Cagliari remembers Manlio Scopigno. Board member Nicola Riva attended an event today in the Rieti City Council chamber, marking the centenary of the birth of the coach who led the Rossoblù to the 1970 Scudetto. He was born on November 20, 1925, in Paularo, Friuli, and moved with his family to Rieti as a child. He remained close to the city and returned to live there after retiring from his career. Among other things, the city renamed the stadium after him in 2005.
Today's event saw the signing of a friendship pact between the two municipalities, Paularo and Rieti, in the presence of local authorities and the Scopigno family. Also joining the conversation from Cagliari were four former Rossoblù players who played a key role in the 1969-1970 campaign: Adriano Reginato, Giuseppe Tomasini, Ricciotti Greatti, and Mario Brugnera . A morning of memories, anecdotes, and thoughtful insights to commemorate the "Philosopher," the leader of the team that achieved a memorable feat.
"He had an uncommon serenity, the ability to make players feel at ease and break any tension with a witty, cutting, and insightful quip," Nicola Riva recalled of Scopigno. "My father had a wonderful relationship with him. Without Scopigno, I don't know if he would have become the player he was, because the coach knew how to be a support system for everyone, with the right word or even one of those emblematic silences that made him famous.
He linked his name to Cagliari and Cagliari, where he found his ideal place, and with him that fantastic group. He knew how to understand the individual and give responsibility to the collective, each player knew they couldn't make a mistake so as not to disappoint the coach and their teammates, and thus a perfect chemistry was created.
Today we remember him on his 100th birthday, but he will always have a prominent place in our history. I'm delighted to be in Rieti for the occasion, and even more so that some of his students gathered in Sardinia to share this wonderful day.
