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Batistuta il Trascinatore
By: Laura Bandinelli |
Batistuta The Leader
Italian version
Gabriel Batistuta tells "Forza Viola" magazine about: The Argentinian
National Team, Fiorentina, "Scudetto".
He turned thirty on the first of February. Waiting to celebrate with
him where his wife Irina, his sons and lots and lots of friends. On
the table a giant cake with a soccer chocolate ball on top. Next to it
the number 30 and hundreds of messages from all over the world.
"Firenze" adopted Batistuta and later on it was Batistuta the one
adopting "Firenze". He has never put himself apart from the people of
Florence. Since his arrival to the city back in l99l, he rented a
house near the stadium. In no time every "tifosi" knew were Batigol
lived. Almost every day Bati encounters in front of his house messages
of affection, flowers and lots of little memmentos his fans left for
him.
After eight years, their idol, the champion of records, the one who
seems indistructable has become to all more than their heroe. They
have come to know and care for the man. This realization came with
what happened during Fiorentina/Milan. During those terrible moments
when he was injured, the fans realized that Batistuta is not
indistructable. And what's more important they came to realize how
much they care for the man. When he reentered the playing field once
again he showed the strengh of character he possesses and the love for
his team and this city. So, Batistuta is not only loved for what he
does in the soccer field, but also for the kind of man he is.
"I've lived with the poor, with the rich, and I've been able to
establish strong relations with them both. This is part of
what I consider the treasure I carry within me".
Now, Batistuta and his family are moving from the house near the stadium
to a larger one in "Colline di Fiesole". Bati will not leave
"Firenze", he signed a contract which links him to Fiorentina until
2003. Vittorio Cecchi Gori, Fiorentina's president, said that Bati
will be his succesor as Fiorentina's president.
At thirty years "il gordo" (fat, he was called this because when he was
young he seems to be heavy and not to agile) has other goals: to keep
breaking records and establishing new ones, and to win the "scudetto"
with his beloved Fiorentina.
We can say that World Cup 98 is now old news, Passarella is no longer
Argentina's coach, in his place is Marcelo Bielsa, one of Bati's first
coaches, and the one who put him on a diet while playing with Newell's
Old Boys.
"With him I have lived many beautiful moments. At first I thought he
was pestering me, later I came to realize that every thing he did was
for my well being. His way of playing the game pleases me".
What about "Copa America" and the next World Cup?
Do you think all this affected your performance?
What change your mind?
Passarella and Lazaroni are the only two coaches with whom you haven't
had a good rapport. All the others see you as a leader.....
Now that Trapattoni's behind Fiorentina, do you feel less responsability
for you to shoulder?
Does your rapport with the management change?
What is Trapattoni's secret? What does this man have that everywhere
he goes he left his mark....
Edmundo for example, is he your opposite?
Then, what are the steps to become a leader?
Let us talk a little about your rapport with Cecchi Gori? Seems there
were some misunderstandings some time back, now everything seems to be
fine....
In some instances like the ones pertaining Edmundo, his declarations
were not taken seriously, we could say some people were having fun with
them.
Tell us the truth, has there been times when Cecchi Gori has been
annoyed with you because of the stands you have taken to some of his
ideas?
You know that you are the only player in the world to whom a president
has unfourled a giant sign in a stadium for all the world to see
saying: "Batistuta, Incedibile" (not for sale)
If you were to send a similar type of message to your president, what
will you write?
Were you dissapointed when you were not in the first three places for
"Il Pallone D'Oro?
After Zidane's election as number one by France Football magazine, many
felt this was very unfair to you....
You haven't won "Il Pallone D'oro" but thanks to you, your team
Fiorentina, is known all over the world.
What do you mean by that?
Are you still hopeful?
Some weeks back, you received a trophy from the 'International
Federation of Football History & Statistics' for the 2nd best striker in
l998....
If Fiorentina wouldn't have been left out, do you think you would have
won it?
The award was given to you at the stadium, with all your fans giving you
a standing ovation.....
Do you think all this extra stress could have contributed to Ronaldo's
problems?
Life for a champion in not easy, even worst if you are as requested as
he is. Does this happen to you too?
In all your time in "Firenze", you've only been injured four times.
What were your feelings while watching the match from the stands or from
outside the pitch like when Fiorentina/Roma?
People are saying you and your family will be spending time in "Cortina"
and that you will be hiring a trainer to go with you to keep in
shape.....
In an interview just after your injury you said: "When I was lying on
the ground, I thought it was the end of the season for me, won't be part
of the big "festa" for winning the "scudetto". Don't you think your
absence while injured had a lot to do with what happened later on?
Yes, but the numbers speak for you, your score average is fantastic.....
You believe the "scudetto" is possible?
Can you speak of a 'winning mentality' in this team?
Batigol's "motto"
[Special thanks to Katy for sending me this article]
Batistuta has had the opportunity to grow facing many different aspects
of life as he tells us in his book: "Io Batigol racconto Batistuta".
"I was not at my best at World Cup 98. All the problems with
Fiorentina, my professional life was in turmoil. The only thing that
kept me going was thinking of the goals I'll be scoring in the World
Cup".
"I reached the point were I had no desire to play soccer. I never
felt this way before. So I thought that when the World Cup came to an
end, there will be nothing else for me in the soccer world".
"I never thought a man like Trapattoni would come, one who is able to
resolve things in a positive way".
"I'm a person who always take to heart the interests of the team.
I've always been at the coaches disposition. I've always tried to
implement their ideas in the pitch. On the other hand, I'm not one to
pass judgment, this would lead us nowhere".
"I've never felt like someone out of this world, never felt like
someone who would have to safe the day for everyone. I know people
expect goals and think they should be scored by Batistuta.
When I'm on the pitch, I'm not a one man team, I feel very much part of
a team".
"No, for me everything has remained the same. I'm not the kind of
person to be calling the president because of problems or to ask him to
buy this or that player. I've never done it, I never will. It's not
my way".
"Trapattoni and I have a lot in common, we are both leaders, the only
difference.......(he smiles) he's a little bit older. He had inside
him that which I have...the desire to win, to be the best. But don't
get me wrong, we are not the only ones that feels this way. The whole
team feels the same way".
Do you think of yourself as a leader?
"I can only talk for myself. I've come to realize that i'm able to
transmit things to others without being conciouse of it. It's
something that comes natural to me, even my movements in the pitch seem
to convey some kind of message. I always try to give a l00% of myself
but there are others giving as much and no one seems to notice".
"I will use another as an example, why do you think of him first? I'm
thinking of players like Amor, Torricelli, Firicano. Everyone in his
own way transmits things to others. I don't talk to please, I always
say what I think, what I feel. When I started playing soccer I didn't
think there were rules for becoming a good player, a good captain or for
gaining the love of the people".
"I only have one answer to this, It comes to me naturally".
"This is quite normal. Friends do not always think the same way. An
important part of friendship is to respect and accept those
differences".
"Not me. But I understand that he talks as president but with a lot of
"tifoso" in him. I, on the other hand talk as a "giocatore" and as
captain. My duty other than playing and scoring is to look for the
well-being of the team".
"No, it has never happened. I know that some things I have said he
wouldn't have accepted them from any other. But my situation with him
is different, he knows me well. He knows that everything I say and do
is for the well being of Fiorentina. I'm never aginst things that will
be good for the team. The both of us want what's best for the team.
The thing is that we use different ways to achieve them. The
importance here is that we are both after the same thing, conforming a
stronger Fiorentina".
"Won't say it was not a pleasure to see that".
"I'm not good at that type of thing. I'm not one that expresses his
sentiments to easily. It's the way I am, part of my character".
"No, dissapointed no. It's very clear to me how things are done in
some places. You have to have in mind that I play for Fiorentina, a
team that cannot compete in the publicitary game against teams like
Juve, Inter, Milan, Barcelona, just to name a few. Also my sponsors
were few. It's not enough just to play well. If this were to be the
only reason, I've would have been one of the first three".
"I'll tell you again, sponsors play an important part in all this.
If what you say is correct and many felt that I deserved better, then
the mechanism used is not working properly".
"I won't say that I wouldn't like to be the recipient of the "Il
Pallone D'Oro" but on the other hand, it's beautiful to think that my
work and loyalty have brought world recognition to my Fiorentina".
During the week Fiorentina's management has been bombarded from
journalists from all over the world asking for interviews with you.....
"This is another thing that has worked against me. I'm not much into
giving interviews. I'm a very private person. I always think my
actions on the soccer field should be the one doing all the talking.
This seems to bother some journalists".
"I'm not one who loves to be in the 'spotlight', I love to spend time
with my wife, my sons or go training instead of making T.V. appearances
or some other type of public showings. I think if someone is going to
give an award to me, it should be for what I do in the pitch, not
because of public relations. Don't get me wrong, I like people, but
I'm not a public person".
"I never give up, I'm convinced that if I ever receive an award it's
because I deserve it. This will be an inmense satisfaction for me".
"This I will always remember as something quite special, because this
was established specially for me. When we were left out of "Coppa
UEFA", at the time Al-Howard and I were tied for top's scorers.
Howard, who later on ended wining it. They thought 'UEFA's' decision
of leaving us out because of things out of our control, and leaving me
out of the run for top scorer, was unfair".
"This I can not tell, but what UEFA did cut all our possibilities".
"It was a very emotional moment for me. I loved the simplicity of
it. Sometimes due to your sponzors you have to be present at
different places or you may lose the awards".
"I can only talk as a spectator, someone looking from the outside. I
don't know all that's involved here. But I can say that his life is
not easy. He's subjected to a lot of stress and tensions. And
there's people who think: Look at him, he's a millionaire and has the
audacity to complain!!!".
"We all do not react the same way. I have also a public image to
sustain due to contracts but I tried to stay calm, mantain my life as
serene as possible. Ronaldo has this preasure over him of being the
best, this does not contribute to a serene, peaceful life. But he is
young, he will recover, he is not......(laugh) old like me".
"You suffer a lot especially when the ball doesn't want to get in.
When you see the others playing you have to hold yourself so you won't
jump into the pitch".
"Just talks, I don't ski".
"These types of thoughts are not permisible. I'm not indispensable.
Let me explain myself. Batistuta is important but no one should
consider himself indispensable. I cannot win a match by myself.....I'm
part of a team. My prescense in the pitch is as important as that of
my other teammates. Or....do you think Toldo's prescense is
unimportant?
"I'll say it again, I can't think that without me the 'world will
crash', it's not like this".
"The team should not lose faith even if they go down a place or two.
The Italian championship is a long one, many things could happen. The
important thing is to have faith in ourselves, like Trapattoni has told
us".
Yes, we have it, we have showed this all this time in the pitch.
Never negative thoughts, if you work hard and your constant in what your
doing, you'll win in the end".