Pellegrino Rizzolo - Un Signore Italiano in Sud America (FM16)

[simon07]

Authors notes: The title is supposed to translate as "An Italian Gentleman in South America" - firstly I apologise if this is incorrect (my trust is in Google translate!) please feel free to correct me! Please note I will probably use lots of Italian phrases throughout the piece. If they are translated wrong, please let me know. Saved game will be based on FM16.

I will create some leagues for South and Central American countries that aren't currently available on the game. I will do this with the editor tool (ie Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia, Honduras, Costa Rica etc.) I will also restructure the Brazilian league so they don't compete in their regional leagues.

Both positive and negative feedback is welcome, I hope you all enjoy the story of Pellegrino Rizzolo.

Un Ragazzo da Verona

"A Boy from Verona"

Born in Verona to an Italian father and an Argentine mother, Pellegrino was a bright and creative child. Pellegrino's father Luca runs a successful mineral water company (Rizzolo's) based in the city of Verona. Pellegrino's mother, Juileta is a freelance violinist and radio presenter. As a young boy Pellegrino used to split his time between his 2 mains loves. Football and the piano. By the age of thirteen, Pellegrino was a very accomplished pianist. He also was training with the Hellas Verona youth teams progressing through the various age groups.

Aged 15, Pellegrino witnessed the breakup of his parents marriage. It ended admirably with the pair agreeing that just didn't love each other anymore. The hardest part of the breakup on Pellegrino was Julieta's choice to move back to her home-town, La Plata in Argentina. Luca continued to run the mineral water firm in Italy. Pellegrino's summers were spent in La Plata with his mother, it was a part of the world he loved, but his home was Verona. Although the years that followed were tough on Pellegrino he continued to develop as a footballer. Aged seventeen he signed his first professional contact with Hellas Verona and also started studying law at the university in the city. He continued his piano education and began writing his own classical music that he would play in small venues around the north of Italy.

In 1993, aged twenty Pellegrino was released by Hellas Verona after making just 9 first team appearances. The left footed attacking midfielder was allowed to leave the club by manager at the time Edoardo Reja. The Italian claimed that Rizzolo was "too much of a luxury player that was more interested in playing his piano and studying". Six weeks after his release Pellegrino left the University in Verona with a degree in law.

Pellegrino's next step was probably not a expected one. He rejected offers from nine different clubs in Italy (including city rivals Chievo) in order to accept an opportunity of an eight week trial with Estudiantes in his mothers home town of La Plata, Argentina. To Pellegrino it was a chance he couldn't turn down, a different footballing culture and a chance to be reunited with his mother in Argentina. The trial was a success and after only three weeks of the eight week trial Estudiantes offered Pellegrino a three year contract, an offer he accepted.

La Plata had become Pellegrino's home, he met a nineteen year old after five weeks of being in the city who he madly fell in love with. Lizeth Zelaya was a Honduran student studying interior design. The pair were engaged after just three months of meeting and married after just seven. Their first child followed nine months after their marriage, they had a son named Zapata. One year on from Zapata, the pair had a daughter, Ximena.

On the pitch Pellegrino was becoming a fan favourite, his vision and technique was proving very popular with fans and team mates alike. He also had an eye for goal. In a six year spell Rizzolo had played 141 games scoring 37 goals. He was sold to Rio based giants Flamengo in for $6m. Pellegrino spent six seasons in Brazil playing 129 games scoring 29 goals. Following his release from Flamengo, Rizzolo rejected the chance to move back to Italy instead signing for Chilean giants Colo Colo on a one year deal. He then spent two years in Colombia with Envigado. A two season spell in Ecuador with Barcelona (ECU) followed before a twelve month stay with Panama City based side Plaza Amador.

1990 – 1993 – Hellas Verona (9 games, 0 goals)

1994 – 2000 – Estudiantes de la Plata (141 games – 37 goals)

2000 – 2006 – Flamengo (129 games – 29 goals)

2006 – 2007 – Colo Colo (31 games – 7 goals)

2007 – 2009 – Envigado (41 games – 9 goals)

2009 – 2011 – Barcelona (ECU) (47 games – 9 goals)

2011 – 2012 – Plaza Amador (21 games – 7 goals)

Since retiring in 2012, Pellegrino has completed his studies to become a fully qualified lawyer. He has opened 2 Pizza restaurants, one in La Plata and one in Rio both called Juileta's after his mother. Furthermore he has recorded and released his own classical piano album.

Pellegrino Rizzolo's only loved a few things in his life, his wife Lizeth, his children Zapata and Ximena, his parents and the piano. The one other love in his life was football. Rizzolo promised to himself that he would return to the game he loved after three years away.

[tenthreeleader]

Looks great so far -- don't sweat the translation stuff, we're picky but not THAT picky Will look forward to seeing what you come up with!

[simon07]

Thanks tenthreeleader - hope you stick with it

Ritorno a Casa?

"Back Home?"

It was a beautiful evening in La Plata, it had just passed 21.30 local time and Pellegrino was sitting down on the balcony of the family apartment. The apartment was a modern premises set within a serviced building. It was a building that had 31 luxury apartments with 21 being occupied by footballers from the cities two clubs. There rest of the apartments were occupied by business men and women who work within Buenos Aires area.

Pellegrino was sipping a coffee whilst reading the La Gazzetta dello Sport on his tablet. It was the only way he could keep up with sporting affairs back home. Obviously the main column inches were taken up with stories on how Juventus had retained the Serie A and how the Milan clubs had continued to fall. Pellegrino looked up from his tablet, he could see Lizeth and Ximena in the front room working on some wallpaper designs. Lizeth had started a very successful house brand call Zeyala. It was a company that designed everything needed to decorate a home. Ximena had a keen interest in following her mother's footsteps, going to university and graduating with a strong degree. Pellegrino's eyes scanned the front room from the balcony. He saw Zapata in the corner of the room on his laptop, he must have been doing some of his coursework for his degree. Pellegrino let out a smile, he was very proud of his family.

He took a swig of his coffee before looking back down at his tablet. Something immediate caught his eye. Pellegrino had scrolled down the page without knowing, he saw a headline that read, "Ivan Jurić e Padova Società Parte" (Ivan Jurić and Padova Part Company). He opened the page in a new tab. Padova had parted company with Croatian Ivan Juric after a string of bad result. The story continued and Pellegrino read the story 3 more times before Zapata called for his help. He put his tablet on standby and left it on the dining table as he walked into his apartment. He planned to go back and read the story again. Could Padova really provide Pellegrino a route into management? Was he jumping the gun a little here? His mind started to drift.

[edtheguy]

This is a great start - I'm already hooked! I like your writing style and I love the details you've put in to the narrative so far. Keep up the good work, I'll be following!

[simon07]

Thanks edtheguy - I appreciate your comments, sorry for the slow updates, work is a nightmare at the minute! Stick with it!

Una Grande Opportunità?

“A Great Opportunity?”

Despite not seeing his Dad as often as he would of liked, Pellegrino knew he could always rely on Luca. Pellegrino had contacted the Director of Padova and had managed to get himself an interview to discuss the opportunity to become their new Head Coach. He had been out the European game for several years, didn't have any coaching badges or experience, but somehow he had managed to secure an interview with the Italian side. He didn't even tell Lizeth. He had no idea how his wife would take it. She already left her home in Honduras to move to Argentina, there was no way Pellegrino was going to suggest moving to Italy. The only person he told was Luca. Pellegrino knew it was stupid, he was flying around the world at his expense, for an interview with a football club based in a town her had never been to.

Luca picked Pellegrino up from the train station, a flight and a train journey just to get to this point. 48 hours before the interview and Pellegrino was making some notes, he even looked at himself in the mirror practising answers to potential questions. How would he talk around the lack of badges? How would he answer any questions about relocating back to Italy? He didn't really have any answers, all he could only hope for was that he wasn't asked them questions.

The day of the interview arrived, Pellegrino was changing into his suit, he had a debate with himself, tie or no tie? One minute he would convince himself the tie was a good idea, very smart, means business. But he also convinced himself that no tie was better, young, innovative and more importantly himself. He opted for no tie, he never usually wore one anyway. Pellegrino met 3 directors, he didn't remember much of the interview, all he remembered was that the 3 gentlemen he met, all wore ties. After the 45 minute meeting Pellegrino left the office, he walked out the door, put on his sunglasses looked up to the sky and sighed. All he kept thinking was, what am I doing here?

72 hours had passed from the interview, Pellegrino was started to think he had been unsuccessful, he was due to catch a train to the airport that evening when his phone rang. The Padova director was calling him. He steadied himself as he answered the phone.

“Good afternoon, Pellegrino Rizzolo speaking”

“Mr Rizzolo, thank you for answering my call, I have a proposition for you, check your e-mails and call me back within the hour”

Pellegrino refreshed his e-mail. There it was, in black and white, “Siamo lieti di offrirvi l'opportunità di diventare il nuovo allenatore del Padova” Pellegrino had been offered the head coach role on a 2 year contract. Details to be discussed. Just as he looked up from his phone to let out a small smile, he recived a text message from Lizeth, “We need to talk”.

Pellegrino's swallowed hard, had Lizeth found out this visit to Italy wasn't just to see Luca? Who should he call? The director or his wife?

[neilhoskins77]

Good stuff this Simon07. Looking forward to seeing where it goes. Best of luck....with the job, and the wife :-D

[Cheesey1975]

good luck and i hope uu managed to please the wife

[ChileanRanger]

Ah. As usual, a foreigner signing with Colo Colo after spectacular seasons and then goes on to make his worst season in his career. He then leaves and goes back to normal. I have nothing against Colo Colo, but it's an elephant graveyard of strikers.(Bieler, Suazo this season, to name a few.)