When arrived, the team was not not even virtually qualified to the final stages. Today, that team is among best 4 in Italy. He is Lele Russothe team is theUnder 15 from the Pergolettese: taken over on the second day of the return round after a defeat by 6-0 on the field of Pro Sestoconducted until semi-final for the Scudetto after eliminating – in the round of 16 and quarterfinals – two superpowers such as Cesena And Pontedera. In his fourth year in the yellow-blue youth sector, Russo – ex Renate and with a past also at Cimiano – he moved on to lead the 2009 class after having coached the 2007 class in the first part of the season Under 17. And it was a blockbuster: in the championship 8 wins, 2 draws and 3 defeats in 13 games, but above all half of the goals conceded – 15 instead of 30 – compared to Luca’s previous management Vaccari (which to be honest, purely on a ranking level was not negative). There climbing from fifth to third place, then the miracle with Cesena and perhaps even more incredible, for how it arrived, against the Pontedera: the 1-1 in the first leg, the 1-0 deficit at half-time in the return with the obligation to win. The 3-2 – complete with a thrilling final with the attack of the Tuscans for whom the 3-3 would have earned them passage to the next round – which starts the party. For Lele Russo, now, a circle which closes: from Pro Sesto to Pro Sesto, the next opponent in the semifinals.
«FOOTBALL REWARDS THOSE WHO PLAY WELL»
And the Pergoletteseespecially in the second half, against Pontedera he played very well: «The boys – explains the coach, tried Lele Russo – They were perfectboth at field level and attitude. Having gone behind double the value of this incredible undertaking, on a very difficult field against a strong team on a structural level. But we prepared it well, and it showed». After a good start, the goal of Orcesi to make the yellow-blue match even more complicated. However, they return to the pitch after the break loads more than ever, and they turn it around: «In the locker room I only have reiterated what I had told the team before the match, namely that those who had something to lose were them and not us, and that football rewards those who play well. And we had also played well in the first half despite the 1-0 to them, I told the boys that we had to maintain the same attitude and that if we had found the 1-1 we would have put Pontedera in difficulty in terms of mental».
«WINNING LOCATION ROOM»
The group obviously, but also three individuals really strong: Leonardo Clerics, Edward Bisetto and Marco Picarelli, that is, the authors of the three goals they have carved in history the masterpiece of Pergolettese: «Three performances of the highest level – Russo continues – and three important goals, the real value must come out in matches like this and they were ready». And then, of course, there’s the hand from the coach: «I believed in it right away, from the first instant when I entered their locker room: there was adifferent air compared to all the other teams I coached, they immediately understood me, I felt great trust from the boys and I hope to have them returned something back». Finally, also a pinch of good luck – read pole of Romagnoli in full recovery – which never hurts: «Evidently the God of football it exists, too fortune it’s needed and this time in that episode it helped us». And now, Pro Sesto: «It’s the only team I haven’t faced with them…».
