Francesco Graziani

Francesco Graziani (2009)

Francesco " Ciccio " Graziani ( born December 16, 1952 in Subiaco, Italy ) is an Italian former football player and coach.

Playing career

The center forward Francesco Graziani began his career at AC Arezzo and moved in 1973 in the Italian Serie A Torino Calcio. Here he was Italian national team, and participated in the World Cup 1978 in Argentina part. He was, however, from the beginning of his national team career in the shadow of the striker Paolo Rossi. The aerially strong Graziani was mainly used as a wild card and came at the 1978 World Cup just three brief appearances. With Torino he had his best years 1975-1977 when he was Italian champion and 1977 first runner-up behind local rivals Juventus. In 1977 he was also still top scorer in Serie A in a total of 353 league games, he scored 131 goals. The greatest success at club level Graziani missed the final of the European Champions Cup in 1984. Against Liverpool he lost with the Romans 3:5 on penalties. Also Graziani missed the Olympic Stadium in Rome a penalty.

Graziani was also in the Italian squad at the European Football Championship 1980 in Italy. He moved in 1981 from Turin to Fiorentina, where he played with midfield maestro Giancarlo Antognoni. His strike partner were here the Argentine world champion of 1978 Daniel Bertoni and the young Daniele Massaro. National trainer Enzo Bearzot appointed him for the Football World Cup 1982 in Spain again in the Italian squad and put this time to a double peak with Rossi and Graziani as strike partner. However, the first round was a complete disappointment. Italy came only three Draws and Graziani in the final group game against Cameroon scored the 1-0 opener with a header.

Italy qualified for the second final round rose, however, with victories over the favorites Argentina and Brazil for the first time since 1938, and eventually became world champion again in the final against Germany. Graziani stood in all games of the Italians from the outset, however, was in the square, star of the team again Rossi, the top scorer in the World Cup was. Graziani was injured plus calculated in the final and was already seven minutes replaced by Alessandro Altobelli, who finally got the 3-0 goal in the 81st minute. Graziani graduated 64 caps for Italy, scoring 23 goals.

After ending his national team career Graziani moved in 1983 from Florence to Roma and Udinese Calcio in 1986, where he played for two years and finished his career a year later at the APIA Leichhardt Tigers in Australia.

Coaching career

Graziani struck end of his career as an active player on a career as a club coach and during the 1989/90 season he became head coach at Fiorentina. After a season that ended in 12th place in Serie A, but he had to leave his post and received a short time later the job at second division Reggina Calcio, where he again worked as a coach. In the same season he was released, and also his contributions to U.S. Avellino had little success and Graziani held less than one season in office. Shortly before the end of the season 1991/92 the employment relationship at second division Avellino was terminated and Graziani took a break from coaching.

For the season 2000/ 01 he took a job at third division AS Viterbese Calcio and led the club to the League receipt in Serie C1. For the next season he went to the former league rivals Catania Calcio, which was also located in the third highest league. In his debut season he led the Sicilians to rise in the B series, but after a disappointing start to the 2002/ 03 season he was terminated. Graziani found a job at Montevarchi Calcio Aquila fourth division in 1902, but he could not perform on track and during the 2003/ 04 season he was forced to leave the club. From 2004 to 2006 was followed by the Italians for an engagement with the AS Cervia, whom he led to the rise in the D series of the sechstklassigen Excellency and the 2005/06 season finished in fifth place.

Achievements / Title

As a national player

  • World Champion: 1982

With its clubs

  • Italian Cup Winners: 1983 /84 1985/86
  • Italian Champion: 1975/76

Individual Achievements / Honors

  • Scorer ( capocannoniere ) Serie A (21 matches ): 1976/77
  • Scorer in the Coppa Italia (5 matches ): 1980/81

As a coach

  • Promotion to Serie B: 2002
  • Master of Your Excellency: 2005
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