Castel di Sangro relegated to Serie D I hadn't noticed this recent relegation playoff result. In the Serie C2/Group B "playout" among the bottom teams, Castel di Sangro lost at home 2-0 to Fano and were therefore relegated to Serie D, out of the professional ranks. I found an "editorial" about it in Italian at this site: www.tuttalac.it Il miracolo e finito Here's a quick babelfish translation. If I get a chance I'll clean it up: The miracle is ended. After fifteen seasons between the professionals, the Castel di Sangro returns from where at the beginning of the years 90' it had come, giving life to the beautiful fable of our soccer. The composed squad from young talents scova from the long eye of Gabriel Gravina (managing hour to you of national the technical field) then succeeded to pass from the D series to the B series in four years, completing capolavoro with a salvation in series cadetta that Italy made to affect all, to forehead of one the studded season of sad events (two players died in a street incident, an arrested other for narcotic traffic). When but two years after Gravina it said enough, it was the beginning of the end, with sciagurate managements and incredible choices that have brought back the Castle in quarter series. And to think that the past summer had been risked not to enroll itself, because of debits accumulate in two years crowds to you. Only the participation of Fausta Bergamot, 3ênne lawyer of Paganica, avoids to the Castle the ignominia of the cancellation. The squad, reconstructed from zero or nearly, comes therefore enrolled to the championship of C2, after that Peter Belardelli, previous patron and responsible in great part of the poor end of the giallorossi, had not introduced the ripescaggio question. The technical guide is entrusted the young person Roberto Alberti, 43 years and captain of the Castle of the B. the medium age of the group is 23 years, and the beginning of the championship is full of traps and insidie that the group rejects to hard work, sedimentandosi in the zone play-out. Then but towards year-end, the square inanella a series of turns out to you positi to you pulling itself outside from the last positions, while the society disappears from the country after that a study of the Covisoc had brought to light debits for two billions. To the last useful day (30 Decembers), come avoided the liquidation with the Bergamot that puts of own pocket the moneies necessary in order to drive away the ghosts. The wages arrive also, but not the purchases many invocati from Alberti that, already exasperated from a not permissible technical situation, explodes after the critics of Giampiero Catone to the end of the match with the Fiorentina. Actually, it's quite long, and I'm having to translate 150 words at a time, so I'll leave it at that for now. The lack of paragraphs is irritating.
Yeah, the book gave a less-than-flattering account of many people (not the least, Joe McGinnis himself), but apparently, Gravina knew a little bit about what he was doing because they've gone down the toilet since he left.
I read that book in 1998 and lent to a friend on my WC tour of France. He kept the book---in England!!! I want to read it again..might check it at the library.
I tried going to that website SueB to see if I could use my Spanish to understand a bit more of the article on Castel di Sangro but I couldn't find the article anymore. If I can read the babelfish translation correctly (not always easy) it seems to say Roberto Alberti is the team's current coach. If you've read the book, Alberti was a player at the time with Castel and was the one who ignored the author (Joe McGinniss) for most of the time he was there until the writer gave up his ticket to a game so Alberti's son could attend a match. SueB, does the article say what Gravina is up to now? seems to mention something about being, " managing hour to you of national the technical field". Any idea what that may be? Sad to hear of castel di sangro's demotion to serie D. I enjoyed the book and really felt apart of the team until the end when i thought the writer's naivety and self-righteousness took hold of him too much. nevertheless a great read especially if you like one or both of Italy and soccer! Anybody know of some of the whereabouts of the other players and coaches from the book?
Yes, unfortunately, when I went back to the site later yesterday, the "editorial" had been updated and I couldn't find an archived version. I wish I'd cut and pasted the whole thing SOMEWHERE for reference, but I didn't. Gravina is somehow related to the national team program, but I don't know in what facility. Last year, the coach from the book, Osvaldo Jaconi, was hailed by many for bringing little Livorno up to Serie B. He then left in the off-season (for Catania, I'm thinking?) but was soon fired. Not sure where he is now. Livorno, incidentally, hired Roberto Donadoni to replace him. As for players, the only one I know of for certain is Jonathan Spinesi who plays for Bari (in Serie B)and is one of their leading scorers. I used to see Bonomi's and Fusco's names here and there but haven't heard of them lately. As for the book, I agree completely about McGinniss' "self-righteousness", but the story was too good to ruin.
I remember one of the guys played in Serie A for a while, and I think was at Samp for a while as well. I can't remember his name top of my head, but he was one of the more talented players.
I believe that was Claudio Bonomi, his name was mentioned early in the thread... I really liked the book also and followed some of the names for a while...
Turns out Castel di Sangro has gotten a new lease on life ... since 7 teams have been booted out of the Lega Calcio down to Serie D (because of financial problems), they had to be replaced by 7 teams from Serie D. Castel di Sangro is among those lucky 7 who will be back in Serie C-2 this season. Another "miracle".