The fans called him Ugo-goal. Generous, strong physically, good with his head, he wasn’t bad with his feet either. Guido Ugolotti, born in 1958, played three seasons in Arezzo, all in Serie B. He ran a lot and scored 21 times, including the one that on 15 June 1986 gave the only victory in history at Perugia. Having grown up in Roma, after hanging up his boots he became a coach and fate brought him back to Amaranth, even if for just one month, at the beginning of 2009. Today he has just returned from an experience in Malta, as technical director, with the Victoria Hotspurs.
Do you know that you and Facchini are the only Arezzo players to have won a victory in Perugia?
I know I know. Football is really strange. I have that match printed in my memory even if I have never seen the images again. We prepared it carefully and with a bit of anxiety, because the Sunday before we had lost at home to Genoa, calling our stay in Serie B into question. We went on a retreat to Cortona, Mister Riccomini tried to play it down but we were tense. Then luckily the match ended well: our salvation and their relegation.
Do you remember your header?
Very good. Lateral free kick, I took the time of Pazzagli, the Perugia goalkeeper, and anticipated him. Facchini had previously scored with a pass from behind. Facchini was a very technical guy, a little inconsistent but good. The pitch was wet, in the late morning a very heavy downpour came down which added further concern to us, because they were physically better performing. But we had to win that day. Riccomini, among other things, had invented one of his own.
Meaning what?
Before the match he took Muraro, a striker, aside and told him that he would have to sacrifice himself in marking Allievi, the Perugia midfielder who ran everywhere and who then also played in Arezzo. Carletto made a face… he remained like that for a while but accepted. And he was one of the best.
And what game will it be on Sunday?
More important for Arezzo than for Perugia, even if you can never tell when rivalry is involved. Perugia scores points at home but is already fourth in the playoffs, Arezzo can improve its position. I expect ninety minutes openly, Indians are a guarantee in this respect.
You Indians faced him 5 times, including the match you lost 3-1 in Foligno when you were on the Arezzo bench in 2009. What is your opinion of him?
I respect him, he is a coach who has been able to get back into the game several times and who had no hesitations in moving down a category, winning many championships. The numbers speak for him.
What did he take with him from his three seasons as a footballer in Arezzo?
Nice sensations. The first year above all was satisfying for me: I reached double figures with Russo and Riccomini as coaches. Then my knee started to give me trouble and my performance dropped a bit, even though I scored 8 goals in ’86-87. The third year was a disaster: we had a very strong squad to aim for A and we collapsed sensationally in C. That’s where my experience in amaranth ended. But that group made up of Orsi, Butti, Mangoni, Minoia, Ermini was special.
His period as coach of Arezzo, however, was decidedly different. Why didn’t it work?
Because it couldn’t work. When I went to the interview with president Mancini, sporting director Iaconi was not there. He wouldn’t have wanted to kick Cari out, it was the president’s decision. I found very good and highly paid players, perhaps too much, who had found a balance with Cari and who took the dismissal badly. I made the mistake of keeping my predecessor’s staff and what’s more there was a divided environment. I played 4 games, we won 1-0 against Gallipoli who then went to Serie B, but it wasn’t enough. And after the defeat at home against Marcianise I left without ever having found a connection with the locker room.
This has always been a complicated place.
I consider it a stimulating place, all footballers like playing in Arezzo. Let’s say that there was a lack of corporate and financial stability, with unfortunately too frequent failures. If he finds continuity and planning, Arezzo can stay permanently in Serie B. I wish him so.
How long has it been happening around here?
A few years. If Sunday ends well, maybe I’ll go back for a ride. And I take away the weight of this one victory in Perugia.
Tags: Perugia great performance good years Arezzo
