APIA Leichhardt trying to lure Italian legend Francesco Totti to play against Adelaide United
ADELAIDE United facing Italian idol Francesco Totti in next week’s FFA Cup quarterfinal against APIA Leichhardt in Sydney isn’t a just a pipedream.
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ADELAIDE United facing Italian idol Francesco Totti in next week’s FFA Cup quarterfinal against APIA Leichhardt in Sydney isn’t a dream.
The key to the deal is one of Totti’s idols, another AS Roma and Italian legend Giuseppe Giannini.
APIA’s Theo Fotopoulos the club’s marketing, commercial, media and digital consultant expects an answer from the Totti camp within 48 hours.
“The position right now is that we’re awaiting feedback from Italy,’’ Fotopoulos said.
Fotopoulos said APIA’s No. 10 shirt would be reserved for Totti, a 2006 FIFA World Cup winner with Italy who is hailed as The Gladiator.
Totti may need major swaying from Giannini to don another coloured club shirt outside the Giallorossi - his only professional club.
Giannini, 54, is on his way to Australia and may be here in time for the FFA Cup clash.
He is also contemplating coaching an A-League club.
Anthony Ucchino, director of ASR Football Sydney, where Giannini will conduct junior coaching clinics from October 2 in Sydney is the Totti conduit.
Giannini was labelled as “Il Principe (the prince)” when he was a star of AS Roma before Totti became king of the club.
Giannini also starred at the 1990 FIFA World Cup for the Azzurri.
“APIA want to do something special and said to me “look is there a possibility we can table an offer (to Totti) through the networks we already have,’’ Ucchino said.
“And we have put something forward in the hope something comes out of it.
“At the moment Il Principe (Giannini) is expected to be here for the FFA Cup match but Totti is a question mark.
“Giannini has also expressed an interest to coach in the A-League, he coached Lebanon’s national team and Hellas Verona.”
Ucchino’s brother Adrian plays for APIA after he had a stint with current Italian Serie A club Frosinone.
Totti, 41, retired from playing at his only professional club AS Roma last year after 619 appearances and 250 goals.
He is now an AS Roma director and was spotted watching his club’s 2-2 draw with Chievo Verona during an Italian Serie A match at Stadio Olimpico, Rome on Sunday.
APIA would need to fill in a guest player application with the NSW federation, organise a visa and ensure Totti has a FIFA international transfer certificate if they can secure the Italian against the Reds.
It was Totti who drove a dagger through the hearts of the Socceroos in Germany 12 years ago when he scored the winning penalty to knock Australia out after Fabio Grosso earned the spot kick despite the Azzurri being reduced to 10 men for about 50 minutes.
APIA has a history of securing Italian World Cup winners after 1982 world champion, Francesco Graziani who also played for AS Roma featured for two games in 1988 during the now defunct national soccer league.
Originally published as APIA Leichhardt trying to lure Italian legend Francesco Totti to play against Adelaide United