Exclusive: Gianfranco Zola Thanks Goal.com Friends And Fans
9/12/2005 6:29:00 PM
The unforgettable ‘magic box’ gave us an exclusive interview in which he thanked all of the Goal.com friends and fans for the messages they dedicated to him following his decision to quit the beautiful game.
We had promised you this and we want to honour the commitment we took with our readers, even though this interview has arrived a bit late. It was a bit more complex than we had expected, but Gianfranco Zola took a long period of deserved rest, in which he detached from that world which for more than thirty years has been his life. But in the end we made it, we handed all of your messages over to him and here is the interview that he gave us to thanks all of you.
Hello Gianfranco, so you read all of the messages, what impression did they give you?
It was certainly an enormous satisfaction, this is clear. I thank everyone for the attestation of affection.
But did you see? Even from Bahrain, Nigeria, Australia…
Yes, I saw, I knew that Chelsea was very popular all over the world, but not this way… The Premier League is well followed in Asia, Africa, everywhere. Surely I did not expect that there were so many.
But apart from Chelsea, I think it was more a recognition towards the person…
If that’s the case, what can I say? I’m even happier.
You managed to do something which I thought was impossible in Italy, you united a nation irrespective of the teams the people side for…
Yes I read, it was an enormous satisfaction, I’m very happy that they wrote to me indistinctly from all over Italy, irrespective of the club they support. It’s a nice recognition for me.
However, did you see that 99.9% of the readers asked you not to leave football?
I read, I read. I thank them, but now…
Any second thoughts?
No, I thought about it well. It was a very suffered and painful decision, but I believe it’s final. I miss football a lot, but time passes and I think that I took the right decision.
I summarize the concept of many fans: following Baggio’s farewell, then it was your turn; football is continuously losing positive examples…
Well, I’m happy that they say this, but I think that there are still many positive examples in the world of football, not just Zola or Baggio. I repeat, it’s pleasing, but I believe that all those who really love this sport are examples to follow, because they respect it profoundly. The Baggios and Zolas pass by, but football remains and there will surely be others who will take our place, I’m convinced.
But if ideally you had to pass the scepter, who would the candidates be?
There are many, I think, for example, about Maldini, Shevchenko, Del Piero. All very good and serious professionals who give a positive image to our sport.
You probably heard about the Cagliari controversies…
Look, I think that as always they have to make it on their own and I think that if they will remain united they will come out of it. They’ll have to settle things up and give all they have and like this I believe and hope that they will make it through.
Speaking of controversies, what can we say about this umpteenth poisonous summer of Italian football?
That there was no need for it. I hope and think that sooner or later the people will get fed-up of these controversies and especially that the people who create these controversies will get fed-up, because it’s really depressing. I’m convinced that if more importance is given to the played football, instead of the chatter, also on behalf of the fans, everyone will gain from it.
Listen, don’t tell me that you have cut all ties with football. You will remain in the environment, right?
Sincerely I don’t know, I’m a bit confused. After a lot of time spent playing I was not used to this new life, I have not had the time yet to realize this. For the time being I’m resting and enjoying the family, and also reflecting, we shall see. There is the will to stay in the football world, but I still don’t know in which position.
To conclude, if you had a piece of advice to send to the thousands of kids that want to become football players, what advice do you have for them?
My advice is that they try to profoundly love this sport in all of its aspects. Not to think simply that kicking the ball is enough, but that they can become important role models for thousands of kids. They must always try to remember this and behave consequently.
Good, so what will you tell all those readers who wrote to you?
That I thank them all, one by one, and I thank Goal.com for the wonderful surprise. All of this repays me for the efforts and the lavished work I produced during my career. I could not hope for a better recognition, because in the end, the fans’ recognition and esteem, irrespective of the teams they supoort, proves that I worked well. Therefore I virtually embrace all of them and return the affection that they have showed me.
Beyond what can be said about him, for once we allow ourselves not to agree with him: his was not an example like others, it was a special and unique one. We will miss Zola, artist of the ball, but also a humble person, serious and absolutely never out of place.
Thanks Gianfranco, from last June we have all become poorer.
By Sergio Stanco-Goal.com Italy Chief Editor
Forza Zola! A true legend indeed !
9/12/2005 6:29:00 PM
The unforgettable ‘magic box’ gave us an exclusive interview in which he thanked all of the Goal.com friends and fans for the messages they dedicated to him following his decision to quit the beautiful game.
We had promised you this and we want to honour the commitment we took with our readers, even though this interview has arrived a bit late. It was a bit more complex than we had expected, but Gianfranco Zola took a long period of deserved rest, in which he detached from that world which for more than thirty years has been his life. But in the end we made it, we handed all of your messages over to him and here is the interview that he gave us to thanks all of you.
Hello Gianfranco, so you read all of the messages, what impression did they give you?
It was certainly an enormous satisfaction, this is clear. I thank everyone for the attestation of affection.
But did you see? Even from Bahrain, Nigeria, Australia…
Yes, I saw, I knew that Chelsea was very popular all over the world, but not this way… The Premier League is well followed in Asia, Africa, everywhere. Surely I did not expect that there were so many.
But apart from Chelsea, I think it was more a recognition towards the person…
If that’s the case, what can I say? I’m even happier.
You managed to do something which I thought was impossible in Italy, you united a nation irrespective of the teams the people side for…
Yes I read, it was an enormous satisfaction, I’m very happy that they wrote to me indistinctly from all over Italy, irrespective of the club they support. It’s a nice recognition for me.
However, did you see that 99.9% of the readers asked you not to leave football?
I read, I read. I thank them, but now…
Any second thoughts?
No, I thought about it well. It was a very suffered and painful decision, but I believe it’s final. I miss football a lot, but time passes and I think that I took the right decision.
I summarize the concept of many fans: following Baggio’s farewell, then it was your turn; football is continuously losing positive examples…
Well, I’m happy that they say this, but I think that there are still many positive examples in the world of football, not just Zola or Baggio. I repeat, it’s pleasing, but I believe that all those who really love this sport are examples to follow, because they respect it profoundly. The Baggios and Zolas pass by, but football remains and there will surely be others who will take our place, I’m convinced.
But if ideally you had to pass the scepter, who would the candidates be?
There are many, I think, for example, about Maldini, Shevchenko, Del Piero. All very good and serious professionals who give a positive image to our sport.
You probably heard about the Cagliari controversies…
Look, I think that as always they have to make it on their own and I think that if they will remain united they will come out of it. They’ll have to settle things up and give all they have and like this I believe and hope that they will make it through.
Speaking of controversies, what can we say about this umpteenth poisonous summer of Italian football?
That there was no need for it. I hope and think that sooner or later the people will get fed-up of these controversies and especially that the people who create these controversies will get fed-up, because it’s really depressing. I’m convinced that if more importance is given to the played football, instead of the chatter, also on behalf of the fans, everyone will gain from it.
Listen, don’t tell me that you have cut all ties with football. You will remain in the environment, right?
Sincerely I don’t know, I’m a bit confused. After a lot of time spent playing I was not used to this new life, I have not had the time yet to realize this. For the time being I’m resting and enjoying the family, and also reflecting, we shall see. There is the will to stay in the football world, but I still don’t know in which position.
To conclude, if you had a piece of advice to send to the thousands of kids that want to become football players, what advice do you have for them?
My advice is that they try to profoundly love this sport in all of its aspects. Not to think simply that kicking the ball is enough, but that they can become important role models for thousands of kids. They must always try to remember this and behave consequently.
Good, so what will you tell all those readers who wrote to you?
That I thank them all, one by one, and I thank Goal.com for the wonderful surprise. All of this repays me for the efforts and the lavished work I produced during my career. I could not hope for a better recognition, because in the end, the fans’ recognition and esteem, irrespective of the teams they supoort, proves that I worked well. Therefore I virtually embrace all of them and return the affection that they have showed me.
Beyond what can be said about him, for once we allow ourselves not to agree with him: his was not an example like others, it was a special and unique one. We will miss Zola, artist of the ball, but also a humble person, serious and absolutely never out of place.
Thanks Gianfranco, from last June we have all become poorer.
By Sergio Stanco-Goal.com Italy Chief Editor
Forza Zola! A true legend indeed !
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