Fiorentina Blueprint

When the news broke that Rangers were to start life again in the fourth tier, international sympathy was plentiful. How could such a big club fall so dramatically so quickly? Few were better placed than fans of Serie A outfit Fiorentina to understand what the Rangers support were going through, having been in a similar situation a decade earlier. Financial collapse saw ‘La Viola’ relegated to the fourth tier of Italian football. Giancarlo Rinaldi, BBC journalist and Fiorentina fanatic, remembers it well.

“I think it is important to remember that Fiorentina started off more from scratch than Rangers did when they went down to the fourth tier of football. Essentially only Angelo Di Livio remained from the Serie A side with all the first team playing staff and management starting again from zero.

What they tried to do was hire players – and a manager – with experience at that level or a little higher. Sometimes it worked out, sometimes it didn’t. It did not pan out for the first coach appointed, Pietro Vierchowod, but things clicked under Alberto Cavasin, and they were soon on course for promotion. This helped to keep the crowds high and maintain enthusiasm among the support.

I don’t remember too many grumbles about the style of play but, by and large, lower division Italian sides don’t try to turn games into a physical battle so that probably helped.”

There was definitely a vision of a “project” at the club from the very early stages, new owners Andrea and Diego Della Valle were clear on that. This was a club which would not make the same financial mistakes as the past and a strict wage cap was introduced towards that goal.

The hardest time was probably after they won Serie C2 and, due to other clubs hitting similar financial problems, were asked to make the “double jump” to Serie B – thus skipping C1. A club built to play in the third division had only a few weeks to prepare for the second and it showed at first. It took an incredible late run of results under Emiliano Mondonico to grab a play-off place which ultimately led to an emotional return to Serie A.

What I can say is that remains one of the most memorable moments in all the time I have supported the Viola.

I guess some people viewed that as the end of the journey but, for me, that did not come until we returned as a competitive force in the division.

That first season back was a struggle and I think I only really felt we were back where we belonged when Champions League qualification was secured a couple of years later.

That was the completion of an incredible journey.

I think the hardest part of the whole process was the fact that not long after Fiorentina’s experience the rules were changed so no other club could suffer quite the same fate.

It meant that a number of teams in just as dire financial straits avoided demotion to Serie C2.

The main positive I can think of is if it helps to avoid the errors of the past.

Fiorentina now appear to be running on a sound financial basis without the economic excesses of the past and are no longer spending heavily to try to compete with the biggest clubs in Italy and Europe.

A lot of supporters still look back with genuine affection on the times we played in little grounds around Tuscany as a period when you found out who the real Viola supporters were.

Some are a bit too quick to forget just how quickly the Della Valle brothers have helped to rebuild club which was almost dead.

However, those with better memories are proud of the way Fiorentina served their time in the lower leagues and have returned to the top as a more stable side.

Maybe one day they will cross swords with Rangers in Europe again as they did five years ago. And this time Viola fans hope it is Fiorentina who come out on top.”

 

Touching stuff.

Wonder what Dev thinks of it though?

Guess we'll never find out

DAM YOU MCCANN'S!! DAM YOU!!

 

Good article.

Great to see them rise up from the bottom tier and very true about seeing who the real fans are.

I think if we did meet again there would be a mutual respect and possibly love for each other, although I'm not sure how that would stand with our newest Italian buddies The Old Lady.

 

Mind during the pen shoot out montilivo brushed his shoulder as if to say nae baw hair and then Christian Vieri pulled a mindy

 

I was watching it in a pub in Florence as me and another **** didn't get in the ground, I remember that ****er brushing his shoulder clear as day, it ****ed me off, but it didn't work out too well for him in the end

 

he plays for milan now. played well the other night.

 

Hard to believe that was 5 years ago

Still scunnered with that **** Smith's tactics in the final, they ****s were there for the taking.

Oh well, there's always next year.........

 

Still, it was a nice day oot.

 

Still never seen that match. too busy being chased about ****ing Madchester by ra polis

I've seen the goals (the 2nd one through a pub window in manchester )

 

Wee Nacho goin ****in mental after the penalties.

Would have loved to have been there.

Ahhh the memories.

Can't wait till we're back in Europe.

<wreckingcitysmiley>

 

That year, I was in Lyon when we beat them 3-0, was in Lisbon, for the 2-0, in Bremen for the 1-0 defeat, Florence and the final that year, it was ****ing great. Even though the Lyon win, ultimately didn't do us any good in the CL, that was ****ing unbelievable, I was shell-shocked, couldn't believe my eyes.

 

I saw you in Hamburg shagging a black hooker

 

Hahaha quite possibly, I spent 2.5 grand the night in Hamburg, think it was 7 or 8 hookers, can't remember how many now. ****ing great night it was.

 

McGregor was on fire that whole campaign.

 

apart from Lyon at home. I was so gutted after that defeat. So glad it happened though

 

Remember this wee celebration.

We didn't get to see a lot of it.

[video=youtube;UGRyekXjX_E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGRyekXjX_E[/video]

 

I was at that game. ****ing class so it was

Listen to that commentary it's ****ing terrible

 

oops