The Apulian town dreams of the direct jump: “We still don’t hear the pressure, but in a few days it will arrive”
Peppe Raffaele does not like the spotlight on him. Not even now that his Cerignola looks at everyone from above in group C and, physiologically, a little intrigued. Because it is true that the good name of a solid and structured club has already run for a while (President Nicola Grieco is also on the Board of Directors of Lega Pro), but the team is undeniably going beyond the expectations. If the continuity of work made it legitimate to improve seventh place of last season, nobody thought of fighting for the direct jump in B. on par, if not better, of big names in budgets and ambitions. And now?
winning moves
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“We still do not hear the pressure – the Sicilian technician immediately unleashes, who will turn 50 in December -, but we also know that in a few days he will arrive, remaining high. We will talk about it later. ” Dribbling as an essential communicator and in any case never banal, because the energies (especially mental ones) prefers to dedicate them to the field and the group. Over the years Raffaele has softened some edges of the character by crossing new awareness and some disappointments, refining a dowry present in its genetic heritage in the path: the great reading capacity. Of men and situations. Of looks and thoughts of his players, but also and above all of the games. Strategic vision that had already returned useful in the penalty area – it was double -digit bomber among the amateurs, especially in Sicily and Calabria – and has been trained from a very young age also through the passion for the lady (game to which today, physiologically , he manages to dedicate less time than he would like). Moving the pawns on the chessboard has always succeeded as well as now manages to affect the games, with often profitable intuitions. The last of a series, the entry into the work of the prodigal son Achik to unhinge the defense of Casertana. It was the great opportunity to isolate himself at the top, Cerignola did not waste it with enthusiasm and concreteness.
the right place
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A team shaped, already from the past season, in the image and likeness of the coach of Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto. In March a year ago the sliding door of his “new” career: Raffaele was about to return to Potenza for the third time, attracting in his safe harbor. But an agreement that seemed already defined has never been formalized. In the Lucanian capital he had started to train among the professionals in 2018 – for intuition of the then Caiata president – and then he had returned in 2022/23 under the current Macchia management, always coming to play the playoffs. Relucting, in this last experience, after the exemptions of Catania (to date, the great unused opportunity) and Viterbo. For its detractors, the more superficial ones, having done well in C in one square highlighted the limits. A label to snatch as soon as possible. And the call of March 2024 to replace the exonerated Tisci, in this sense, came at the right time. “In addition to the seriousness of the club – he says -, I accepted Cerignola because there were ideal players to make the football I like most. Which succeeds even better, of course, this season started since the retreat: we are a team that plays well, he spends a lot of time in the opponent’s half of the field and tries to recover ball immediately when he loses it. This strong identity will be what we will cling to when the pressure arrives, in fact. In the decisive weeks, we aim to still be there ”.
solidity
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The push to stay high also comes from the numbers, now not random. 12 consecutive useful results, with five external wins in a row (and 28 points won in 14 games away from home). The way of playing is always the same, at Monterisi and in other stadiums, pragmatic and aggressive. It is convenient to have players in the team who shared with the coach the experience of Potenza (Coccia and the excellent Salvemini arrived at 11 goals, as well as a fox grass of January), as well as a Jolly out of category as a hent (it will be hard retain the Argentine in the summer). But he made the difference, from September to today, also and above all the ability to solve problems. The largest series of accidents suffered in autumn, with the need to find new solutions not to lose blows. After three goals scored in the first four games, Cerignola lost its reference striker Gigi Cuppone for a crusader Ko. But in such a tested game system, with some tactical precautions, the offensive turnover did not be affected. Cuppone hopes to return available in a month and would be, at that point, the reinforcement already at home to feed the dream.
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