Udinese....

 

Udinese for Life inaugurates the "life path" at Moretti park

The non-profit organization will inaugurate the "life path" in the park on Saturday 28th September

[ 26.09.2013 ]

Here we go! Udinese for Life kept its promise to complete the recreational and sportive (“sports”?) area at the Udine Moretti park. Saturday 28th September at 15.00 will take place the inauguration of the "life path", an entertaining and effective training plan that develops strength, agility and resistance achieved thanks to suggestions and recommendations coming from cardiologists, nutritionists and doctors in motor science (“sports science” or “physical education”?). The Friulian sportsmen (and what about women?) who enjoy physical activity can now practice near home (“new their homes”?)! At the Moretti park they will find an equipped circuit throughout the park, characterized by the presence of signals (“signs”?) which indicate the right way to carry out an exercise and how many times (“and how many times to do that exercise”?), according to the athlete's age and preparation (“background”?).

Two of Decathlon's qualified technicians will be at the park from 15.00 (“3 pm”?) to teach all the people the right way to use the equipment. The "Free Time" agency will animate the afternoon until 17.00 (“5 pm”?). 

Come to the Moretti park to take a walk down the town's first "life path".

Summer perhaps?

From the "Il Venerdi'" magazine, which is part of "La Repubblica".  I think they meant "d'estate" (summer), and not "d'estare"!

 

Udinese....

"I want to conclude my career in Udine"

[ 21.06.2013 ] Udinese captain Antonio Di Natale clears doubts concerning his future and announces that he still wants to play for Udinese

Little talk and many facts. We've got used to this attitude of his in the past nine years spent (“that he’s spent”?) in Friuli, nine seasons in which he has become one of the world's top players allowing him to become one of the fans' all-time favourite players. Totò Di Natale was interviewed this morning by Udinese Channel: two minutes were enough, essential: "I've been staying in Udine (“I’ve been in Udine now for three days…”?) for three days for my daughter's recital - said the captain -. I couldn't miss it, it will play (???) tonight. I took the chance to come visit President Pozzo. We had a chat in his office, then I went and say (“then I went and said hi”?) hi to the children of the City Camps".  What about the rumours of you going to Milan?  "I feel flattered to feel the interest from top clubs after so many years of football. My contract with Udinese lasts another year, but I hope I can stay here even more. I have an appointment with Gino Pozzo next Monday to discuss a renewal of the contract. I've ever (??) said I want to conclude my career in Udine".

Udinese...

New Friuli stadium, renewal works (“renewal work has started”?) have started! 

The official note for the commitment of the works (“work”?) to move the football ground

[ 05.06.2013 ]

The long-awaited D-day for the Friulian fans has finally arrived! The renewal works (“work”?) at the Friuli stadium have finally begun yesterday (“finally began yesterday”?).

Yesterday morning the bulldozers have (“started”?) started the first works  (“work”?) that will lead to the renewal and movement of the football ground, to the realization of new benches for the teams and the referees, the enclosure of the construction site, the installation of the first row of seats of the West (“west”?) stand and the modification of its ditch.

The count-down to the new Friuli has begun!

Notice of contract awarded

1. Contracting authority: Udinese SpA, Via A. and A. Candolini n. 2, 33100 Udine, Italy - tel. +39.0432.544911 - Fax +39.0432.544933;

2. Chosen award procedure: negotiated procedure without prior publication of a contract notice pursuant to art. 57 paragraph 2 letter c) of the D.L.vo 163 2006;

3. Renewal of the "Stadio Friuli" - First Operational Lot - Rebuilding and moving of the football field, new benches for layers and referee's assistant, construction site enclosure, installation of west stand front row seats, modification of the parapet of the west grandstand ditch involving a total expenditure of € 1,669,255.34 - CPV 45210000 - CIG 470458063A;

3.1. Works (“work”?) subject to reduction of the auction € 953,719.63 for works on auction base; security charges amounting to € 23,024.14, not subject to auction reduction, the total amount of works: € 976,743.77;3.1.

3.2 prevailing Category: OS 24, Table II, spin-off Category likely to be subcontracted at the extent to art. 37, paragraph 11: OS 28, Table II;

4. Date of contract award: 04.06.2013;

5. Award criteria: the lowest price;

6. Number of offers received: 1;

7. Contractor: Adriacos S.r.l. Impresa Costruzioni Generali (parent company), based in Latisana (UD), Via Giovanni Agnelli. 2, loc. Crosere, C.F. and P.I. 01997529397; E.D. Plant S.r.l. (Principal), headquartered in Cividale del Friuli (UD), Via Crafts n. 69, C.F. and P.I. 01655110300; Paradello Green Jug Bertazzoli Snc (Principal) based in Rodengo Saiano (BS), Via Paradello 9, CF and P.I. 03276030172; Bauma Sportimpianti S.r.l. (co-opted Principal), headquartered in Villaorba (TV), via Verdi n. 65, C.F. and P.I. 00199260266;

8. Reduction offered: 19.20%;

9. Amount of the contract: € 793,629.60;

10. Delivery date works (“work”?): 06.05.13;

11. For further information: tel. +39.0432.544911, Fax. +39.0432.544933;

12. Name and address of the body responsible for review procedures and introduction of appeals: Regional Administrative Court of Friuli Venezia Giulia - Italy Piazza Unità d'n. 7, Trieste, 34121 - tel.: +39.040.6724711

Udine, 5 June 2013

The Chairman of the Board of Directors

Dott. Franco Soldati

"Udinese is the university of football"

Cristiano Giaretta: "I am proud to become a part of this Club (“club”?), I can't wait to start working"

[ 05.06.2013 ]

Udinese President Franco Soldati has presented this morning, in the press room of the Friuli stadium, Cristiano Giaretta as the new Sports Director of the club: "The new Director will start working from the 1st July and represents a very important piece of our organizational chart. We chose him for his abilities and because he is thought to match up with the standards that such a delicate role requires and to be the right substitute for Fabrizio Larini. He will be the point of reference and the glue between the club and the team and the club and fans".

Cristiano Giaretta is a former central defender with almost 20 years of experience lived (ah, not died???) on the Serie C pitches, in Lombardia (“Lombardy”?): "And with a period spent in the Serie B - said, laughing, the new Director - with Monza. In 88/89 I man-marked (ah, not dog-marked?) Totò De Vitis here at the Friuli, he gave me a hard time and even scored a goal". He started his managerial career right after quitting football: "I have been doing this job for seven years, the last two of which I spent in Novara. Udinese represents a great opportunity for my growth and to mature professionally because it's the University of football (yes siree, right up there with Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge…!). I feel excited and I am willing to learn. I will do my best to fit in this new group at once. I feel a great responsibility because Udinese have been doing great things in the past few years and I'd like to continue on that tradition and - possibly - make it better. I am proud to be part of this club and I can't wait for the 1st of July to arrive!".

How useful can the Serie B championship be for Udinese?

"The Serie B is an important market that has never been underestimated by Udinese. They are relying on their youth. It's a very important sector where we can find some interesting players".

What can your contribution be for the via (?????) Candolini club?

"My experience and some potentially innovative ideas. My priority right now is to adjust (“to adjust”?) in, in such a perfect machine. I have never worked for such an important club, but I am willing to give a good contribution to this club".

Have you had contacts with the fans yet?

"You can feel what being a Friulian means as you walk through the stadium's doors. There is a collective participation here, a whole region is involved as nowhere else. The Friulian people are extremely attached to this squad and I will be always available for them to talk of anything".

The Europa League is a new chapter in your career. What do you expect from this international adventure?

"We are all focused to pass the playoff (“play-off”?) rounds of this charming (???) competition".

What do you think of the renewal project for the Friuli stadium?

"It represents the brick that will allow this club to make a jump in quality" (literal translation of “salto di qualita’”?).

How did you like the just-finished season?

"Coach Guidolin has managed to make the best of the young talented players he had at disposal, many of whom have constantly grown. They got eight wins in a row, a hardly reachable (???) goal in the Serie A. Di Natale? I feel astonished by his stats, and some of his goals are just amazing. He is the benchmark of the squad".

Udinese...

Di Natale on Udinese Tonight: "I want to celebrate in Milan"

The captain and his well-rounded interview on Udinese Channel

[ 15.05.2013 ]

It was a special night on Udinese Channel yesterday: the special guest of Udinese Tonight was Antonio Di Natale, Udinese captain, whose interview ranged from the current subjects to his whole career in Friuli. The first, inevitable, question concerned his condition in view of the last match of the championship: "My recovery proceeds, I've worked on the bicycle today, my legs hurt a bit but it's normal since it's a different preparation that running on a pitch. My calf muscle still hurts too, but I want to play on Sunday, I want to be there with my team-mates to celebrate, we can win Inter (“we can beat Inter”?). It's a tough match, I'll try to do whatever I can, perhaps I'll score, to try and achieve our goal, Europa League".

The umpteenth great season for Udinese. Would you ever have expected so?

"We have been doing great things for three years despite bad starts. We didn't expect such a hard start though, but we have worked very hard and both younger and older players have done their best for the squad. As they say, "we are in Rome and we want to see the Pope" (Italian saying, translator's note). (What????) We want to honour this splendid season playing these last 90 minutes at best and accomplish our goal".

Is the change due to the new game plan or is there something more?

"I don't think it was just the game plan, I think it is due to the physical condition… if you're doing OK you can play with several game plans… the coach tried out many game plans and in the end all the players know what needs to be done. We must keep this attitude in Milan too".

Muriel was another positive contribution to the cause. How do you like him?

"We knew his qualities and we hope he can score again. He's young, and I think he could score 30 goals next year, without injuries. If I were the president, I would keep him".

Which were your hardest and nicest moments in Udine?

"I've never faced problems here in Udine. 4-5 (“Four or five”?) years ago we fought to avoid relegation until the very end of the championship, but we all suffered, not just me. We have ever (???) fought for good in the past nine years and I've had some great satisfactions (like the Rolling Stones?) here. Wearing this shirt, having so many people around me…it's just great. My sweetest memory is when I first got here: I had said my word was worth more than a signature, and so was it".

You live far from your home town. Did that fact have an influence on your career?

"I miss Naples all the times (“all the time”?), I am proud to be Neapolitan, but Udine is like a second home to me. I feel extremely fine here, and I feel the people's affection. When Juve came asking for me, I told the president I wanted to stay here, so the Club decided this would have been my team for life. There is no pressure, you can lose a few matches and still keep working at ease. Our results do the speaking: they all work hard here, the players, the coach and the club".

Who's the best defender you have ever faced? And a champion you were inspired by?

"The toughest defender I've ever faced is Ivan Cordoba: he was as fast as me so I could not run away in a jerk (???). A player I was surely inspired by was Maradona, then Baggio, Del Piero, Totti… great inspiring champions, it's a pleasure to see them play. When I first came to Udine Bertotto and Sensini taught me a lot, I saw them as older than me. Valerio was a great example and he remains a great captain to me".

Italy team manager spoke very highly of you, also when mentioning the World Cup…

"I have a good relationship with Prandelli and I'm flattered by what he said. We did great things at Euro (“the Euro”?) championship, we came second after Spain, which are stronger. Last year I didn't play, not even friendly matches, but I was capped for the competition. But right now all I am focused on is Internazionale, then I'll need to take some time off, it's been a tough season. The president and I will decide whether to continue for one, two, three seasons. I'll try to do my best and if I'm OK I won't turn down a shirt such as the national team's, which is something to be proud of".

Was your goal against Chievo the most beautiful of your career? Or was it the one you scored to Spain (“against Spain”?)?

"I was a great goal, but the most complicated I've ever scored was the one against Reggina, which was way much harder. I had a team-mate by my side, the defender ahead, I stopped and kicked all very quickly. The one I scored against Spain with Italy was the most beautiful of my career because it was my personal redemption for the damned wrong penalty, I knew I could score if I was given the chance, I had told Buffon before the match and so was it. That was the best match Italy played in the whole tournament".

What about that exultation that cost you a disqualification?

"I had the chance to meet Califano, I hadn't kept score of my bookings and I made a mistake, but in the end "tutto il resto è noia" ("all the rest is boring", the title of an Italian song, translator's note.  Should be “All the rest…”?) brought me good luck. I scored seven goals after that and many wins have come!".

What do you see in your future? Perhaps a career as a coach, as Udinese chairman suggested?

"Perhaps coach for the youth team.. the pitch is my passion, but I'd like to continue the path with children, they make me feel young and I want to put my experience at their service. As for my future as a player, I only need to rest a bit, I was tired before the beginning of this season. The president knows that, a bit of rest and everything will be OK. And speaking about this season, I'd like to thank the coach, Guidolin, and my trainer Paolo Artico, who allowed me to work well after the Euro championship. I never thought I could score another 22 goals, but I did".

Your relationship with Guidolin? And with the Pozzo family?

"I have a good relationship with the coach, a few days ago I made a joke with him about his future. Sometimes it happens to have a bad moment as in Palermo.. sometimes it's me, sometimes it's him… I told him to stay here, he's a good relationship with the team and the fans. I want to thank Mr. Pozzo for the good words he said about me, I have a special relationship with him, everything I've done was for him and his family".

With 175 goals you rank 12th in the all-time Serie A top scorer ranking..

"When I see that ranking, I feel I've done my best. If I search the low end (“low-end”?) it's me, perhaps! Being one of the top 12 makes me proud, if I am given the strength I will try and get to the top 8. I can do it. When they gave me the shoe for my 100th goal I didn't think I could achieve more, yet here we are, at 175… One day I wish I could tell my children I broke a higher record, perhaps 200".

You have a complicated relationship with penalty kicks, despite being such a great scorer…

"If we look at statistics, every year I get one penalty wrong, this year I failed twice. I had the chance to meet Baggio and he told me that "it's normal to fail when you score a lot". If you think about it, Totti himself failed lots of penalty kicks, yet he's scored 200 goals. I actually think it's more annoying to fail when you're one meter away from the goal. It was nice when, against Roma, the president and his son, Gino, told me "you're nuts!". Totti didn't tell me anything, the goalkeeper looked askance… the best scorer is Balotelli, he has the ability to stop and look straight at the goalkeeper, it's not easy. Sometimes you can fail too".

Do great football stars still exist?

"Not really. Only few remain… Totti, Maldini, Del Piero, even if I didn't like how his relationship with Juve ended. I feel I belong to this shirt, I am proud of it, I've had a rich career full of satisfactions".

You brought your commitment in football to Udine with your football schools for children..

"It was my dream, to run a football school. Ancona and Donatello are two important teams, we have been working with the mayor to set up a great sports centre as we did for Ancona. I said "yes" to the Donatello project at once, we want to have our boys trained as soon as possible: I hope the works can start before leaving for holidays".

Totò then said something about the non-profict (“non-profit”?) auction for the statuette realized for the 150th goal scored against Pescara: "I hope a great bid will be made, it would be important for Udinese's non-profit organization Udinese for Life. I also want to greet the convicts of Udine prison, I went to visit them a few days ago. We want to organize a football match in September or October for them, to make them smile". Another proof, in case you need it, of the captain's great heart…

Udinese...

Franco Collavino: "Ethics are our scudetto"

Udinese DG was awarded last night in Montenars for the values Udinese represents

[ 14.05.2013 ]

"Ethics are our scudetto, Udinese Calcio are determined to bring forwards (“forward”?) a high-level attitude, from the right way of supporting a club - with the positive experience of the New Generation - to economical (??) fair play and many other initiatives we carry out. I am very pleased to be given this award by Montenars and Friul Tomorrow". So said Udinese Director General, Franco Collavino, as he received an award by the town of Montenars and the Association led by Don Davide Larice.

The plaque was delivered by the mayor of Montenars, Claudio Sandruvi (who welcomed the guests in a council room full of citizens and fans), together with some representatives of the Friul Tomorrow 2018 committee: Daniele Damele, Monica Moranduzzo, Mauro Amoruso and Dario Andrian. Other awards were given to Andrea Carnevale and Luigi Infurna, to the non-profit organization Udinese for Life, to Edy Morandini (President of the Association Udinese Clubs) and to the journalists (“journalist”, seeing that we’re talking of just one, Grande?) Pierluigi Grande. Mr. Sandruvi also gave some books to Udinese footballers Andrea Lazzari and Diego Martin Rodriguez, who signed lots of autographs (“for”?) to their supporters.

Carnevale and Grande then presented their book "The codes of victory": the money raised by the book will be given to Udinese for Life. The event, realized (“organized”) in collaboration with the sports association Montenars, aroused great interest and enthusiasm in Montenars and was attended also by the Chief officer of Udine (“Udine’s”) Police Headquarters, Giovanni Belmonte, and by the mayors of Gemona del Friuli, Paolo Urbani, and Artegna, Aldo Daici. "The idea of holding such an event - said Mayor Sandruvi - came from continuous tests (??) to Udinese's ethical attitude and to their fans' behavior, carried out with my vice-mayor Luigi Augusto Lucardi". The mayor underlined that the "latest positive examples of the season that should be highlighted are the treatment of the referee from Trieste, Piero Giacomelli, during Udinese-Bologna, and the match Cagliari-Udinese, played in Trieste, but there would be many more…".

Di Natale meets convicts

Udinese captain: "These men should try not to make mistakes again, life outside is beautiful and they don't have to make the same mistakes"

[ 14.05.2013 ]

Totò Di Natale was visibly thrilled (???) as he walked through the gates of the prison of Udine, yesterday at 9.30 am. Still suffering after last Sunday's injury, Udinese (“Udinese’s”?) captain kept the promise he had made to the convicts to spend a morning with them to talk about football and also about ordinary life, the life they will be living once they have paid their debts with justice.

Di Natale, guided (“led by”?) by the director Irene Iannucci, was accompanied by Andrea Carnevale. They both spoke to the convicts after watching the video shot to celebrate Totò's 150th goal for Udinese. Each goal was followed by a clapping, a comment, a chorus..

"I've lived an amazing experience - said Totò to Udinese Channel as he left the prison -. I've met the less fortunate, I've spoken to them and tried to make them understand that once they are out of the tunnel they must try not to make the same mistakes again, because life is beautiful".

Where did you get this idea, were you the one to ask to meet them?

"I know someone who works inside this prison, and as we were talking about the convicts' life, I felt the need to meet them as a normal person. I'm glad I came, it's the most beautiful "goal" I've scored lately".

What stroke (“struck”?  A “stroke” in Italian is also an “ictus”!!!!!!) you most?

"Little cells, gates, everything… I told those men that life goes on and that the time they are spending in jail is a lesson to learn. You pay for your mistakes, then you mustn't repeat them".

Andrea Carnevale underlined how he himself is an example of redemption…

The tour ended with a "stadium" chorus sung by the convicts.

Udinese Channel will air a special feature on the event tonight at 7pm and 10.10 pm.

Udinese...

The show begins at the table at the Friuli stadium!

The restaurants of the stadium will be open also on the occasion of the match against Lazio[ 18.04.2013 ]

The restaurants under the Friuli stadium's stands will be open on the occasion of the championship match Udinese-Lazio (Saturday 20 April 2013, 8.45pm).

The fans with a season ticket or a regular ticket for a stand seat can enjoy the dishes served by Dall'Ava DOK, which runs the restaurant of the stadium, from 7pm.

As with Chievo, surprises and music will liven up the evening. All those who choose the 15€ DOK Menu will have the chance to win the jersey of Udinese's young forward Luis Muriel, who will be at the restaurants (“restaurant”?) before the match and will deliver his jersey to the winner in person.