From The Memories

He's no longer the team manager, but Ramaccioni remains a historical reference point for the club. The accompanying manager of the home games, at Milan since 1982, talks about himself and his Rossoneri world.

MILAN - Forty-six years in the football world, forty-four years on the bench, twenty-six at Milan. We will no longer call him team manager, but we will continue saying his name and associate it with the Rossoneri colors and the club he has collaborated with since 1982. Silvano Ramaccioni is a member of the family and he will remain in the family in the role of accompanying manager of the home games. His passion is the same as on the first day, the enthusiasm is the same as always. Of who feels a total love of football, which is perfectly perceptible when reading his words during an interview given today, Sunday 13 July, to 'Corriere della Sera'.

'To tell the truth I am covering a role I had already covered in the year of Zaccheroni's scudetto. Sundays without football would be very sad for me. I'm proud of my career: in 46 years of work, I have spent 44 on the bench. I'm sure no one has seen as many games as I have.'

Silvano Ramaccioni, 'Rama' for his friends at Milanello, remembers his arrival at Milan in 1982:

'I came to Milan in May, the team was already relegated. I came in as sporting director. We won the Serie B league but those were tough years, the club was close to failing. Until Silvio Berlusconi came.
I was at the end of my contract. If the new management wanted to send me away they could have. But Berlusconi told me: "Everyone talks well about you. If you want to you can stay." And he came up with the idea of the team manager.

Ramaccioni also answered some trivia questions. Here are the questions and answers:

Which coach are you particularly close to?
'I had a particular feeling with Fabio Capello also in our free time since we hunted together and we traveled around the world.'

The craziest character who passed through Milanello?
'Three names for three eras: Filippo Galli, Di Canio who was very witty and currently Oddo.'

The biggest troublemaker?
'Contra was pretty extravagant, as was Davids.'

The most religious?
'Albertini. Each Saturday before a home game at Milanello we celebrated the Mass. Now we are just 3 or 4, but in the 90s there were 12-15. Baresi, Tassotti, Sacchi, Capello would all come. Taribo West prayed in the dressing rooms, and Chamot gave Bibles to team mates and journalists.'

How many times did you have to calm things down from the bench?
'I cannot count how many times I had to pull Sacchi's coat to make him sit down to prevent him getting a red card.'

Do you have any regrets?
'I'm sad that in football there is too much emphasis on foreign players. This way it will be tougher to find new talents in our youth squads.'