Smash hit

EXHIBIT FOUR

Pietro Ingargiola, a referee assessor, talking to Tullio Lanese, head of the Italian referees’ association, after Juventus’s controversial 2-1 defeat away to Reggina: “He [Moggi] came into the dressing-room and was furious. He berated Paparesta [the referee], stuck his finger in his face and then locked him in there! It was crazy! Don’t worry, though, I’ m not saying a thing about it. I don’t remember anything and I didn’t see anything. But it was mad, I tell you!” You will need parts of the media on your side as well. It is a good idea to pick out a few favourite influential journalists and give them little treats: gossip, bits of news, interviews with your star players. The press can be very servile. Use the carrot-and-stick approach to get your way. In exchange, they will attack your enemies and defend your friends.

EXHIBIT FIVE

Moggi talking to Aldo Biscardi, presenter of a popular football show, after a 0-0 draw between Juventus and AC Milan, in which Andriy Shevchenko was controversially denied a penalty appeal: “You need to lay off the referee in this one. You either say the referee was correct in his decision or you don’t show the images at all and gloss over it.”

Over time, referees will get wind of this system and realise that it is in their best interest to help you out. Making favourable decisions is one way they can help, but there are other effective ways they can do this. One painless method is booking players who are one yellow card away from suspension the week before they face your team.

EXHIBIT SIX

In the 2004-05 season, 25 players picked up their bans in the week immediately before they faced Juventus. Tony Damascelli, a journalist, congratulating Moggi after two Bologna defenders received bookings that banned them from facing Juventus the next weekend: “Great job! You took out half their back four!” Sadly, some foolish people will get wind of your methods. You need to make it clear that, while you accept that not everyone will like you, those who speak out need to be punished.

EXHIBIT SEVEN

Moggi speaking to Antonio Giraudo, the Juventus chief executive, after Zdenek Zeman, the Lecce manager, had complained that Moggi was running Italian football: “We need to deal with him, we need to beat him up. We need to make him haemorrhage, that’s what we need to do. We’ll invent something, we’ll mess with some of his players.”

Control over players is essential. To do this, create a football agency and get your 32-year-old son to run it. Hand-pick partners for him, such as the scions of powerful families.

EXHIBIT EIGHT

Moggi’s son, Alessandro, was the chief executive of a company called GEA World, whose partners were Chiara Geronzi, the daughter of Cesare Geronzi, the head of Capitalia, Italy’s second-biggest bank, and the financial institution of choice for many clubs who relied on its credit to stay afloat, and Giuseppe De Mita, a former Lazio official and son of a former Italian Prime Minister. GEA represents about 200 footballers and managers in the Italian game.

Once you have set up your agency, your control over smaller clubs will be consolidated. You can now place players and managers where you please, knowing they will do your bidding.

EXHIBIT NINE

Stefano Argilli, the former Siena midfield player voted player of the year in 2004-05, was forced to leave the club last summer. “Our new manager was GEA, our general manager was GEA, half the team was GEA,” he said. “It was clear to me that if I wanted to stay, I would have to sack my agent and join GEA as well.”

If you do all this, people will fear you and respect you. Your enemies will feel powerless.

EXHIBIT TEN

Mazzini, the vice-president of the Italian FA, speaking to Moggi: “You’re the boss of the Italian game! You own Serie A!”

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