Hateful nickname
By the way, Mansini does not take his nickname to the spirit, and even at the beginning of his Apennine career he proposed dignifying him less pretentiously - Amantino. The player is annoyed that his nickname is consonant with the Portuguese word "quiet". And Amantino himself, apparently, identifies himself in a completely different way.
According to one version, the current left-wing winger of Roma received a hated nickname from the mentor of his first professional club Atletico Mineiro, Toninho Cerezo, to whom our hero was somewhat reminiscent of Roberto Mancini, a longtime partner in the Genoese Sampdoria.
It is curious that it was Inter's head coach who fell the first victim of his Brazilian “heir” in Serie A. The first Roman derby of the 03/04 season steadily rolled towards a faded goalless draw, until in the 81st minute the newcomer Jalllorossi Amantino hit the goal then the Mancini team - heel on the fly!
The metropolitan audience came to their senses from what they saw and immediately put a unanimous diagnosis to the Brazilian recruit - Tobacco di Dio (Heel of God). Having decorated an enchanting evening with an assist for Emerson, Mansini earned the unconditional recognition of typhosies of “Roma”. For them, victory in the derby is a holiday that can be celebrated for months, until the next battle with neighbors in the Eternal City. And the player who provided this joy is simply doomed to admiration and adoration of hundreds of thousands, by the way, not only in Rome and not only in Italy.
To Rome - via Venice
Mansini's story is typical of most of his compatriots, but also tragic, unlike many of them. His father passed away when Amantino was only two months old. So from an early age, the future Roman counted in life only on himself.
Once in the Atletico Mineiro 17-year-old, Mansini two years later became the winner of the America's Cup as part of the national team. Paradoxically, almost all matches for the national team Amantino spent at the end of the last century. Moving to Europe, in fact, excluded him from the list of candidates for Parreira, and subsequently for Dunga.
... One way or another, in 2002, when the leadership of Roma seriously threatened to part with Cafu, club president Franco Sensi sent Brazilian sports director Franco Baldini to Brazil to find a new right-wing lateral. What ended the search, you already know. The choice of "jallorossi" fell on Mansini. However, he had to wait a long time for a debut in the new club. The fact is that “Roma” at that time had already chosen a limit of one “non-European”, which could be acquired during the season. And therefore, Amantino had to be sent to Venice, which formally became the owner of the player.
Kafuzamenitel
The summer of 2003 came - Kafu signed a contract with AC Milan, and Mansini took his place, having already gained a small (13 games) experience of performing in Italy. At a training camp in Austrian Ironing, Fabio Capello became convinced of the highest potential of the new ward. Fabio has long been tormented by doubts about Amantino’s ability to fully replace Kafu. We considered options with the Romanian Cosmin Contra and the notorious Brazilian Luciano (aka Heriberto, aka Heriberto Conseição). However, Mansini’s confident play on the place of the right wing back suppressed all fears.
The debut season was a landmark for Amantino. Roma was tormented by serious financial problems. The team was pretty much in a fever. But all this did not stop the Brazilian from scoring 8 goals in 33 games. In the second round, Capello switched to the four-defender circuit, transferred Mansini to the middle line and saved him from regular returns. This freed Amantino's hands. And since then, not one of the Roma coaches put him on the defensive - the Brazilian looked very good in creation.
Manzini was preparing to enter the season 03/04 under the leadership of Cesare Prandelli. However, the Jallorossi championship began with Rudi Feller, continued with Luigi Del Neri, and completed with Bruno Conti. We did not have to talk about the sustainability of team results. And therefore it was naive to expect a stable game of any football player. Amantino is no exception. That year he did not spend as well as his debut, although he scored 5 goals. Nevertheless, Fabio Capello, having already taken the first scudetto with his Juve, wished to transfer it to Turin and Mansini.
At first, this venture seemed to Amantino very promising. Replace the club, tried four coaches in a year and experienced serious financial problems, the champion of Italy, led by the man who gave you a ticket to Serie A - is not it a logical step for a 25-year-old talent? Even after Franco Sensi rejected the Turin’s offer, Mansini himself went to the club’s management with a request to let him go in Juve. But he also received a decisive refusal.
The indignation of the Brazilian could be understood. After all, he could not assume that in a year he would play with Roma in the Champions League, and the Old Signora would be sent to Serie B. Well, then, in the summer of 2005, Mansini gritted his teeth and began to prepare for the next season under the leadership of Luciano Spalletti
Drift left
Spalletti, by the way, at the beginning of his Roman career also had no reason for optimism. Not only did he leave the Udinese with the scandal, which led him to the Champions League, but Roma was also banned from registering new players. As a result, Spalletti entered the season with extremely scarce ammunition. It is not surprising that in the course of the championship, when all forwards took turns to the infirmary, Luciano identified Amantino as strikers - and he again surprised Italy. During the season, he spent 18 goals - a fantastic rate! At the same time, Mansini mastered the role of the left winger, which today has become his main one. On the right, his compatriot Rodrigo Taddei plays great, by the way, also offended by the inattention of the national team coaches.
Despite the brilliant season, the 26-year-old midfielder never appeared in the Brazilian application for the World Cup. However, Amantino was mentally prepared for this and did not experience illusions regarding the national team. Another thing is that with the arrival of a new coach - Dunga - Mansini quite justifiably hoped to challenge at least an understudy Ronaldinho. But ... As we know, in this capacity the Helmsman of the Brazilians prefers the army player Daniel Carvalho.
And this season is developing successfully for Mansini. Of course, the recent devastating defeat in the Roman derby will be dreamed for a long time by anyone who has anything to do with the Jallorossi. But Sunday's victory over direct competitors from Palermo, obtained largely thanks to the double of Amantino, is much more important in the tournament plan. “Roma” took second place and can now focus on the pursuit of “Inter” - a team of Roberto Mancini, whom our hero loves to upset.
“Aldair, Emerson and Kafu played in the club’s winning team in 2001. Today, “Roma”, in addition to me, is played by Taddei and Doni. I hope that the Brazilian factor will positively affect our chances in the championship race, ”with these words Amantino encourages those who no longer believe in the opportunity to catch up with“ nerazzurri ”.
A stunning game in the past and current seasons Mansini made Tifozi “Roma” forget about his former intention to leave the club. Perhaps in the hearts of fans of the "wolves" resentment for those events also lives. However, it is time to admit: the love of the fans, which he won with such difficulty in the debut Roman season, returned to Amantino.