So I had a look at "La Stampa", "Corriere Della Sera" and "La Repubblica" yesterday at my library and it's exactly as you said. No attendances! I checked them quickly, volumes from 1967, mid-70s and mid-80s. I will try to have a more thorough look at them a while later. But not a lot of hope is left.
Awesome Thread ! Very interesting to see other terms from different countries. These are some of the terms I'm familiar with in Colombia. Arquero/Golero: Goalkeeper. Valcentro/Central: Center Defender. Laterales/Carrileros: Full Backs Volantes is used for any postion in the Midfield. Volante (Derecho,Izquierdo,Creativo,Defensivo,Mixto) = (Right,Left,Creative,Defensive,Mixed) Mid Additionally we also refer to the Midfield positions with certain numbers. When asked what position you play a response could be "Yo juego de 6" (I play 6). Also the Right and Left Mids can also be called Wingers. That's self explanatory. Volante Defensivo (Defensive Mid) is usually #6 Volante Creativo (Creative Mid) #10 Centralized player on the pitch, directly behind the Forwards. Volante Derecho (Right Mid) #11 Volante Izquierdo (Left Mid) #7 Volante Mixto (Mixed Mid) we refer to as a Defensive Mid that has a more attacking Mind Set like a Busquets in spain when Xabi Alonso is the #6. Volante Mixto is #5. There is also a #8 which can be a Volante Mixto but in the attacking midfield area, like a Xavi who cant be considered a Defensive Mid yet is not a #10 which is more centralized on the pitch. Also, going back to the Defenders they also have numbers but isn't common to refer to them by their numbers. They would be GK#1 Centers(#2,3) FullBacks(#4,5 or 6) Depending on the Mids. Like I said not that common. Moving on. Media Punta: Half Forward, like a David Villa. Delantero Fijo/Puntero: Striker, like a Torres. This position is also refereed to by a number more than the name and it's the #9 These are just the terms I'm familiar with I'm sure terms vary even within the same country. Hope it's interesting what I've shared !
Gianni Rivera played at times with #5 for Alessandria. An idea where that comes from? Quite sure that he had that number in more than one Serie A game.
No idea. We should check in which games he wore that shirt number. My gues(just that) is that in the beginning of his career in Alessandria he probably had more experts players wearing number 10 (or 8) and he had to wear a 5. But did he play stopper? Very difficult. He probably was still plaing midfielder and in a home match probably alessandria had a very attacking side. Sometimes coaches also played with numbers (as having a stopper with 9 a centre-forward with 3) to which result, honestly, I don't know. When he arrived in Milan he was already a classic (if very young) inside forward, or mezzala, but had to wait a bit (by mid-season 1961-62) to be considered the "owner" of 10, having to play winger or 8 in case of need. I've checked some matches here http://www.magliarossonera.it/Magliarossonera.html a site usually quite thrustworthy for Milan fact. If you have time to find a match were he wore number 5 I can read the articles and see if the journalist gave a reason for the strange number.
In Gianni Rivera's first ever Serie A game (02.06.1959) he wore #8. The following season he wore #8 seven times, #9 eleven times, #10 seven times. There was no game where he wore #5 during his time in Alessandria and also not later for Milan.
I watched it again, if I am correct it does not say that someone else was the goalscorer with #5. So that made me think it was Rivera (it also does not show a pass or so to the #5). Like I said, I also saw it on another video, showing Rivera at Alessandria.
My source is this website here which has every Serie A lineup since 1929 listed from shirt numbers 1 - 11 http://www.seriearanking.it/anni/..\anni\1960\partite.php Perhaps the game where he wore #5 was not a Serie A game but a Coppa Italia game, which would of course still leave the question why he was given such an unusal shirt number. Or indeed the player with #5 is not Rivera (which would be my guess).
Thanks. That's why I asked. Will look if I can find the other video. It seems that it is taken offline but who knows (the interesting part of the video was that it dealt with Rivera his early years).
If the #5 was not Rivera, it must've been a quite skillful stopper playing for Alessandria back then.
I think so ... Look close at the one who wore $8 at near end, must be him, $5 was just the scorer/striker /// Anyway. Rivera made the classic #10 at Milan days so famous in SerieA
A surprisingly good feature on the "false nine" position/role from Bleacher Report: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1802653-complete-guide-to-the-false-9-and-who-plays-it-best
Like I said ... MANY seem excited with a new "term" (to their knowledge) of "FALSE NINE" and ABUSED it. To start with Messi, or Rooney ... all wearing number 10 (NOT number 9) and what the heck the "false 9" coming from? And it's so funny they even called Lavezzi (number 21? playing mostly on the wing) and Van Persie (only became a striker ) but wearing number 10 and then 20) a "false 9"? Regardless their shirt number, they are NO false 9 material at all ...
Hi: That distinction between "poachers" and "predators" is interesting. I'm not sure who could be considered as predatory-type goal-scorer nowadays... Lewandowski?
Suarez definitely fits that bill. I would also add Benzema in there, although the word predator and Benzama don't seem to match, since it seems imply a certain aggressiveness. Aubameyang is another one who seems like he should be considered a predator.