Have I remembered this correctly...?

Chutney

Chutney

Well-known member
Massimo Maccarone...

Before he signed for us, I was watching some Italian U-21 game - assume vs England, otherwise why would it have been on the TV? Anyway, all the talk was about this young Italian playmaker who was about to be the next big thing. And he was very good, but got upstaged by Maccarone scoring an absolutely outrageous goal right near the end to win the game. And the playmaker? Some geezer called Andrea Pirlo, doubt he ever amounted to much.

Have I got that right, or should I lay off the crack?
 
Chutney said:
Massimo Maccarone...

Before he signed for us, I was watching some Italian U-21 game - assume vs England, otherwise why would it have been on the TV? Anyway, all the talk was about this young Italian playmaker who was about to be the next big thing. And he was very good, but got upstaged by Maccarone scoring an absolutely outrageous goal right near the end to win the game. And the playmaker? Some geezer called Andrea Pirlo, doubt he ever amounted to much.

Have I got that right, or should I lay off the crack?
Click to expand...
And Englands 'star' was Alan Smith of Leeds. I remember thinking ' what chance we signed someone like Maccarone?'
 
During his time at Empoli, Maccarone made his debut with the Italy Under-21 side under Marco Tardelli. He later earned a place as a starting striker in Claudio Gentile's Italy Under-21 side between 2000 and 2002.[29] In total, he scored 11 goals with the Under-21 side in 15 appearances, and he took part at the 2002 Under-21 European Championship with Italy, where he finished as the tournament's top scorer, with 3 goals, helping Italy to reach the semi-finals, where they lost out to the eventual champions, the Czech Republic.[30] During the group stage, he scored two goals in a 2–1 win against the England Under-21 side in Basel.[31]

Pirlo did play in the same game, but you can see from Massim'o's record buying him was a good call.
It didn't turn out so bad. But imagine if we had bought both of them... WOW!
 
And here's the goal, around 1:28...


Not a volley, but otherwise all spot on. Not senile yet...
 
Chutney said:
Massimo Maccarone...

Before he signed for us, I was watching some Italian U-21 game - assume vs England, otherwise why would it have been on the TV? Anyway, all the talk was about this young Italian playmaker who was about to be the next big thing. And he was very good, but got upstaged by Maccarone scoring an absolutely outrageous goal right near the end to win the game. And the playmaker? Some geezer called Andrea Pirlo, doubt he ever amounted to much.

Have I got that right, or should I lay off the crack?
Click to expand...
Not quite when asked not sure if it was lippi or trapatoni who he thought would make the step from u21 to senior side he named 2 one was pirlo the other our massimo.
 
I remember Arsene Wenger tipping Maccerone being signing of the season. He was highly thought of and potentially a great move. He became a cult hero of course and the goals against Steaua Bucharest and Basel worth it.
 
I remember watching this goal at the time and then being amazed when we signed him.

Think that's the first time I've seen the goal again despite having searched a few times over the years. In my mind though it was also a volley from about 25yds out but obviously built it up in my mind over the years! Still a quality touch and finish
 
Didn’t he play for the U21s against England and then a few days later played for the senior side against us, or again is this a misplaced memory???
 
Maccarone loved playing for Tuscan clubs, 1-4 goal scoring record when he played for clubs outside Tuscany, 1-2.75 goal scoring record across the 4 Tuscan clubs he turned out for maybe if we'd relocated the Riverside from Teesside to the banks of the Arno he'd have been an even bigger hero at the Boro.
 
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