The supporters of Gallura and Sardinian football mourn one of its most beloved protagonists: Piero Muntoni, for all uncle Piero, from Santa Teresa Gallura, who died yesterday at the age of 91 after an illness. Football manager, he was president and sole owner (with some small parentheses) of Santa Teresa from 1976 to 2012. He led the team from the second category to Serie D. He employed important players and coaches, such as Gigi Piras, Ernesto Truddaiu and Sergio Bagatti.
Extraordinary and volcanic character, in life he was self-made. Orphaned as a child, as a boy he also worked as a ticket seller in a cinema, then the very rapid rise in the world of commerce, in which Piero Muntoni built an empire in Sardinian craftsmanship.
A great fishing enthusiast, he was also the manager and owner of a tuna fishery near Capo Testa. Football was one of his great loves, the players were all his children. Celestino Ciarolu, a great striker from Teresino and the team's all-time top scorer, was among them. «A father is gone – he comments -. With him we rejoiced, argued and lived unforgettable moments. It was impossible not to love him. Of the team he was president, owner, warehouseman, he marked the field. In short, everything. Uncle Piero was one of those people who made this sport more beautiful».
Piero Muntoni also became famous for sensational exemptions and arbitration controversies. He was one of the organizers of the famous summer tournament of Santa Teresa Gallura, a summer youth Viareggio which saw the participation of extraordinary teams and players. Teams like Milan, Cagliari (who won it once), Juventus, Bayern Munich and the then very strong Hajduk Split. Champions such as Nanu Galderisi and Franco Baresi played there. All thanks to passionate executives such as Uncle Piero Muntoni, who leaves behind his wife Agostina and sons Maurizio and Tommaso, as well as various grandchildren. The funeral will take place in Santa Teresa Gallura on Friday morning, at 10 in the church of San Vittorio.
