Birthday Wishes

By: bingitz2002 | August 7th, 2008

cake!

Everyone’s been asking me what I want for my birthday tomorrow and I’ve got no idea what to tell them. I have plenty of books to read, enough DVDs, and I’ve outgrown computer games (except for a healthy dose of Football Manager every now and again - sometimes I feel that’s the only way we’ll ever be in the Champions League). So, besides setting myself up for a bevy of cash and gift cards from relatives, I decided what I’d really like for my birthday is to end some of these summer transfer sagas.

Cairo has apparently made an offer for Bianchi, €1.5 million for a season-long loan with a yet to be disclosed amount to make the deal permanent at the end of the season. Pozzi is now leaning towards Bologna, which would be fine with me only if we got Bianchi. I don’t wish injury upon any player though I have to say it would be…interesting…if Bologna end up paying €10 million for Pozzi and he gets injured for half the season. Besides, Bianchi and Amoruso scored 35 goals together in the 2006-2007 season and were the reason Reggina survied despite their massive 15 point penalty. Now I ask you…how many goals did Toro score last season? The answer: 36. The year before that? 31. And these two men, one of whom we already have and the other of whom we’re close to can score 35 in a season? Yes please! Furthermore, Amoruso has said he would love to play with Bianchi again.

Besides, this guy has an instinct for goal. Not a whole lot of flair and tricks, but he is a powerful striker that gets the job done:

You can also see a goal or two from the Bianchi-Amoruso pairing. I know he turned down Toro to join Lazio in the winter and that has not endeared him to many Toro fans, but he has said he’s still interested in Toro and that he would love to play for Toro’s fans and win them over, which is just fine with me. We all make mistakes, Rolando.

Also, Grella out and Pinzi in! Grella has been average this season, Pinzi is available and an upgrade and we’ll probably make money on it considering Fulham are willing to pay in the region of €4-5 million for him. What is there to lose?

Other news and musings:

-Veteran defender Marco Di Loreto says we have to start well to have a good season. Part of me wants to say ‘no s**t Sherlock’. In all seriousness though its true. The last two seasons we have failed to record a win until the 6th (06-07) and 7th (07-08) rounds of the season. Considering three of our opponents in the first four rounds are Lecce, Chievo, and Reggina, we should just give up if we can’t win against one of those teams.

-Striker Sasa Bjelanovic has been loaned to Vicenza with an option for them to buy him at the end of the year. Thanks for taking him off our hands! Ten starts, nine sub appearances and not a single goal, no wonder we’re failing to score with players like this in our squad.

-Defender Matteo Melara has left Torino by mutual consent. He was back with the club after spending last season on loan at Livorno helping them get relegated. Not Torino quality, but mille grazie Matteo for helping us out of Serie B.

-We play Fulham on Sunday in what is probably our toughest preseason test (though we are still playing ‘TBA’ on August 19). Should be a good test for the boys as Fulham have strengthened this season as they prepare for another ‘Great Escape’. Sounds an awful lot like Toro, no? Hopefully I’ll also get to see Eddie Johnson and Clint Dempsey in action for Fulham and I do follow the US national team with some interest.

-The Olympics started last night (I think - this time zone difference really throws me for a loop). Our only player featuring there is Ignazio Abate who got thirty minutes in Italy’s 3-0 trashing of Honduras and made a decent impact coming off the bench. Woohoo! I hope this kid can thrive at Toro this season, I’m hoping he and Rosina will provide some good service now that we have a striker that can score ten goals a season.