How it’s born

Manlio Scopigno accidentally born in the province of Udine, a Paulara, November 20, 1925. Soon, however, the family, the father worked in the body of the Forest Guard, moved to Rieti and the Lazio Manlio in the capital will be formed as a man and as sports. The Lazio town Manlio will remain forever linked. Rieti will always be a point of reference when moving the sporting life imposes. A kind of refuge and rest one can not just give wrong Even St. Francis decided to stay longer here.
In Rieti, especially, Manlio meets the woman of his life: Angela. In Rieti, in the years of his football successes, he flees to embrace the fratrello Loris (figure as important sports Rieti, former footballer and manager of CONI) and find old friends.
The young Scopigno studied and played profitably in both fields. Speaking from football formed in Rieti, then militant in series C. It ‘a quarterback with an elegant gait, not a snarling cur guard as most of the defenders of those years. The foot of the young is soft, when it moves not trample the grass, caresses, his stride cuts the air and off the head when it seems as light as a dancer. Some remember the legendary Maroso, hero of the great Torino.
They are hard years, years of war. After the war, Manlio became a man and has changed its name to Vaccarezza Rieti Rieti in Serie B. After a few seasons, his name ends up on the notebook’s top teams as Salernitana.
In Campania dispute three brilliant seasons, so good to be noticed by the expert eye of former world champion Monzeglio, which makes buying from Naples. It looks like the turning point in his career. The misfortune, however, is lurking: a terrible accident ends his adventure player.
Manlio is at a crossroads: continue university studies or try to live football. The ball has the better. Earlier some bench in the lower divisions, then the turning point. Knows Lerici, coach of Lanerossi Vicenza, a coaching course. The two become friends and Lerici asks him to be his second in Veneto. Manlio eagerly agrees, it will be her luck. After a few seasons Lerici was sacked and advises executives to put their trust in his friend. The trust will be well placed: the red and white will become the queen of the province. So many beautiful championships with the launch of interesting guys (Savoini Bell Vastola) and the recovery of old samples (Vinicio all). Manlio open the doors of Bologna. It will be an unlucky season, it finished with a waiver. Never mind, he calls the Cagliari. In Sardinia Scopigno builds the masterpiece of his career continues the work of his predecessor and Silvestri leads the Cagliari, in a few years, the historic championship in 1970. We speak of Cagliari of Gigi Riva, Cera, of Greatti, of Albertosi, Niccolai, Nene and Domenghini, one of the teams most beautiful that the history of our football can remember.
After the triumphs of Cagliari will be dark years: the Roma, returning to Vicenza and disease. Manlio leaves us too early on September 25, 1993.
Calcium forget in a shamefully him. Dedicate a stadium, as is now the town of Rieti, it is one of the best ways to remember this great man. Scopigno was a maverick, a man do with his aloof, with his irony and intelligence, has ennobled football, easing some tensions that, unfortunately, feeding the sport most loved by Italians.
Remember, dear Manlius, it is just a small way to say thank you for everything you have done for “your Rieti” and for the national sport.