to decide if he’s ready to move into professional football. We've given him some time to gather his thoughts and talk things through with his family. Before anything else can happen now, I just have to wait on him coming back to me which I’m sure he will as all the discussions so far have been very positive." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 30, 2007 Author Share Posted August 30, 2007 Sunday 6th August 2006 www.fsgc.sm/sanmarinocalcio Titani boss speaks New San Marino Calcio manager Jamie Waggett plans to be at the Stadio Olimpico for the long haul following his appointment at the club around a month ago. Waggett who has never managed or coached at this level before told www.fgsc.sm that he hopes to make his mark: "I have worked at every level with the Federazione Sammarinese Giuoco Calcio but I’ve always wanted to be a manager. I have a fantastic opportunity now at the Stadio Olimpico and I will use some of the experience I have previously gained to make sure I am a success. After recovering from my injury and moving back to San Marino I just wanted to get out and coach. San Marino Calcio have given me that opportunity and I want to be here for a number of years. I am looking forward to the challenge and looking, over a period of time, to help the club and national team progress to a higher level." Serie C1/B is relatively new territory for both the club and it’s manager but Waggett, at twenty-seven the youngest manager at any senior level in Italy, is hoping to make his mark. He is picking the brains of his trusted colleagues and contacts to help familiarise himself with his new surroundings but can also call on the know-how of assistant manager Mauro Mancini and former Bologna and AC Milan forward Marco Macina, who are amongst his coaching staff. "With Mauro and Marco here I have got a lot experience and knowledge and they, along with others like chief-scout Massimiliano Righi, have been very helpful in bringing in a few players. I mean no disrespect to those who have come before me but once I had settled in here and talked to people around the club I realised that the side needed a good base of players to be bought in. There are some good players here and I will be looking to get the best of them.†Waggett, who has already signed seven players, all Sammarinese, expects to sign several more before the start of the season, including San Marino international goalkeeper Federico Gasperoni who is set to put pen to paper on a contract with the club in the next few days. "I know the type of players I want to sign and I have my targets. At the moment I am in the process of talking to several players to see what they feel they can bring to the club and if they are the type of characters I want in my squad. People may say I won‘t be able to achieve success with players coming from what is a largely amateur league but I think there is a lot of potential to be tapped and by doing so I feel we‘ll improve football in San Marino on the whole." Waggett, who has said he will be bringing a modern approach to coaching with the club, is hopeful he can get the players to respond to his efforts in a bid to better last seasons seventeenth place in Serie C1/A, only avoiding relegation to Serie C2 by the virtue of a play-out victory. “It’s a difficult league to get into and it’s even more difficult to get out of upwards. Many people will have us down as relegation certainties but I’m determined and looking forward to the challenges we’ll be presented with along the way. I want to move the club forward and bring the fans and backers the success they deserve.†Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacemaker7 Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Good to see a well written, well researched story that isn't just a succession of match reports. I think some of the newer 'writers' would do well to read things like this, in fact perhaps we should make it compulsary to read certain stories/writers before posting. But I digress Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 31, 2007 Author Share Posted August 31, 2007 Thanks PM7, kind words indeed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 31, 2007 Author Share Posted August 31, 2007 Monday 7th August 2006 La Tribuna Sammarinese Gasperoni: “I’m not here to make up the numbers†San Marino Calcio have signed Federico Gasperoni from Cattolica for a fee of £3,000 after the experienced goalkeeper passed a medical. “I’m pleased to have signed Federico, he’s a solid goalkeeper who I think has the ability to challenge the other goalkeepers at the club for the number one spot but for now will act as experienced cover.†said manager Jamie Waggett However, the twenty-nine year-old, who played for part-timers Urbino before joining Cattolica, has no intention of simply warming the bench in Serie C1/B this season. "I’m looking forward to this new chapter of my career, I’m very pleased to be here but I want to play as much as I can this season, I know Emiliano (Dei) is the number one at the moment but I know that if I work hard and impress the manager then I will get my chance. Although I‘ve been signed at first as cover I‘ve let the manager know I won‘t be content just to spend the season on the bench.†Gasperoni had two years left on his Cattolica contract but felt it was the right time to leave Giorgio Calbi. "I could have stayed with Cattolica, I had enjoyed my time there and made some friends but I felt it was time for a new challenge, I’m twenty-nine years-old and to be given the opportunity to play at a higher level at this point in my career is just a dream. I know the stadium, training ground and surrounding area very well from my time with the national team so when I came to look around I thought 'this is where I want to be'. It was an easy choice.†Gasperoni, who has forty-one caps for San Marino, hopes that his move to the Serie C1/B side will help him improve as a goalkeeper and also allow him to give something back. "I may be the current national team number one but I like to be kept on my toes and am always looking at ways to improve my ability. At this level of football I feel I’ll be tested more than I was at Cattolica so my game will improve, which can only be of benefit to both myself, the team and the Nazionale. I’m also hoping to one day move into goalkeeping coaching and am looking forward to passing on some of my experience and knowledge to the younger ‘keepers at the club. San Marino Calcio is moving into a very exciting phase of their existence as far as I’m concerned and hopefully with the squad emphasis being on young San Marinese players we’ll start to see an improvement at all levels of the game.†In other news the club revealed the sad news the recent signing Nicolò Tamagnini had sustained a damaged cruciate ligament following a robust challenge during a training session. The eighteen year-old defender, who will be out for between six and ten months, was brought in on a one-year contract a few days ago but in light of his unfortunate injury is believed to have been offered a longer deal to give him time to recover and prove himself when he returns from injury. Youth team coach Fabio Fantini said: “It’s always a disappointment when any player gets injured but especially for Nicolò, he’d been settling in well and looking promising in training but to be ruled out for such a long length of time will be hard. He’ll have the support of the club though and I’m sure he’ll come back a stronger player.†Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 31, 2007 Author Share Posted August 31, 2007 Tuesday 8th August 2006 San Marino Oggi Another signing for Titani San Marino Calcio have added Sammarinese midfielder Raffaele Moroni to their squad ahead of the new season. The twenty-four year-old has joined a on free transfer, having been out of football for a short while, signed a four-year contract. "Raffaele is a young player with very good potential and I have signed him in the first instance to provide back-up and competition for our established midfielders, he can play anywhere in midfield and I expect him to be a success here." said Titani boss Jamie Waggett. Moroni joins eight other players in the list of new faces at San Marino, and Waggett is expecting more before the transfer window closes. "I expect to make a couple more signings, I’ve got a lot of work to do with the current squad but I’m definitely going to be looking to freshen the club up and one of the easiest ways to do this is to bring in my own players. Saying that, everyone has a chance to prove themselves but it’s what happens on the training field and pitch that really counts." The club also revealed that left winger Alessandro Turchetta, a new signing from Vicenza, had sustained an injury to his right wrist in training and would be out for around two weeks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 31, 2007 Author Share Posted August 31, 2007 Thursday 10th August 2006 La Tribuna Sammarinese Titani offer to young duo San Marino Calcio have offered contracts to two eighteen year-old Sammarinese players. Denny Giovannini, a striker, and Pietro Tamai, a midfielder, are both available as free agents after having come to prominence of the clubs scouts during a recent youth football tournament in San Marino. Manager Jamie Waggett made it known he had been impressed by the pair: “Denny is a quick, composed forward who possesses a great deal of flair. Pietro on the other hand is a hard-working and determined with an eye for a pass as well as a tackle. The duo are both players who I know made an impact on our scouts and will be given the chance to develop further at the club, we’re committed to giving young San Marinese players the best training possible.†Waggett also revealed that recently injured Nicolò Tamagnini had signed a contract extension that would see him through his injury and beyond as well as that the club had paid £3,000 to buy Empoli’s fifty percent share of midfielder-cum-forward Luca Ferrari. The twenty year-old former Bologna youngster is now no-longer shared by the two clubs as full ownership has passed to the Titani. “Luca is a player who I don’t feel is quite ready for the first team just yet but is a solid member of the squad. He has a lot of potential and I’ll look to get the best out of him although he himself knows that he has to work.†Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted August 31, 2007 Author Share Posted August 31, 2007 Sunday 13th August 2006 La Tribuna Sammarinese Pair complete Olimpico switch Young Sammarinese pair Pietro Tamai and Denny Giovannini have completed their move to San Marino Calcio. General Manager Pierluigi Gambarara told La Tribuna that the pair would now join their new team-mates in training. “Everything is complete, the ink is dry on the contracts and we’re delighted to have signed two promising young players. We’re committed to signing young talent to complement the existing squad and feel that in Pietro and Denny we have two who have a bright future in the game.†It’s thought Tamai, a midfielder, and Giovannini, a striker, will play much of their first season at the club in the academy under the tutelage of recently appointed Fabio Fantini. Another new face at the club is Andrea Macina, a thirty-five year-old who has joined the scouting staff. Andrea is the younger brother of former San Marino international Marco Macina, a coach at San Marino Calcio, and was reportedly pleased to have been given the chance to join the clubs set-up. Manager Jamie Waggett said: “Andrea is someone I’ve known about for a long time, he’s watched a lot of football since his retirement and been involved in player recruitment and talent spotting with the Federazione Sammarinese Giuoco Calcio for the last few years. I’m delighted to have him amongst my staff.†The club also revealed it had began talks with former Domagnano utility player Giacomo Maiani, although no contract had yet been offered to the twenty-four year-old. Maiani, who won four caps for San Marino during his time with the amateur side, can play anywhere in midfield as well as on either side of defence has been recommended to the Titani by Domagnano manager Sereno Uraldi, also manager of San Marino’s under twenty-one side. His former manager said: “Giacomo is a very talented player who we wanted to keep in our squad but sadly just couldn’t match his contract demands so had to let go. I’ve watched him grow as a player during my time at the club and seen him mature into a versatile and consistent performer.†Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien77 Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Love your story, WAG. Love the details. Just a question, your team seen to be made up of all san marino nationals, so don't san marino have their own league? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted September 3, 2007 Author Share Posted September 3, 2007 Thanks Damien77 San Marino does have a league, although it's amateur, called the Campianato Sammarinese. Two sides; San Marino Calcio, the only professional Sammarinese side, play in the Italian League structure and AC Juvenes/Dogana, who also play in the Campianato Sammarinese, compete in the regional divisions in Italy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted September 3, 2007 Author Share Posted September 3, 2007 Wednesday 16th August 2006 SanMarinoRTV.sm Buda out, Maiani in San Marino Calcio have today signed former Domagnano utility player Giacomo Maiani on a free transfer. The left footed twenty-four year-old can play in a number of positions in midfield, as well as defence, is extremely versatile and currently has four caps for the San Marino national team. He said: “I felt it was time to leave Domagnano and try to prove myself in a professional league. I think I have what it takes to become a regular in the side as well as winning back my place in the national team to add to my four caps.†Although it’s not thought Maiani will start for his new side against Prato later today, a place on the bench may be his as Jamie Waggett experiences his first competitive match as the clubs manager. “I’m looking forward to experiencing the Olimpico during a proper match, we’ve had a decent pre-season and the players are all raring to go having settled into my tactics and training methods.†said Waggett. Waggett also confirmed that he had offered a contract to seventeen year-old San Marinese striker Joan David and that twenty year-old full-back Samuele Buda had returned to Serie B TIM Cesena following the termination of his season long loan. He said: “He hasn’t featured for me since my arrival and I just couldn’t see a place for him in my side so felt it only fair to allow him to move back to Cesena, rather than have him parked here kicking his heels all season on the touchline.†Buda failed to make an appearance for San Marino, having been signed by the previous management, but spent last season on a similar loan move at Bellaria having come through the youth system at Cesena. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted September 3, 2007 Author Share Posted September 3, 2007 Wednesday 16th August 2006 Coppa Italia Serie C, Group F # 1 Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle The bella giornata (beautiful day) had arrived. Jamie Waggett’s first in charge of San Marino Calcio in a competitive game at the Stadio Olimpico. A decent crowd had come to see the new arrival and his side, there was a fierce roar as the two sides trotted out onto the pitch. From now on there would be no turning back, the season had truly started. The opening stages are tight with both sides closing the other out before a moment of error in midfield, by the Serie C2/C side, sees San Marino open the scoring in the twelfth minute. Davide Faieta robs Matteo Superbi of possession on the half way line then plays a quick-one two with left-back Salvatore Ferraro. Receiving the ball back Faieta takes a touch then passes the ball down the left touch line, the pass is perfectly weighted and allows Alex Gasperoni ahead of Villa and this time it’s cleared as is the resulting corner, taken by Gasperoni. On eighteen minutes Superbi, looking to atone for his earlier error, controls a pass from Andrea Galeotti in the centre of midfield and spins away from Faieta, he looks up and tries to knock the ball behind San Marino right back Simone Berardi but the defender is alert to the situation and clears into space from the right hand side to the left. Alex Gasperoni is alive to the situation and sprints hard to reach the ball knocking it behind Galeotti as he does. It’s two-against-two from the half-way line. Gasperoni dribbles closer and cuts away from Marco Francini then plays the ball ahead of covering defender Alessandro Lamonica in search of striker Alberto Villa. It’s neck-a-neck as the striker and defender vie for the ball but Villa uses all of his strength to reach it first and as the ball rolls closer and closer to the box he finds himself clean through with just Alessandro Boccolini, the Prato goalkeeper, to beat. Time seems to stand still as he draws back his right boot whilst the ‘keeper charges out, it’s the simplest of chances but sadly he hesitates and ends up firing the ball narrowly over the bar when a placed finish would have perhaps resulted in a second goal for the home side. A few minutes later Simone Berardi picks a loose ball up in midfield around twenty-yards out and knocks it down the right touchline for Luca Ceccarelli to chase. He controls, shielding the ball from Lamonica then passing it backwards to Luca D’Angelo who has joined him in support. The defender then intelligently plays a square ball which finds the forward run of Francesco Giorgetti who controls then hits an instant curling effort which just dips away from the top right hand corner of the net, it would have been a superb goal but with just twenty-one minutes gone although the lead hasn’t been extended the home side look comfortably in front. On twenty-seven minutes Davide Faieta lines up a free kick around ten yards away from the right hand edge of the box then thunders the ball just over the bar with his right foot. A minute later the home side go even closer to doubling their lead. Faieta picks up a pass from Salvatore Ferraro on the left flank, dribbles past a defender then whips a cross to the penalty spot where Luca Ceccarelli climbs highest. He meets the ball perfectly but can only look down in anguish as the ball strikes the post cleanly and bounces back into the grateful arms of the goalkeeper, who had looked well beaten. It’s the last real chance San Marino have of the half but they continue to dominant and deservedly lead at the half-time interval. The second half begins with the home side again dominant. Just forty-seven minutes are on the clock when Francesco Giorgetti picks up a loose ball in midfield and launches the ball forward over Galeotti and into the path of Alberto Villa. The striker is clean-through with just the goalkeeper to beat but tries to be too clever and as he advances on goal he knocks the ball slightly too far out of his control and ends up narrowly his angle and reducing his options. The Prato defenders hurry back and with Francini snapping at his heals he contrives to send the ball well over the bar when an earlier finish would have and perhaps should have resulted in a second goal. Just after the hour mark San Marino go even closer to scoring. Simone Berardi plays a delightful cross field pass from the right touchline to the left edge of the area. The flight of the ball sees it drop just over the Prato right back and onto the chest of Alex Gasperoni who controls the ball without a second thought then takes the ball full on the volley. It looks destined for the top right hand corner but someone Alessandro Boccolini acrobatically manages to get a strong hand to ball and he turns it behind for a corner kick. With around fifteen minutes to go Boccolini is again called on by Prato to keep the score-line to one-nil as he reacts instinctively to turn a deflected free-kick from Davide Faieta away from the bottom left hand corner of his goal and away to safety. The remaining time passed quickly with San Marino playing possession football without ever looking like conceding or scoring. It was a good opening to the Coppa Italia Serie C campaign and more importantly a good performance from the side in what was manager Jamie Waggett’s first game in charge. After the game the papers and pundits were impressed with man of the match Alex Gasperoni and felt that the home side had deserved to win by a greater margin of victory than they had due to the intelligent play and controlled football on display; “Titani in control as Lanieri are brushed aside†remarked the La Tribuna Sammarinese. Prato 1-0 (Alberto Villa 12) Attedance: 2,521 MotM: Alex Gasperoni (San Marino) San Marino Calcio: Emiliano Dei; Simone Berardi, Salvatore Ferraro, Luca D’Angelo ©, Roberto Di Maio; Nicola Napolitano, Luca Ceccarelli (Raffaele Moroni on 73), Alex Gasperoni, Francesco Giorgetti, Davide Faieta; Alberto Villa Prato: Alessandro Boccolini; Andrea Galeotti, Marco Francini, Ivan Artipoli, Alessandro Lamonica; Dino Sangiovanni, Emiliano Landolina, Matteo Superbi © (Giulio Fogaroli on 72), Luigi Papia (Daniele Ghidotti on 72); Stefano Lorenzi, Massimiliano Pesenti (Diego Silva Reis on 80) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BamaToon Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Good first win. Reading this is making me want to try the challenge for myself (if only I didn't suck at the game so bad). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amaroq Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Nice! Well-written, too; I love the detail! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted September 5, 2007 Author Share Posted September 5, 2007 Thank you both Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted September 5, 2007 Author Share Posted September 5, 2007 Thursday 17th August 2006 The morning after our pleasing victory I’m given advanced warning by my personal assistant that the contracts of four San Marino players are due to expire in the next twelve months. The players on the brief list are Davide Tedoldi, Davide Faieta, Giordano Napolano (currently on a season-long loan at Grottammare) and Gesuino Gesuele. At the moment only attacking midfielder Faieta looks likely to be re-signed after a decent pre-season showing. Young Italian strikers Napolano and Gesuele, both nineteen years-old, have time on their side so could get a chance if they impress but look to be on the way out while in the case of thirty-one year-old right winger Tedoldi I decide to try and cut my losses now by offering him to other clubs. He only joined the club from Catanzaro shortly before my arrival but following the signing of Raffaele Moroni is no longer in my plans. I don’t expect to get anything for any of them but if I can shift bodies from the squad and free money up on the wage bill then I’ll be pleased. Both squad and wage bill could do with being thinned. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted September 5, 2007 Author Share Posted September 5, 2007 Friday 18th August 2006 La Tribuna Sammarinese David joins Titani San Marino Calcio have made Joan David their fourteenth signing of the season so far following his capture on a free transfer. The seventeen year-old striker was spotted by scout Andrea Macina playing youth football in Emilia-Romagna amd immediately recommended he be signed. He said: “He’s definitely one for the future, Joan is a tall striker (6’0â€) with a keen eye for goal and sense of those around him. I’ve watched him for the past six months and seen him grow into someone who not only scores goals but creates them for others. I see this signing as a testament to the clubs promise to invest in and ultimately help improve youth football in San Marino.†Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted September 7, 2007 Author Share Posted September 7, 2007 Sunday 20th August 2006 Coppa Italia Serie C, Group F # 2 Arena Garibaldi - Stadio Romeo Anconetani, Pisa Opened in 1919 the Arena Garibaldi - Stadio Romeo Anconetani in an imposing ground just a short distance away from the leaning tower of Pisa. Named after Romeo Anconetani, a former chairman of the club who was in charge during their time in Serie A, who died in 1999, it’s usually just referred to as the Arena Garibaldi. It can hold around seventeen thousand fans and today just over fifteen thousand packed into the bowl shaped stadium, although only a fraction were supporting the away side with around two hundred bodies making the three and a bit hour journey from San Marino via coach. San Marino name an unchanged line-up as they look to record their second victory in the competition in two games while for Pisa it was the first competitive game they’ve taken part in following a pre-season without a win in six games. The Serie C1/A side are tipped to do well this season under manager Piero Braglia and will be expected to progress in this competition. In the dry heat of a Pisa Sunday evening it was the home side who had the first chance after a battling opening ten minutes. Mirko Ventura picked up a cross field ball from Emanuele D’Anna on the left hand edge of the area and advanced menacingly before shooting miserably wide of the target with just goalkeeper Emiliano Dei to beat. Eight minutes later D’Anna himself failed to hit the target as he found space inside the area after a Giovanni Passiglia free kick had deflected into his path. He looked certain to score but somehow managed to scoop the ball high over the bar as Luca D’Angelo dived at his feet in an attempt to block. The signs were worrying for San Marino. Pisa were enjoyed much of the possession and would surely soon make a break through as they were finding space and time all over the pitch while the Titani were failing to assert any kind of pressure themselves. Sure enough the breakthrough did soon come. Emiliano Dei’s goal kick was knocked back up field by the head of defender Gianluca Zattarin. Midfielder Edoardo Braiati controlled the ball inside the centre circle then switched the play to his right and into the path of Emanuele D’Anna who dribbled at pace over the halfway line then split the defence with a low cross to the near post as he reached the midway point of the San Marino half. The pass was perfectly weighted and found the run of striker Eddy Baggio, the Pisa captain, who used his pace and strength to get between then beyond defenders Luca D’Angelo and Roberto Di Maio and rifle the ball beyond Dei into the far corner of the net. Pisa had the lead after twenty-four minutes with their first shot on target. The San Marino players looked disconsolate with the strike and almost conceded another within five minutes but were fortunate to see a dipping free kick from D’Anna graze the right hand post with Dei well beaten. The away side were simply failing to come to terms with the pace of Pisa’s attack and despite the determined work of midfielders Alex Gasperoni and Davide Faieta, who toiled to create half chances at the other end nothing was to come of their neat interplay we San Marino failed to register a shot on goal in the entire first half. The half-time whistle brought a brief moment of peace for the away sides defence and they took the decision to replace the completely ineffectual Alberto Villa, goal scorer from their first game in this competition, with on-loan Spezia striker Federico Ligori. The twenty-five year-old buzzed around at pace in the opening moments, with something to prove to the management he had to but when Pisa scored a second in the fifty-first minute it looked like any ideas he may have had of being a match-winner were going to be in vain. Ferrigno crossed a left wing free kick into the penalty spot where it was only half-cleared by the punch of goalkeeper Emiliano Dei. Maximiliano Flotta picked up the loose ball just outside the ‘d’ but saw his shot deflect left into the path of Gianluca Zattarin who intelligently prodded the ball forward into space for Eddy Baggio to net his second of the match as he instantly controlled and finished low past Dei inside the right hand post. Two-nil and surely game over with just under forty minutes to play. The home support were in raptures and the small band of travelling San Marino fans had to endure a series of taunts and chants. On the field Ferrigno shot narrowly over from a tight angle with just over sixty-seven minutes played before San Marino enjoyed their first spell of any pressure as the match entered it’s final twenty minutes. There looked to be hopes of a consolation goal, maybe the start of a comeback and they really should have scored in the seventy-ninth minute. Right winger Luca Ceccarelli danced and weaved away from two defenders before caressing the ball behind the Pisa defence and into the path of Federico Ligori. The striker took a touch as he entered the area but somehow shot wide with just goalkeeper Marco Giambruno to beat, he fell to the earth in a crumbled heap and pounded his fists against the turf. He and the rest of the players realised they’d missed their chance and soon after Pisa scored a third and final goal of the game. Substitute Fabio Ceravolo controlled a D’Anna throw in with his back to goal and cleverly laid the ball sideways into the path of Edoardo Braiati. The midfielder then switched the play back to D’Anna on the right wing who played a wonderful first-time cross field ball over the head of Simone Berardi and onto the chest of midfielder Giovanni Passiglia who took a touch to control then smashed the ball beyond Dei. Eighty-three minutes played, Pisa three, San Marino nil. After doing so well against Prato the side had been bumped back down to earth with an extremely disappointing performance against a side who showed excellent pace and attacking inventiveness. Of the few positives that manager Jamie Waggett could take from the game was that his side had only conceded three, it wasn’t a league game and that his side could still qualify for the next round of the competition provided they got some favourable results in their remaining two fixtures. Pisa 0-3 Attendance: 15, 129 MotM: Emanuele D’Anna (Pisa) San Marino Calcio: Emiliano Dei; Simone Barardi, Salvatore Ferraro, Luca D’Angelo ©, Roberto Di Maio; Nicola Napolitano, Luca Ceccarelli, Alex Gasperoni, Francesco Giorgetti, Davide Faieta; Alberto Villa (Federico Ligori 45) Pisa: Marco Giambruno; Maximiliano Flotta, Gianluca Zattarin, Domenico De Simone; Fabrizio Ferrigno, Giovanni Passiglia, Edoarto Braiati, Emanuele D’Anna; Mirko Ventura (Daniele Chiarini 51), Eddy Baggio © (Fabio Ceravolo 73) , Francesco Ciullo (Daniele Buzzegoli 64) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted September 12, 2007 Author Share Posted September 12, 2007 Tuesday 22nd August 2006 San Marino Oggi Tedoldi unhappy with new manager San Marino Calcio’s Davide Tedoldi has told us that he is bitterly disappointed at clubs decision to offer him to other clubs and is laying the blame firmly at the feet of his current manager Jamie Waggett. The right winger, thirty-one years-old, who has yet to feature for his new side this season, said: “The manager (Waggett) has come in and made it clear who he seems to want and doesn’t want. I can categorically say that it has been made clear to me in no uncertain terms that I am no longer wanted at San Marino Calcio. I played in Serie B last season for Catanzaro but evidently he has his favourites and I’m not one of the chosen few. I just have to hope I can get fixed up with a new club soon as I don‘t want to spend a season on the sidelines.†For Milan-born Tedoldi, who began his career at Gualdo before spells at Treviso, Avellino, Cosenza, Cesena and Sambenedettese and has played made over two-hundred appearances so far in a career spanning almost ten years, it’s a bitter pill to take having only joined the club shortly before former manager Walter Nicoletti’s departure. Jamie Waggett was unavailable to comment on the story but will no doubt be unhappy that the experienced winger felt it necessary to make his feelings known to those outside the club.. In other news midfielder Alessandro Turchetta returned to full training today following his recovery from a wrist injury that had kept him out of the clubs opening two games of the season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted September 12, 2007 Author Share Posted September 12, 2007 Wednesday 23rd August 2006 La Tribuna Sammarinese Titani line-up Valli San Marino Calcio have revealed they have offered a contract to former Cesena striker Matteo Valli in a bid to boost their attacking options. Managing Directer Glauco Spadaro said: “Matteo is just one of a number of players identified by the manager and his scouting network but I can confirm we are currently discussing terms with the player.†Valli, nineteen years-old, is a product of the Federazione Sammarinese Giuoco Calcio youth academy and made nine appearances for San Marino in the 2004/05 season before being signed by Serie B Cesena last season. To date he has scored four goals in seven under-twenty-one appearances for San Marino and was recently touted by Italian journalist Giorgio Betti, a respected figure in Sammarinese sport, as a player with the potential and talent to succeed at the highest level in Italian football. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien77 Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 Nice. Love your match reports. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted September 16, 2007 Author Share Posted September 16, 2007 Thanks Damien77 Apologies for the lack of updates. I started a new job last week and my band is about to go on tour so I've not got much free time at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted September 16, 2007 Author Share Posted September 16, 2007 Saturday 26th August 2006 La Tribuna Sammarinese Valli rejects Titani offer Former Cesena striker Matteo Valli appears poised to join Serie B Rimini or Serie C1/A Pisa after reportedly rejecting a contract offer from San Marino Calcio. The nineteen year-old and his agent Cristian Saletti, met with club officials last week. Saletti said: “Matteo spoke to several people at the club, including the manager but I’m as of the current time he’s unsure if it’s the right time in his career to move back to San Marino. However, he hasn‘t ruled out a move back to the club in the future, they will always be close to him, but he has other options at the moment and would like the chance to explore those before he makes his final decision.†It is understood that the Titani have offered the young striker an improved contract but it remains to be seen whether or not that will be enough to lure him away from the temptation of a move higher up the league pyramid. In other news the club revealed that it had severed all links with former parent club Cesena. Director Germano De Biagi said in a brief announcement that: “After consulting the manager it was decided that the relationship between the two sides was no longer in the best interests of San Marino Calcio and that from today onwards there would be no links, either formal or informal between the two clubs. We would like to express our gratitude to the Cesena for the time they spent linked to the club, the players we’ve co-owned and the players they have loaned to us in the past.†The club recently terminated the season-long loan of Cesena defender Samuele Buda and currently co-own winger Luca Ceccarelli with the outfit from the Stadio Dino Manuzzi. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted September 16, 2007 Author Share Posted September 16, 2007 Saturday 26th August 2006 San Marino Oggi Serie C1/B Season Preview San Marino Calcio Nickname: Titani, Biancazzurri Founded: 1960 Ground: Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino Capacity: 7,000 Manager: Jamie Waggett (SMR, 27) In: (players were free agents unless otherwise stated) Daniele Pigneri, Alex Gasperoni, Nicolò Tamagnini, Nicolas Bollini, Michele Bonifazi, Andrea Moroni, Andrea Mignani, Federico Gasperoni (Cattolica - £3,000), Raffaele Moroni, Luca Ferrari (Empoli - £3,000), Pietro Tamai, Denny Giovannini, Giacomo Maiani, Joan David Out: None San Marino Oggi verdict: New manager Jamie Waggett, in his first management role at this level, has been busy since taking over earlier in the summer but appears to have a reasonable group of players for the new campaign along with some others who little is known about. Pre season results have been encouraging, while a win and a defeat from their opening two Coppa Italia Serie C games suggests they have some settling in to do. If the better players perform they should finish lower mid-table but if they falter then the Titani could find themselves, as predicted, in a real relegation battle. Key man: Giovanni Abate - His goals could hold the key to survival this season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted September 16, 2007 Author Share Posted September 16, 2007 It was a warm Saturday evening in Serravalle, the weather was close but the breeze made it comfortable as I sat in the dimming sunlight outside my home. Tomorrow I’d make the short journey to the Stadio Olimpico, past the imposing façade of the Chiesa di Sant Andrea (Saint Andrea's Church), built in 1824 by Luigi Fonti. If I was a religious man I’d probably be there praying right now but instead I was happy just sitting here with my thoughts. I liked Serravalle. I’d lived here for a couple of years now and settled in quite nicely. It wasn’t anything special but it was mine, I didn’t need the clutter and gaudy furniture a lot of football players seemed to collect. I didn’t need it. I liked the quiet, the simplicity. It was restful, a haven. In my mind I had thoughts about how the season would go, of course I couldn’t possibly know, I can’t predict the future nor had any premonitions come to me in a wisp of a daydream or other escapism. I felt one thing though and that was that it was going to be hard. A real struggle, so there was no point having delusions of grandeur. What mattered first and foremost was survival, after that the continual reorganisation and development of the club would happen gradually, like it should. No shock to the systems. No quick solution. I’d need to keep the books balanced though but I had no plans to go over budget. Things would be done efficiently and professionally, no half measures, even if this brings frustration at first. I’ve been reasonably surprised by my success in the transfer market, although from the outside many will probably think the players I’ve brought in, all fourteen of them, aren’t going to be good enough - having come from San Marino - I expect nearly all of them to make some kind of impact in the first-team, although for some of the youngsters it won’t be for a couple of seasons - potential has been the key here and a few look to have it in abundance. Three players; Alex Gasperoni, Federico Gasperoni and Raffaele Moroni - could all have very important roles to play this year and throughout. They may be the ones who set the benchmark. Both Gasperoni’s are internationals and will provide something for the younger players to aspire to and also look up to, while if he performs I expect Moroni to find a place in the squad as well, he certainly looks to have the ability. I know I’ve not been in charge for long, we’ve played a few friendlies, two games competitive games, both in the Coppa Italia Serie C group stages, have brought with them a promising win and a crushing defeat. It’s a learning experience, for me and the players, but tomorrow, tomorrow I feel will be more, well, real. At four o’clock the players will run out at the Stadio Olimpico and face Perugia. There’d be pressure but I felt the players would be up to the job. I’d already decided on a team, one Sammarinese national in the starting eleven, another three on the bench. It was a small development but it was a start. As I’d told my players all throughout pre-season and all this week, above all I wanted us to get of to a good start, a win against Perugia, they’d been in Serie A so recently, a win against them would be fantastic and unexpected way to began my time as San Marino Calcio manager… Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amaroq Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Wag: Apologies for the lack of updates... </div></BLOCKQUOTE> No problem; we'll take what we can get and be grateful! Like D, I really love your match reports: great detail, great style, both visual and visceral at the same time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted September 24, 2007 Author Share Posted September 24, 2007 Sunday 27th August 2006 Serie C1/B #1 Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle Having won one and lost one of our opening two games of the season, both in the Coppa Italia Serie C, it was time for San Marino to face Perugia on the opening Sunday of the Serie C1/B season. San Marino had finished fifteenth in Serie C1/A last year while Perugia, having made the two hour journey north to Serravalle from Umbria, were looking to get off to a good start to the league campaign having spent the summer smarting having just missed out on a play-off place in the 2005/06 season after finishing sixth, just a point away from fourth placed Grosseto and fifth placed Sangiovannese. The Umbrian side were being tipped to take the title this time around and having spent seven of the last nine seasons in Serie A it was clear why, they possessed a squad with players San Marino could only fantasise about due to a reputation and past that had seen other players like Italian internationals Paolo Rossi, Marco Materazzi and Fabrizio Ravanelli, Japanese international Hidetoshi Nakata and Croatian international Milan Rapaic all don the red and white strip, though they were all long gone and the club now looked to former Italian under-twenty-one attacker Ciro Ginestra and former Napoli defender Francesco Baldini to lead them back to the top flight. San Marino manager Jamie Waggett named an unchanged side for the third consecutive game and gave a place on the bench to left winger Alessandro Turchetta, who had recently recovered from injury, but there was no sign of striker Giovanni Abate who was still some way from fitness following his broken jaw. It was a dry slightly windy day in Serravalle but with a crowd of just 1,909 huge gaps were present either side of the Stadio Olimpico pitch, the two ends open the elements. The travelling Perugia contingent let off a stream of red flares which left a red plume of smoke above the wedge of the ground they’d been packed into. The match began with both teams looking nervous about committing an error and looking cagey in attack, it may have only been the first game of the season but a lot was at stake. San Marino buoyed by some vocal support had the better of the possession in the opening ten minutes and following two whipped corners from the right wing by Luca Ceccarelli were awarded an eleventh minute penalty when a third saw former Tottenham Hotspur defender Mauricio Taricco handball under pressure from Alex Gasperoni. A hush fell over the stadium as right back Simone Berardi grabbed the ball and placed it on the spot. He took a couple of steps away from the ball and as the referee blew his whistle for the kick slowly jogged back to the spot before slamming the ball hard and low beyond Perugia goalkeeper Andrea Pinzan into the bottom left corner of the net to send the Titani into an unexpected early lead. Perugia looked sullen but some vocal support from manager Marco Cari seemed to wake them from their slumber and they immediately began to look threatening. In the sixteenth minute Ciro Ginestra shot dismally over the bar from close range after a five-man passing move involving Francesco Ferrini, Salvatore Accursi, Francesco Baldini, Francesco Mocarelli and Luigi Anaclerio had carved the San Marino defence and midfield wide open. He really should have scored having found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Emiliano Dei, although many Perugia supporters and no-doubt the players themselves felt the miss would not matter much as they would surely get more against such inferior opposition. As ever time ticked on, the game becoming more and more about the battle in the centre circle between Nicola Napolitano and the Perugia midfield as the defensive midfield snapped into every tackle and often took the man too riling a few Grifoni players but escaping the wrath of the referee. San Marino were stifling Perugia but occasionally they did manage to break through, mostly due to the intelligence and pace of left winger Luigi Anaclerio who was a constant threat when he received the ball in space. His thirty-fourth minute cross forcing a flying save from Emiliano Dei to keep the ball out after it was met powerfully by the head of Raffaele Rubino, in what was to be Perugia’s only effort on target during the first half. Neither side made a change at the break and both sides ran out through another plume of red smoke as the Perugia supporters looked to boost the confidence of their travelling squad as they faced the prospect of being just over forty-five minutes away from an embarrassing and unlikely victory for San Marino and their new manager. The second half began at slow pace, the home side were tight in possession whilst Perugia looked tense. A long-range shot that sailed well wide of the target from Raffaele Rubino which was swiftly followed by another from Ciro Ginestra, either side of the hour, the most notable effort of their early attempts. Perugia were enjoying a decent spell of possession but were failing to the hit the target and almost fell foul to a San Marino counter-attack in the seventy-fifth minute when Alex Gasperoni harassed Francesco Baldini into a weak back pass. The ball was picked up by striker Alberto Villa who strode into the area at pace then narrowly fired it over the crossbar with just Andrea Pinzan to beat, he should have scored but it would have perhaps been unfair on the away side. The chance marked a change in the ascendancy of the game as Alex Gasperoni and Luca Ceccarelli began to draw more fouls out of the Perugia players and the home side started to enjoy some possession. Playmaker Davide Faieta shooting just wide of the top left hand corner of the net from an eighty-seventh minute free kick representing the last worthwhile effort of the match as it descended into time wasting and kick and run tactics to cement a surprisingly easy San Marino win against one of the supposed bigger teams in the division. The San Marino manager, players and supporters were undoubtedly delighted with the performance but realised it was going to be a long hard season so were muted and respectful in their celebrations. After the game one of the television stations mentioned that the Titani had shown class to upstage the Grifoni and should be proud of the way the team had fought hard to overcome the pre-game odds and record a one-nil victory. Perugia 1-0 (Simone Berardi 13) Attendance: 1,909 MotM: Davide Faieta (San Marino) San Marino Calcio: Emiliano Dei; Simone Berardi, Salvatore Ferraro, Luca D’Angelo ©, Roberto Di Maio; Nicola Napolitano, Luca Ceccarelli (Raffaele Moroni on 76), Alex Gasperoni (Alessandro Turchetta on 76), Francesco Giorgetti, Davide Faieta; Alberto Villa (Federico Ligori on 76) Perugia: Andrea Pinzan; Mauricio Taricco (Antonio Rizzo on 72), Francesco Ferrini, Francesco Baldini, Salvatore Accursi; Andrea Bernini ©, Raffaele De Martino, Francesco Mocarelli (Vincenzo Pellecchia on 72), Luigi Anaclerio (Alessandro Argalia on 72); Raffaele Rubino, Ciro Ginestra Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted October 5, 2007 Author Share Posted October 5, 2007 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… Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amaroq Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Brutal cliffhanger! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amaroq Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Brutal cliffhanger! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted October 18, 2007 Author Share Posted October 18, 2007 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. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted October 18, 2007 Author Share Posted October 18, 2007 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. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amaroq Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 An update, with no answer to the cliffhanger question of what the 3am accident was? Now that's really cruel! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spav Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I've just read all of this - it really is top quality. KUTGW Wag Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wag Posted November 3, 2007 Author Share Posted November 3, 2007 Thanks for the comments Amaroq and Spav Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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