The Serie C party with Carpi did not change the daily life of coach Cristian Serpini (pictured on Sunday at the ‘Cabassi’), who was also punctual at work yesterday morning at the Erreà Point in Modena. A few dark circles under his eyes from the post-promotion revelry and a splendid surprise from his colleagues, a dedication closed by a ‘proud of you’ quoting a Carlino headline from 16 December: ‘We’ll win the championship’. Words and music from the 51-year-old coach from Castelfranco on the eve of Carpi-Imolese, the penultimate first leg, when the red and whites were seventh, -6 from the top. One group later Serpini celebrated his seventh category jump as coach, after those in Calcara (from Second to Promotion), San Cesario (First won), the two leaps to D in Castelvetro and Correggio and the D playoff final won two years ago ago with Lentigione who had given the Reggio players the right to the C, then renounced.
Mister Serpini, is this the best day as a coach?
“Without a doubt, I’m fulfilling a dream. I started from the second category to reach the professionals. I came close, now I’ve earned it on the field.”
When Lazzaretti asked you to come to Carpi, what did you think? “With the president we know each other well from Correggio. I know he has a generous heart and is demanding, just as I am ambitious. This is why we always got along well. The objective was important, but it didn’t scare me. And great merits in this masterpiece there he has him: when everyone thought we were cut off, he always believed us.”
Was there a race in which you thought you had finished your adventure in Carpi?
“I thought that after the Ravenna knockout in Mezzolara it was my last chance.”
There is more than a working relationship with sporting director Motta
“A lifetime ago at Anzolavino we played together: I was a midfielder at the end of my career, he was a rampant under full-back. Riccardo is young but has great skills, he supported me in difficult moments, we suffered together”.
Last year he was in Ravenna and the Giallorossi fans after the 3-0 first leg win wrote on the Carpi page: thanks for taking Serpini…
“I don’t like to answer, Ravenna had a great championship, if I wanted to be mean, however, I would say that they have been in D for 3 years: two years ago we won the playoff final there with Lentigione, last year they didn’t move up also because of me, this year… because of me.”
Who do the dedications go to?
“To my staff who are exceptional. To the fans who taught us belonging and who were there even when we were seventh. Then the warehouse workers, we have Claudio (Sternieri, ed.) who made the A not for nothing. The club, the players who have become men in recent months. And then my wife Chiara and my daughters Carlotta and Alessandro”.
Do you have the contract for another 2 years? “Nothing in black and white, but there was a handshake between me and the president last summer and that’s enough between us.”
How do you imagine your first Serie C?
“Very difficult championship, I follow it to learn, you have to go with very specific game ideas. The press knows that if he wants a ‘strong Apache’ season he has to change coach…”.
Are there any stones you want to remove?
“I would have a thousand, but they taught me that you have to know how to lose before knowing how to win.”
