Triumph
By beating Foggia 1-0 Lazio win their first scudetto
Also on this day: May 12, 1963, Lazio Messina 5-1. Lazio score five increasing promotion hopes. Player of the day: Paolo Bernasconi
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had gone agonisingly close to winning the scudetto. With 45 minutes to go to the end of the campionato, Lazio were drawing at Napoli and had a potential 44 points, Milan were losing at Verona and had 44 points, Juventus were losing against Roma and were on 43 points. But Napoli fought as if their lives depended on a win and beat Lazio in the final minutes, Juventus overturned the match after the Roma players basically stopped playing and Milan collapsed. Lazio came third.
The feeling was that the ship of glory had set sail leaving Lazio behind and would not come back. The summer transfer window was practically null but in the autumn there were two signings, midfielder Fausto Inselvini and forward Paolo Franzoni from Brindisi.
The season started with the Coppa Italia in August and September. After beating Varese at home in the first match they lost to Brescia in the second. The draw in the derby meant that Lazio had to beat Novara with at least a four-goal difference. The Biancocelesti won 6-0 and went to the second round. But here manager Tommaso Maestrelli would start playing with the reserves and concentrate more on the campionato, so Lazio ended up last in the semi-final group phase.
In the UEFA Cup in October reached the second round after eliminating Sion and were drawn against Ipswich Town. They lost the first leg 4-0 in England but the players really were convinced they could at least take the opponents to extra time. Lazio scored after 48 seconds with Renzo Garlaschelli. In the 23rd minute Allan Hunter, a defender, saved a goal on the line with a deliberate handball. The referee Leo Van der Kroft (the Lazio players accused him of having had a little too much to drink before the game) did not give Lazio the penalty. Giorgio Chinaglia two minutes later made it 2-0. In the second half Lazio doubled their efforts but could not score their third. In the 75th minute Clive Woods dived in the box and the referee gave a penalty. All hell let loose. The referee was surrounded by the Lazio players, some allegedly even hit him. Ipswich scored and from then on the game became a battle on the pitch and in the stands. It even continued in the changing rooms with a massive brawl among the players caused by one of the Ipswich players calling the Italians bastards. Lazio won 4-2 but were eliminated. UEFA banned Lazio from Europe for three years, reduced to one on appeal.
In campionato Lazio won the first two games against Vicenza away 3-0 and at home against Sampdoria, but then lost to Juventus and drew three consecutive matches. But no team had really taken advantage and the Biancocelesti were still only two points behind leaders Napoli. From December to mid January they won six consecutive games (including the derby coming from behind). By game 10, after winning at Verona, they had gone top alone, with a two-point lead over Juventus and maintained top spot until the winning streak ended when Lazio lost at home to Torino in the 13th match. The lead was regained in the next game, after winning at Foggia and Juventus losing against Fiorentina. By the end of the first half of the season Lazio were first with a three-point lead over Juventus, Fiorentina and Napoli.
They were amazing to watch, a marvellous football team with great players in every position. Nobody thought that they could continue playing as well as the previous season, but they did and went even further.
Lazio lost at Sampdoria in the 17th game, but the Biancocelesti were still two points clear of the Bianconeri. The most important game of the season took place on February 17, 1974: Lazio-Juventus. The Biancocelesti took a 2-0 lead in the first half hour, and then three penalties characterised the rest of the game. The first, for a foul outside the box, was missed by Juventus who however did not miss the second, but another penalty for Lazio gave the Biancocelesti the definite win. Lazio still first, three points ahead of Napoli and four in front of Juventus.
After a draw in Florence and a win at home against Cesena, Lazio lost again, this time in Milan against Inter. The Bianconeri reduced the distance to two points. But then Lazio beat Cagliari at home and went +3 and the gap increased by another point when Lazio won the derby, again coming from behind.
With seven games to go, Lazio had to face Napoli away. The Azzurri took the lead, Chinaglia equalised. Napoli went ahead again but again Chinaglia scored for Lazio. In the second half a penalty gave Napoli their third lead, but Chinaglia also scored a penalty and Lazio left Naples unscathed. They had a three-point lead which they maintained even after having lost against Torino the week before this match.
There were two games left in the season. A win against Foggia would mean scudetto.
The match: Sunday, May 12, 1974, Stadio Olimpico Rome
Lazio were nervous, very nervous, and played very badly. Foggia, who desperately needed a point to avoid relegation, tried to take advantage of the situation and Giuseppe Pavone had a chance but Felice Pulici saved. Giorgio Chinaglia tried with a big whack on a free kick but Raffaele Trentini managed to parry.
And for the first half that was it. Maestrelli in the changing rooms tried to get the boys to reason but they just stared at him blankly. In the second half Gigi Martini got seriously injured in the 50th minute. He broke his clavicle and would hence miss the upcoming World Cup in Germany. Chinaglia tried again on a free kick and Vincenzo D’Amico was dangerous in the 51st minute. Lazio started to attack but in a far too disorderly fashion. There was too much tension.
In the 58th minute the match changer. Renzo Garlaschelli in the box on the right crossed in and Francesco Scorsa touched the ball with his hand. Penalty. Chinaglia took the spot kick and scored.
In the 62nd minute Garlaschelli got sent off for a retaliatory foul and Lazio just stopped playing. They pulled back and hardly ever crossed into Foggia's half in the fear of a counter attack. But nothing else happened and at 5.45 pm Lazio became Champions of Italy.
An amazing feat. Lazio played the most exciting football, had a bunch of wild players who were all stars and fit perfectly together, managed by the Maestro Tommaso Maestrelli and marvellously put together by President Umberto Lenzini and Sports Director Antonio Sbardella. Felice Pulici, Sergio Petrelli, Luigi Martini, Giuseppe Wilson, Giancarlo Oddi, Franco Nanni, Renzo Garlaschelli, Luciano Re Cecconi, Giorgio Chinaglia, Mario Frustalupi, VIncenzo D’Amico would all become club legends and have a place in the hearts of all Lazio supporters. But also Fausto Inselvini, Paolo Franzoni, Mario Facco, Pierpaolo Manservisi and Luigi Polentes who all lent a hand to reach the final apotheosis and will never be forgotten. To all of these we must also add Roberto Lovati, assistant to Maestrelli, Doctor Renato Ziaco, Team Manager Luigi Bezzi, as well as spiritual guide Father Antonio Lisandrini.
Who played for Lazio
Pulici, Petrelli, Martini (50’ Polentes), Wilson, Oddi, Nanni, Garlaschelli, Re Cecconi, Chinaglia, Frustalupi, D’Amico
Substitutes: Avagliano, Franzoni
Manager: Maestrelli
Who played for Foggia
Trentini, Cimenti, Colla, Pirazzini, Bruschini (66' Golin), Scorsa, Fabbian, Valente, S. Villa, Rognoni, Pavone.
Substitutes: Giacinti, Delneri.
Manager: Toneatto.
Referee: Panzino
Goal: 60’ Chinaglia (pen)
What happened next
In the last game of the season Lazio drew at Bologna in a match which was more of a friendly than a serious game of football. Unfortunately on the way back from Bologna there was a car accident and Lazio legend Alfredo Monza died in the crash.
Lazio 1973-74
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 30 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 45 |
Coppa Italia | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
UEFA Cup | 4 | 2 | - | 2 | 8 |
Total | 44 | 23 | 10 | 11 | 63 |
Appearances
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | UEFA Cup |
Chinaglia | 42 | 30 | 8 | 4 |
Nanni | 42 | 30 | 8 | 4 |
Oddi | 42 | 30 | 8 | 4 |
Wilson | 42 | 30 | 8 | 4 |
Frustalupi | 40 | 30 | 6 | 4 |
Pulici | 39 | 30 | 5 | 4 |
Martini | 39 | 28 | 7 | 4 |
Garlaschelli | 39 | 29 | 6 | 4 |
D'Amico | 36 | 27 | 6 | 3 |
Re Cecconi | 34 | 23 | 7 | 4 |
Petrelli | 31 | 22 | 5 | 4 |
Inselvini | 22 | 12 | 8 | 2 |
Facco | 15 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
Franzoni | 15 | 9 | 6 | - |
Polentes | 14 | 10 | 4 | - |
Manservisi | 13 | 4 | 7 | 2 |
Mazzola | 6 | - | 5 | 1 |
Moriggi | 5 | - | 5 | - |
Borgo | 3 | 1 | 2 | - |
Tripodi | 3 | 1 | 2 | - |
Tinaburri | 1 | - | 1 | - |
Di Chiara | 1 | - | 1 | - |
Ceccarelli | 1 | - | 1 | - |
Amato | 1 | - | 1 | - |
Goalscorers
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | UEFA Cup |
Chinaglia | 34 | 24 | 4 | 6 |
Garlaschelli | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 |
Nanni | 2 | 2 | - | - |
D'Amico | 2 | 2 | - | - |
Re Cecconi | 2 | 2 | - | - |
Wilson | 1 | 1 | - | - |
Martini | 1 | - | 1 | - |
Petrell | 1 | 1 | - | - |
Franzoni | 1 | 1 | - | - |
Facco | 1 | - | 1 | - |
Mazzola | 1 | - | 1 | - |
Let's talk about Giorgio Chinaglia
“We’ve got to go to the stadium on Saturday. For Giorgio”.
On April 1, 2012, the news that nobody expected came. Giorgio Chinaglia had died. For many fans this was impossible, Long John can never die, the concept of a world without him is just not possible.
Chinaglia has been loved, hated, missed, treated like a semi God, worshipped like a Messiah, forgotten and ignored. He loved Lazio and the fans, but often left us with a feeling of betrayal. Perhaps we expected too much from him because we loved him with a passion so great that he could never have lived up to it.
Giorgio Chinaglia is the reason why we are Lazio supporters.
Early years
Giorgio Chinaglia was born on January 24 1947 in Massa Carrara. When Giorgio was very young his parents and sister emigrated to Wales where his father found a job working in the mines. Chinaglia stayed in Italy and lived with his grandmother until he was six when he joined his family in Wales.
In Cardiff he played both football and rugby with good profit. A Cardiff City scout noticed him and asked him to have a trial. He refused, joined Swansea City and started his youth football career. He debuted for the first team in a League Cup match in 1964 but he rarely played and got impatient. After a couple of years and a handful of games between the Second Division and Third Divisions, Swansea let him go and Chinaglia signed for Massese in Serie C.
At that time, any Italian player coming from a foreign league had to play three years in Serie C before moving to higher level football. Chinaglia reached an agreement with Massese who promised to sell him to a Serie A team in three years time. He played 32 games in the 1966-67 season but scored only 5 goals. In 1967 he went off to do his military service and while he was there he learnt that they had sold him to a new team, Internapoli.
Internapoli had been founded in 1964 and one of its earliest players was Giuseppe Massa, one of the most important Lazio players of the late 1960s-early 1970s. In 1966-67 they won their Serie D championship and were promoted to Serie C. Their Manager was Arnaldo Sentimenti II, brother of former Lazio players Vittorio III, Lucidio IV and Primo V, and he too was a former Lazio youth coach.
In Naples Chinaglia met a teammate who would become his friend for life, Giuseppe Wilson, born in the UK, son of a Neapolitan mother and an English soldier.
He played a good first year. He helped Internapoli win the youth championship of Serie C (for players between ages 15-19), played 31 games in Serie C and scored 10 goals. He did better in his third and final probationary year in Serie C. Managed by future Lazio manager Luis Vinicio, Internapoli almost got promoted to Serie B. Chinaglia and Wilson shone so much that Lazio decided to sign both of them.
Lazio 1969-1976
His adventure with Lazio started in 1969. Manager Juan Carlos Lorenzo was convinced that Giorgio was a champion and threw him in during the second match of the season. A game later, Chinaglia scored his first goal against Milan. In that first year at Lazio, besides Wilson, he played with other fundamental players: Mario Facco, Giancarlo Oddi, Franco Nanni and Luigi Polentes.
The first season was a positive one, but the second was disastrous. Lazio were relegated and Lorenzo sacked. Chinaglia was in shock, he did not want to play in Serie B and certainly not without Lorenzo. The Biancocelesti had to play the Alps Cup at the end of the season and while he was playing the tournament he had a chat with the new manager, Tommaso Maestrelli. Chinaglia had a favourable impression of the new manager who explained to him how the team was going to play and that he would be at the centre of the project. Chinaglia agreed to stay and President Umberto Lenzini refused all offers for him.
In the second year Oddi was sent away on loan and the squad was joined by Pierpaolo Manservisi.
Despite the initial difficulties, Lazio managed to get promoted to Serie A thanks to an excellent second place. Chinaglia was the top Serie B scorer with 21 goals. Luigi Martini had been added to a team that was very strong in defence, very strong in attack but a little weak at midfield.
As well as winning promotion, Chinaglia was also called up for a Nazionale friendly against Bulgaria on June 21, 1972 in Sofia. It was unprecedented for a Serie B player. Chinaglia played and scored Italy’s equaliser. Lenzini was offered the moon for his player but there was no way Chinaglia was going to go.
Everything was about to change. Lazio signed Felice Pulici, an excellent goalkeeper, Sergio Petrelli from Roma, who Maestrelli would place as right back, Mario Frustalupi from Inter who would become playmaker, Luciano Re Cecconi at midfield and Renzo Garlaschelli in attack. Oddi and Nanni became first team players. Chinaglia and Wilson, despite their young age, were the veterans of an almost perfect 11.
His international career with Italy continued spectacularly. On November 11 1973, Italy played a friendly against England. The Azzurri had beaten England for the first time in June (2-0) but had never won in England. Chinaglia was overjoyed that he could represent his country having been an immigrant in the UK. Furthermore, there has always been considerable rivalry between Wales and England, especially in rugby, so that also must have meant something. The match was intense with opportunities for both sides. In the 86th minute, Fabio Capello passed a long ball to Long John who picked it up on the far right of the box. Chinaglia went past Bobby Moore and from an impossible angle in the box gave the ball a mighty whack that Peter Shilton parried. Capello had a simple tap in and Italy won at Wembley for the first time. Chinaglia was a national hero now.
Lazio in 1972-73 almost won the scudetto. With 45 minutes to go to the end of the campionato, Lazio were drawing at Napoli and had a potential 44 points, Milan were losing at Verona and had 44 points, Juventus were losing against Roma and were on 43 points. But Napoli fought as if their lives depended on a win and beat Lazio in the final minutes, Juventus overturned the match,after the Roma players basically stopped playing, and Milan collapsed. Lazio came third. The feeling was that the ship of glory had set sail leaving Lazio behind and would not be coming back.
Lazio as a “consolation prize” went to the US to play a few friendlies at the end of the season. They faced Pele’s Santos twice and had a number of games against US teams. Chinaglia got his first taste of the US and he was fascinated.
In 1973-74 the 'almost' perfect 11 became perfect with the addition of young Vincenzo D’Amico (as Vincenzo has always said!!!). Lazio’s season was triumphant. They played the best football in the country, were exciting to watch and Chinaglia was a goal scoring machine. He scored 24 goals in 30 games and Lazio won their first scudetto. Giorgio scored the decisive penalty against Foggia in the penultimate game on May 12, 1974.
There was the World Cup in Germany in the Summer of 1974. Since Lazio had played the best football and had won the campionato it was thought that a lot of Lazio players would have been called up for the Nazionale. In the end only three took part: Wilson, Chinaglia and Re Cecconi. The Laziali accused the Italian head Coach Ferruccio Valcareggi of ignoring players from teams that come from the centre-south of Italy. Out of the 22 Italian players 6 were from Juventus (who had come second in 1973-74), 5 from Inter (4th), 3 from Milan (7th) and Lazio, 2 from Cagliari (10th) and Torino (5th) and one from Napoli (3rd). Lazio’s hopeful expectations were based on the fact that at Mexico 1970, Valcareggi had selected six Cagliari players who had just won the scudetto, but this time he followed a more “diplomatic” strategy. There was strong pressure from the Northern media to favour Italian players and the Gazzetta dello Sport strongly pushed Valcareggi to play with Pietro Anastasi from Juventus rather than Giorgio.
Italy’s first game was against Haiti. But the team, slow and badly prepared, surprisingly fell behind. Italy managed to score twice but Chinaglia had not received a decent ball the entire match. When Valcareggi substituted him with Anastasi in the 69th minute, Chinaglia ran back into the changing rooms blatantly telling the head coach to F off.
All hell let loose. The Northern papers jumped at the fact that they now had a culprit for a possible Italian failure. Chinaglia wanted to leave and go home, but Maestrelli flew to Germany to convince him not to make matters worse. Chinaglia stayed, said sorry, did not play the second game against Argentina but played the final match against Poland. Italy lost and were eliminated.
The 1974-75 was a difficult year. Lazio started off well but at the end of the first half of the season they were second, three points behind leaders Juventus. Chinaglia was not scoring as much and was booed in every stadium he went to. He was blamed for the World Cup debacle. Not only. Some Roma supporters threatened his wife and family who for security reasons were forced to leave for New York.
The situation got worse when Maestrelli was diagnosed with liver cancer. The possibilities of surviving were almost non-existent. The team was distracted, they worshipped the Maestro and the players went to visit him in hospital every day. The campionato was played but their minds were with their manager. Lazio finished fourth.
Maestrelli in the summer of 1975 was a little better so Chinaglia left for the US to join his family. Once there he was invited to play a game for the Hartford Bicentennials against Poland. His participation was a media event and Chinaglia felt very important. No more boos, just cheers.
Pele joined the New York Cosmos and Chinaglia was invited to see the Brazilian champion’s first game with the club. While he was there he asked if Cosmos would want to sign him. He really missed his family and he felt that life without them, the current difficult situation in Italy, plus Maestrelli’s illness was a sign that his Lazio adventure was over. Lenzini refused any negotiation and threatened Chinaglia with fines and suspension. At the end of August, he returned to Rome only to find that Maestrelli had been replaced by Giulio Corsini and that Lazio had sold Oddi, Frustalupi and Nanni.
The relationship with Corsini was bound to be difficult and after seven games Lazio only had 5 points and were third from bottom. Corsini was sacked and back came Maestrelli, apparently miraculously cured from cancer. Chinaglia continued to play with Lazio but had decided to leave. Lenzini was forced to agree. Giorgio played his last game for Lazio on April 25 1976 against Torino (1-1). His last goal was against Ascoli on March 21.
Lazio were still struggling for survival in Serie A when he left. With three games to go, Cagliari were doomed on 15 points, Como had 18, Lazio and Sampdoria 20, Ascoli 21 and Verona 22. Three teams went down (two points per victory).
Lazio lost the next match 4-3 in Florence. So now Como and Lazio were on 20, Ascoli 21, Verona and Sampdoria 22. Lazio really needed to win against Milan in the next game and they did, 4-0. Como had 20 points, Lazio, Sampdoria and Ascoli 22, Verona 23. Last match at Como. After 17 minutes the Biancocelesti were losing 2-0 but managed to pull one back in the 20th minute. Ascoli and Sampdoria were winning. Fortunately Lazio managed to equalise, Ascoli drew their match and the Biancocelesti were safe thanks to a better goal difference.
Chinaglia played 248 games for Lazio, 175 in Serie A, 34 in Serie B, 28 in Coppa Italia, 7 in the UEFA Cup, 2 in the Intercity Fairs Cup and 2 in Mitropa Cup. He scored 122 goals, 77 in Serie A, 21 in Serie B, 13 in Coppa Italia, 9 In the UEFA Cup, 2 in the Intercity Fairs Cup and 2 in Mitropa Cup. Giorgio is still the leading Lazio all time scorer for goals in International competitions, if one also considers the Alps Cup, which Lazio won in 1971. Long John played 9 games and scored 14 goals in two participations. One could also add the Anglo- Italian tournament in which he played 6 games and scored 2 goals in two participations.
New York Cosmos
The year before Giorgio went to New York, Cosmos signed Pele. They had been Champions in 1972, lost in the playoffs in 1973 but arrived last in their division in 1974.
The average attendance was poor and there was not much of an interest in soccer in the city. Once the Brazilian star joined he became the main attraction point of the entire US. The club, however, still needed a more professional approach, a better pitch, better training methods. This was what Pele brought with him and the first Star player post Pele was Giorgio Chinaglia. Unlike other stars joining the NASL, Giorgio was in his prime and gave a lot to the team. He scored a double on his debut and helped Cosmos reach the playoffs. He scored 19 goals in his first season. They did not go very far, but in 1977 more players arrived such as Franz Beckenbauer and Carlos Alberto.
In 1976 Chinaglia had to come back to Rome. Tommaso Maestrelli died on December 2. He did not come back for Luciano Re Cecconi’s funeral.
New York Cosmos finally managed to win the NASL in 1977 with Chinaglia scoring in the final against the Seattle Sounders. Not only that. In the playoff game against Fort Lauderdale the crowd was over 77,000, a record for a US game.
The Cosmos also won in 1978 and again Chinaglia scored in the final. Long John was top scorer with an impressive 34 goals. For the playoffs Cosmos signed Pino Wilson. Giorgio tried to convince his friend to stay on in the US but Pino declined.
In 1979 Cosmos lost in the playoff semi-finals to Vancouver Whitecaps who then won the final. Giorgio was again top scorer with 26 goals. In 1980 however they conquered their fourth title with a Chinaglia double. Giorgio even managed to score 7 goals in the game against the Tulsa Roughnecks.
In 1981 the number of teams started to decrease and in 1982 there were only 14 franchises. A year later they were further reduced to 12 and by 1984 NASL was no more. Economic crisis of the major companies that owned the teams, ever-rising costs and ever-decreasing revenues, competition from the Indoor Soccer League all translated into a steady decline. By 1984 there were only nine teams taking part and in 1985 just two had shown interest in playing.
Giorgio Chinaglia played 9 years in the American Soccer League, winning four soccer bowls (scoring in every single one), playing 230 games with 227 goals.
Lazio vs Cosmos
Lazio played against the New York Cosmos five times. The first game took place in Rome on March 24, 1977. There were not a lot of people to see Chinaglia who scored a great goal in Cosmos’ 2-1 win . On June 1 of the same year Lazio won 3-2 at the Giant’s Stadium in East Rutherford, in Beckenbauer’s first game in the US.
In October 1980 Lazio, in Serie B, won 4-3 (Chinaglia double). We were there and it was the first time we saw him (as well as Carlos Alberto and Beckenbauer). There were 25,000 fans and it was very emotional.
We will speak about the fourth game further on. Cosmos’ last match was against Lazio on June 16 1985, without Chinaglia and with D’Amico playing for the opposition. Lazio won 2-1.
The return
In 1982-83 Lazio were in Serie B. Bruno Giordano and Lionello Manfredonia had returned to play after the Totonero scandal and the Biancocelesti benefitted immensely. They started off very well but in early 1983 they began to falter. Serie A was slipping away. The match against Reggiana on May 8 was fundamental. Lazio scored three times with Giordano but were unable to secure victory. Manager Roberto Clagluna had to go in order to create a spark that could help Lazio get over the line. Old Lazio glory Giancarlo Morrone, who was managing the Primavera team, was called in to help create that spark. The next match things precipitated even further and Lazio lost 5-1 to Milan.
At this point Chinaglia decided to buy the club. He had made a fortune in the US thanks to soccer and investments. He contacted President Gian Casoni to see if there was a willingness to sell. He got a positive answer and secret negotiations started. On Sunday May 22, Lazio fans woke up with heavy hearts. But when they went to buy the newspaper they saw that Giorgio Chinaglia wanted to buy Lazio. This generated overwhelming enthusiasm, 55,000 people turned up for Lazio Atalanta. The Biancocelesti won and everybody saw light at the end of the tunnel.
Lazio won promotion to Serie A after drawing 2-2 against Cavese in the last game of the season. Chinaglia arrived in July and became President on July 13, 1983.
He made many promises. Lazio were going to be great again. There was a lot of hope that things would get better but he soon realised that it was not going to be easy. There was a 13 billion lire debt (6.5 million euros approximately).
Not only, Chinaglia was also the owner of New York Cosmos. A failed hostile bid to take over Warner by Rupert Murdoch resulted in them selling off several of their assets including Global Soccer, the subsidiary that operated Cosmos. Giorgio bought Global Soccer, but his group did not have the capital to maintain the players' high wages and many of their stars were sold.
Going back to Lazio, he confirmed Giancarlo Morrone as manager, and brought in some of his former teammates: Nello Governato as Sporting Director, Felice Pulici as General Manager and Renato Ziaco, the famous team doctor of the 1974 team, back in his former role.
The team went through a revolution. Thirteen players were sold and the first two Lazio foreign players since the opening to non-Italians were Michael Laudrup, on loan from Juventus, and Brazilian International Joao Batista.
Chinaglia Day
On October 16, 1983 Giorgio Chinaglia played his final game. Cosmos came to Rome and a friendly was organised with Lazio. Giorgio played the first half with Cosmos and the second with Lazio. Laudrup scored after just two minutes dribbling half of the Cosmos defence (including Beckenbauer). Cosmos managed to equalise in the 26th minute with a great lob over Massimo Cacciatori by Romerito. In the second half Laudrup scored again in the 52nd minute and the final goal came in the 76th. Giordano’s brilliant assist allowed Giorgio to fly towards the Cosmos penalty box unmarked. Chinaglia dribbled past the goalkeeper and scored. His final goal in his final match. Celebrations all around.
The great fear
There was great hope, but, with very few exceptions, Lazio were disappointing. In the first 12 games Lazio won three times (including beating Inter 3-0), drew twice and lost all the remaining matches. Morrone was fired and replaced by another former player, Paolo Carosi.
Things went from bad to worse. In the next match at Ascoli, Giordano broke his leg following a ruthless tackle by Antonio Bogoni (who was not even booked). Lazio fell into despair, losing the Ascoli match as well as the next one at home against Pisa.
Lazio had only nine points after the first half of the season. Carosi realised that he must do something and he put his faith in the players with greater experience. Life without probably one of the best centre forwards in Europe would not be easy and there was no backup plan. At this point D’Amico and Manfredonia took matters in their own hands and stepped up to lead the team. Lazio started earning points. In the first six games of the second half of the season they beat Genoa and Sampdoria at home and drew against Verona, Inter away (thanks to a Walter Zenga howler) and a dramatic derby 2-2.
Just when things were looking brighter, Lazio faltered again. The last four games became fundamental. Fortunately Giordano came back in record time. In the match against Napoli Giordano regained his place in the centre of the Lazio attack. It took him just 30 seconds to score and the Biancocelesti managed to win the game 3-2. There was still hope.
Lazio then lost at Udine and in the final two games of the season needed three points to stay in Serie A. A win against Ascoli at home and a draw against Pisa with a Giordano double allowed Lazio to stay in Serie A.
“We will never suffer like this again”, said Chinaglia at the end of Pisa-Lazio.
Disaster
There were still debts and it did not look like anybody in the US would come to the rescue. Chinaglia had a plan though. He was going to sell Giordano and Manfredonia, settle the debts and start building the club and team.
Giorgio in 1984 sold the Lazio golden boys to Juventus in exchange for money and a number of players. Giordano was going to be substituted by Massimo Briaschi who would be bought by Juventus and given to Lazio. Once this deal was done, it was going to be Manfredonia’s turn.
First problem: Briaschi had no intention of coming to Lazio. Chinaglia offered him an amazing salary but he was not interested. Juventus would have offered Aldo Serena as a replacement but he also refused. Second problem: Juventus offered Giordano a lower salary compared to what he got at Lazio. Juve had a policy of low salaries but rich bonuses, but Giordano refused. At this point both deals failed and the two stayed in Rome. But this meant that all Chinaglia’s plans for a better team also collapsed. A few players were signed but they were not all that great.
The season started in August with the Coppa Italia. Lazio had not done too badly and were almost through to the second stage. The last game was against Roma. A point each would have meant that they would both go through. But a ridiculous penalty given to Roma and an Antonio DI Carlo goal gave Roma the win. Lazio could still have gone to the round of 16 anyway thanks to goal difference. Genoa had to beat Pistoiese 5-0 to overtake Lazio and unfortunately this is exactly what happened with three goals in the last 8 minutes. The Biancocelesti were out and Chinaglia was furious. His temper did not improve after Lazio lost the first Serie A game against Fiorentina and most certainly not after losing 5-0 against Zico’s Udinese. He blamed Carosi for being too soft with the players and sacked him. Juan Carlos Lorenzo was called in his place.
Juan Carlos Lorenzo had been Lazio manager when Chinaglia joined in the 60's and he was very fond of him. However Lorenzo was past his prime, as far as managerial style was concerned. The beginning was comforting, a draw against Diego Maradona’s Napoli and Roma, a couple of wins, maybe Chinaglia was right after all.
But Lorenzo’s third stint with Lazio was almost farcical. Daniele Filisetti was forced to lose 5 kilos in a week because Lorenzo wanted him to be the same weight as Trevor Francis who he had to mark in the next game. Filisetti fainted after the end of the first half. Lorenzo was extremely superstitious, almost to the point of insanity. He also got the players to train running after chickens. Once he told Giordano that when there was a free kick, he was supposed to go to the men in the wall and insult them. The plan was to get them agitated so that the wall would open and increase the chances of scoring. He also ordered Giordano to never shoot from outside the box again.
Lazio lost 7 consecutive games before drawing at home against Ascoli and losing 4-0 in Naples. The Biancocelesti had only 10 points and were second from bottom. Chinaglia sacked Lorenzo after Naples and called Giancarlo Oddi but it was too late. Lazio were relegated despite having a team with Michael Laudrup, Bruno Giordano, Lionello Manfredonia, Joao Batista and Vincenzo D’Amico.
Giorgio, forever the optimist, thought he could straighten things out. He sold Giordano to Roma but Bruno refused and went to Napoli. Manfredonia and Laudrup went to Juventus, Batista to Avellino. He signed new players, more suitable for Serie B, and gave the manager role to Gigi Simoni, who had helped promote Genoa to Serie A (twice), plus Brescia and Pisa too the year before.
But there was a big financial problem. Chinaglia was sure he would get money from the US but this did not happen and he was forced to step down as President in December 1985. Lazio were on the verge of bankruptcy. Franco Chimenti became President but did not have the capital to continue. Lazio were saved by the Calleri brothers and Roman entrepreneur Renato Bocchi.
Aftermath
Chinaglia after this traumatic experience went back to the US. He opened a restaurant in Florida and occasionally came back to Italy to do some punditry. In 1990 he started playing for Villa San Sebastiano, an amateur side in Abruzzo and continued until 1991. In 1996 he was condemned to two years in prison for fraudulent bankruptcy in the case of the Lazio controller Fin Lazio. In 1999 he was also a candidate for the Partito Popolare Italiano (one of the Christian Democrat heirs) in the European Parliamentary elections but did not get elected. He was President of Foggia and Lanciano but only very briefly. He participated in the Lazio Centenary celebrations of 2000 playing the game between Old Glories and the current team.
2006 attempted takeover
Chinaglia returned to the limelight in 2005 with his attempt to force Claudio Lotito to sell Lazio.
On October 19 2005, he announced that there was a Hungarian pharmaceutical multinational ready to invest 500 million euros in Lazio. Lotito was not particularly interested but the most important group of fans, the Irriducibili, who hate the Lazio President with vengeance, jumped at the occasion and started to put pressure on the club owner to sell.
Chinaglia reappeared in Rome on February 7, 2006 with a press conference. He stated that this pharmaceutical multinational had interests in various nations and that he had tried to talk to Lotito but the current president did not want to know. Representatives had also met a minor shareholder and offered to buy him out, but he refused. Long John tried to use the anti-Lotito sentiment to create pressure on the president for the sale.
Consob, the regulatory body for the Italian stock exchange, summoned Chinaglia for an explanation (Lazio is listed on the stock exchange). At the end of the meeting, Giorgio declared that all the documentation was provided and that soon the name of the multinational would be revealed. He also said that the Investkredit Bank AG of Budapest was in charge of the acquisition. First problem: the bank denied having anything to do with the operation. “It’s normal”, said Chinaglia’s solicitors. On March 23 the first real act with the official request for a meeting and a letter to Consob to tell the authorities that a company was being formed for the acquisition of the club.
But nobody knew who was behind this operation and Lotito stated that he refused to talk to people who would not reveal themselves. Theoretically this new company should have received 24 million euros on a Chinaglia account as a guarantee for the acquisition. But the money never arrived.
Chinaglia at this point went back to the US and the Italian magistrates started to inquire into what had happened. There was no Hungarian multinational, it was a money laundering operation with the involvement of a camorra family. A number of arrest warrants were issued including one for Chinaglia who was also fined 4.2 million euros by Consob for agiotage (insider trading).
Chinaglia was almost certainly used, without him really knowing who was officially behind this operation, but the fact that through him organised crime would have had their hands on our beloved club was a black mark on Chinaglia’s relationship with Lazio.
Death
On April 1, 2012, Anthony Chinaglia announced the death of his father. He had had a heart attack and undergone surgery for the application of four stents. He had just got back home and seemed to be recovering, but died in his bed.
“We’ve got to go to the stadium on Saturday. For Giorgio”. Lazio paid tribute to him on Saturday April 7 before the game against Napoli. During the minute's silence in his memory many of us cried.
Giorgio Chinaglia was one of us. He was the heart and soul of the 1973-74 scudetto squad. An exceptional player, big, physical, powerful. He may not have had the greatest technique but he always gave 1000% in every match. He became a Lazio supporter and it was as if every fan was on the pitch when he played. Chinaglia loved derbies, loved the rivalry and would often taunt the Roma supporters who, obviously, hated him.
Chinaglia’s presidency was a disaster though. The feeling many have was that he was led to believe he would be helped financially and was too gullible, as also shown by the 2006 attempted takeover.
But to this day he is adored by the fans who keep his memory alive at all times. Despite the ups and downs, we can only be grateful to Giorgio.
Thank you Long John. "Giorgio Chinaglia il grido di battaglia"
Lazio career
Season | Toal games (goals) | Serie A | Serie B | Coppa Italia | UEFA Cup | Intercities Fairs Cup | Mitropa Cup |
1969-70 | 31 (14) | 28 (12) | - | 1 | - | - | 2 (2) |
1970-71 | 35 (14) | 30 (9) | - | 3 (3) | - | 2 (2) | - |
1971-72 | 41 (26) | - | 34 (21) | 7 (5) | - | - | - |
1972-73 | 34 (11) | 30 (10) | - | 4 (1) | - | - | - |
1973-74 | 42 (34) | 30 (24) | - | 8 (4) | 4 (6) | - | - |
1974-75 | 34 (14) | 30 (14) | - | 4 | - | - | - |
1975-Apr 1976 | 31 (11) | 27 (8) | - | 1 | 3 (3) | - | - |
Total | 248 (124) | 175 (77) | 34 (21) | 28 (13) | 7 (9) | 2 (2) | 2 (2) |
Sources
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