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Title - The miracle of Castel di Sangro

Author - Joe McGinniss

Publisher - Time Warner

ISBN - 075152753X

Released - Aug 2000

Price - £8.99

Available - Amazon, Ottackers - Walsall, Borders & Waterstones - Birmingham.

 

 

Review - Just imagine Rushall Olympic or Willenhall Town reaching the first division, taking on the likes of West Ham, West Brom and Sunderland. It would take some miracle. 

In the mid 1990s a team called Castel di Sangro lived that miracle. They emerged from the Italy's regional leagues to win promotion to Serie B. A series of consecutive promotions meant they would be taking on the likes of Bari, Genoa and Empoli. 

American journalist Joe McGinniss is intending to write a book about the miracle and joins the team during there first season in Serie B. McGinniss is welcomed in to the small village of Castel di Sangro and immerses himself in to Italian culture. 

The Godfatheresque characters of Gravina and Rezza run the club, while Osvaldo Jaconi is the explosive team manager known as the bulldozer.

You would expect the book to be an enjoyable account of the underdogs fight against the big boys, but instead you are treated to a roller coaster ride of a season where scandal, suspicion and tragedy are never to far away. 

The book is a personal account of what McGinniss encounters. He was given a house next door to the manager, allowed to travel on the team bus,  made welcome at team talks, and allowed to eat meals with players at the local Pizzaria. It was a case of access all areas. McGinniss makes use of the access he had to produce an enthralling book.

You do at times feel as though McGinniss is unfair on the manager. For instance, he knocks Jaconi for having his favourites when picking the team, only for McGinniss to make recommendations based upon his own friendships with certain players. Most sensible fans will be able to see through this, and make there own judgments about what goes on, but it is difficult with McGinniss giving a biased of things. 

There is doubting the people of Castel di Sangro, and more so Gravina and Rezza were hoping for a different outcome to the book, but the Author was committed to telling it as it is which did not go down well.

Gravina promised that not a single copy of the book would ever be sold in Italy, and to this day it has remained so. The book has developed a cult following with there being a number of sites dedicated to the club. 

What they say -

Sunday Telegraph - "A gripping and engaging tale that will delight any football fan"

Brian Granville : Sunday Times - "Roba de fantasciensza as the Italians themselves might say - the stuff of science fiction with the skill of a talented novelist. McGinniss brings Peitro Rezza, the players and Osvaldo Jaconi, the surly, explosive team manager, vividly to life, what a season!  Football, our kind of football, can be grateful to him.

The Times - "An absolutely riveting tale of survival, a gripping account of human dignity and weakness in the face of pressure and a genuine double tragedy"

The Independent - "This wonderful, compelling book seems destined to join the shortlist of football classics"