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Francesco Graziani
Francesco Graziani (born in Subiaco, December 16th 1952) football coach, sports manager and former Italian striker.
ON THE FIELD
Raised in Arezzo, he moved to Torino in 1973 (he had actually been signed up the year before, but stayed on to play another season with the Tuscan club). With his new club, Graziani fought out eight seasons, debuting in Series A on November 18th 1973, against Sampdoria; and scored his first goal in Series A on December 16th 1973 against Bologna. In total, he took part in 289 matches for the Piedmont club, and scored 122 goals: 221 Championship matches (97 goals); 45 Italian Cup matches (17 goals);23 European Cup matches (8 goals); and won the Championship Trophy in 1975-76. During the following Championship season, 1976-77, he headed the top-scoring list, with a booty of 21 goals. During those years, he was half of the notorious double-act known as the “Gemelli del Gol” (the Goal-Twins), alongside Paolo Pulici (nick-named “Puliciclone”). He left behind the grenadine shirts in 1981, together with team-mate Pecci, to join Fiorentina, where he battled for two years. In 1983 he signed up with Roma, with whom he won the Italian Cup in 1983-84, and again in 1985-86; and in 1984 reached the final of the Champions’ Cup, which the yellow-and-reds lost to Liverpool , on penalties. On this particular occasion, it was Graziani himself who missed one of the deciding shots. After two seasons in the ranks of Udinese (first in Series A, the second in Series B), his competitive career came to an end.
Graziani first wore his National colours on April 19th 1975, against Poland,; and we saw the first of many goals to come, on April 7th 1976, against Portugal. Graziani brought many honours to his Italian National squad, with 23 goals in 64 matches. He took part in the World Championships in Argentina (1978), where he was nominated in the first team (although replaced on the field, by an up-and-coming Paolo Rossi); and won the World Championship in Spain in ’82. He once again sported his Nation’s colours for the Memorial (commemorating 25 years after the victory of Santiago Bernabeu), on the evening of July 27th,2007, in Stuttgart: his two goals proving an important contribution to the final 4-4 result.
AS A COACH
As his career ended, he turned Club Manager and, with fluctuating fortune, soccer coach. As President, he saved Arezzo from bankruptcy, bringing them up into Series C; he trained Fiorentina (1989-90), Reggina (1991-92), Avellino (1991-92); in 2001-02, together with Maurizio Pellegrino, he took Catania into Series B, winning the play-off. In 2002-03 he returned to Catania, but was to quit after just nine weeks. In 2003-04, he stood in at Montevarchi. For the seasons of 2004-05 and 2005-06, he became Technical Advisor to Cervia, a confraternity from the region of Romagna, heroes of a television Reality show, “Champions”. The two seasons spent in Romagna were positive, since Francesco gained them promotion from the local “Eccellenza” league, up to Series D, and also won the play-offs in the following year; not to mention, gaining considerable television air-time. While training Fiorentina, his team were runners-up in the final of the UEFA Cup, against Juventus.
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Palmarès
- Capocannoniere della Serie A
- 1976-1977
- Campionato italiano
- 1975-1976
- Capocannoniere della Coppa Italia
- 1980-1981
- Coppa Italia
- 1983-1984, 1985-1986
- Campionato del mondo
- 1982
