Third appointment of the week with the program of TMW Radio All Cdedicated to the world of Serie C. In view of the first leg playoff final, which will be played tonight at the ‘Menti’ between Vicenza and Carrarese, the former Apuan coach Silvio Baldini spoke: “For the first time Carrarese is playing for the chance to go to Serie B, history presents itself and the Carrarini will support the team because they will go to Vicenza in 2000. On Sunday we would need a stadium with 20 thousand seats, but this is the magic of football. At the moment even those who don’t follow football are proud of what Carrarese is doing and the city follows the team. I don’t want to get on the bandwagon, but my children are Carrarese and are already thinking about how to celebrate I’m superstitious, and I don’t go to the stadium precisely to avoid seeing the superstitious people who have cheated on me, but the people of Carrara must experience this challenge as if they had already won it”.
Speaking of the bench, how did Carrara convince you to get back into the running?
“I have many friends from Carrarese and it is normal that I felt involved in this adventure and in this dream of bringing Carrarese not only to Serie B, but even to Serie A. And I immediately spoke about Serie A: if I have to express a wish I want to obtain the maximum, you don’t have to think small. If you don’t understand that my exaggeration is linked to the fact that dreams have no limits, I can’t do anything about it. There are no realists, there are owls. If I buy a lottery ticket I have to dream of the first prize, and that’s how it works in football too.”
Recently, however, the experience in Crotone: what didn’t work?
“That adventure there made me feel bad, it’s a good club, the structures are there… nothing is missing to play football. When I introduced myself I immediately said that I would work in a certain way, we had to prepare for the playoffs, but at a certain point Cuomo and Loiacono, captain and vice-captain, showed up, telling me that they couldn’t follow me, that they were tired, and at that point I took a step back. I was giving it my all. Suffice it to say that I went to live in a hotel but I lived in a small room adjacent to the fields, because for me this was a mission, not a job”.
Let’s go back to the playoff final. However, Carrarese does not start as favourites…
“Carrarese must think that they are the strongest team and that they will win. You don’t have to be afraid that the dream won’t come true. You must enjoy this moment with serenity, you must be convinced that you are stronger. If a city follows you it means that the club and the players have done something extraordinary. As Nereo Rocco said, finals shouldn’t be played, they should be won.”
