Amoruso

[Vision 16,729]

Those long Italian locks are a thing of the past. If truth be told he’s thinning a bit on top not to mention a little bit broader almost everywhere else.

But, at the age of 47, there’s still something of the film star about Lorenzo Amoruso.

As he fixes a scarf stylishly around his neck in the hotel lobby - large parts of which are under renovation - a couple of star struck workies approach and ask for a selfie.

Amoruso obliges and then strides out the front door back onto the streets of Glasgow City centre, chest puffed out as if he’s never been away.

It’s more than 15 years now since he kicked his last ball as a Rangers player. Nevertheless it does feel as if part of him never quite managed to make it all the way home to Florence.

A brisk five-minute stroll later he’s settling into a seat in one of his old favourite eateries in the basement of the city’s Prince’s Square.

 

“You know, I could have gone to Manchester United instead of Rangers,” he says as he fires back an espresso.

“That was probably the biggest sliding doors moment of my career. But I always say, if I could go back in time, I would make exactly the same choice.

“In life, I follow my instincts a lot. I make mistakes, sure. But when I make a mistake I do it because I wanted to do it. Not because someone forced me to.

“So I would do exactly the same again because what Rangers did for my life was something really big. It made me a better person, a better player, a successful player.

“But it’s funny because when you are living through it you don’t actually realise how much you are achieving. Now, after 20 years or whatever, you look back and say we did a good job. Especially now that Rangers have not been winning trophies for some time. It gives our era even more value.”

The chest is swelling again. Amoruso always did have a healthy respect for himself.

He goes on: “The best time of my career was here but people forget my debut was when I was just 16 and a half. Jesus Christ, I was just thrown into this unbelievable world.

“I lost my head a bit at that time because the money I was getting was crazy. I still remember my dad looked at the first cheque I brought home and said, ‘I don’t earn this much money in six months of my job!’

“In life, I follow my instincts a lot. I make mistakes, sure. But when I make a mistake I do it because I wanted to do it. Not because someone forced me to.

“So I would do exactly the same again because what Rangers did for my life was something really big. It made me a better person, a better player, a successful player.

“But it’s funny because when you are living through it you don’t actually realise how much you are achieving. Now, after 20 years or whatever, you look back and say we did a good job. Especially now that Rangers have not been winning trophies for some time. It gives our era even more value.”

The chest is swelling again. Amoruso always did have a healthy respect for himself.

He goes on: “The best time of my career was here but people forget my debut was when I was just 16 and a half. Jesus Christ, I was just thrown into this unbelievable world.

“I lost my head a bit at that time because the money I was getting was crazy. I still remember my dad looked at the first cheque I brought home and said, ‘I don’t earn this much money in six months of my job!’

 

As much as he is proud of his own successes in this city, he can take no pleasure at all the travails which beset his old club after he left for Blackburn in the summer of 2003.

Now, with the benefit of hindsight, his cut price £1.4million sale was perhaps an early indication of the unthinkable disaster which was coming down the pipe.

He says: “The club was having problems financially when I left which is why they sold me. But I never imagined it would get so bad. I had not even a clue.

“This is a club with millions and millions of supporters all over the world. How can a club like that be relegated? I had a real problem trying to understand that and I don’t want to go into it because, in my opinion, something was very wrong about what happened.

“But the escalation to get back to where Rangers belong has been very difficult.”

Amoruso arrived at Rangers in the summer of 1997, as Walter Smith was tooling up for an ill-fated crack at 10-in-a-row. In the five years that followed under Dick Advocaat and then Alex McLeish he would go on to stockpile three league titles, three Scottish Cup and three League Cups.

That Rangers have now gone more than seven years without picking up a single piece of major silverware remains difficult for him to reconcile.

And yet, from afar, he suspects he may have spotted the first signs of a possible momentum shift.

He nods and says: “Rangers as a club has winning trophies in its DNA. So my feeling is, if this team can win one trophy, then they can build up from there. It’s like when a vampire gets a taste of blood, he wants more and more and more.

“Right now these players don’t know what that feels like, apart from Allan McGregor. One player is not enough. Now the rest of them need to become winners.

“Stevie Gerrard is doing a good job. He’s not there yet but he’s moving in the right direction.

“Squad wise, celtic has a bit more but the difference between the sides is much, much closer than it used to be.

“Rangers have to take advantage of the fact that there’s a new, positive atmosphere behind the team. That’s important because I have seen teams before who win titles even when they are not the strongest or most talented team in the league. Sometimes it comes down to something as simple as spirit and hunger.”

Amoruso, as it just so happens, is busy thumbing his way through the lunchtime menu.

He pauses as if for dramatic effect and adds: “Listen, they actually have a chance this season. The league is very tight at the top and celtic seems not to be winning the games that should be easy on paper. Maybe after a few years they have got bloated by their own success. The belly is full of winning easily. With all respect, they have not had much competition.

“So Rangers has to be clever and stay concentrated. They have to work on the small details day after day because small details at the end of the season can make a big difference.”

[WATP-FOREVER 5,231]

Read the interview yesterday, very good. A brilliant, elegant CB he was. 

[Hamie 4,842]

3 minutes ago, WATP-FOREVER said:

Read the interview yesterday, very good. A brilliant, elegant CB he was. 

He didn't half give you a heart attack at times though  

[toad 320]

46 minutes ago, Vision said:

 Great interview and his passion for the club is still very evident.

“This is a club with millions and millions of supporters all over the world. How can a club like that be relegated? I had a real problem trying to understand that and I don’t want to go into it because, in my opinion, something was very wrong about what happened.

Might be wrong here but I think he means the way we were treated and wish he had elaborated on this.

 

[murzo 7,447]

5 minutes ago, WATP-FOREVER said:

Read the interview yesterday, very good. A brilliant, elegant CB he was. 

Except against Monaco when he was a dobber. Gave us some great memories right enough. Goals against them, Cup Final winning goals in his last appearance, and chasing a lost cause ball down to the bye line, getting to it and crossing it infor Shota or someone to score in the helicopter Sunday game against Dunfermline.

Can’t argue with what he’s saying in the article either.

[kanjo 26,328]

He’s right about the smhellies. They’ve not had a competitive title run since 2011. 

Amo calls it feeling bloated. I call it fear. They are terrified of us being equal again. 

Great interview. 

[KeyserSoze 14,545]

His free kicks were outstanding 

in the goal or out the stand 

 

 

[Inigo 32,534]

His mistakes always came from being a cocky big cunt, striding forward like he owned the joint. As for defending though, he was top class. Ranks up with the likes of Gough, Butcher, Moore, Cuellar and Bougherra as one of the best of the last 40 years.

[Inigo 32,534]

Shamefully booed on the Monaco night. A fuck up from him and a blemish on some of the fans. It was only some though, others clearly regarded it as shite behaviour and applauded his next touch.

[plumbGER 24,518]

Attention seeker imo.

[1690tamRFC 5,001]

1 minute ago, plumbGER said:

Attention seeker imo.

Lol

[eejay the dj 31,964]

4 hours ago, Hamie said:

He didn't half give you a heart attack at times though  

What defender doesn't

Big Amo was a colossus as a central defender and captain for Rangers Fc

It really irks me when people don't appreciate this . After all the dross this club has seen over the last 7 years and so

The man would rag doll Mutton and Fartson, and many times kept a very decent scum team at bay

Trebles and Doubles were won with this guy has our leader .

He was a WINNER and most of all . A big time player for Rangers .

Over the years I'm sure the beggar media, will probably twist many younger bears minds on Big Amo because of his ego .

He will always be a legend in my eyes

[eejay the dj 31,964]

4 hours ago, murzo said:

Except against Monaco when he was a dobber. Gave us some great memories right enough. Goals against them, Cup Final winning goals in his last appearance, and chasing a lost cause ball down to the bye line, getting to it and crossing it infor Shota or someone to score in the helicopter Sunday game against Dunfermline.

Can’t argue with what he’s saying in the article either.

He made the error practically on the half way line . Plenty of time to defend the eventual goal that put us out .

Made up for it in spades . And some more

[sassaaaa 11,406]

Type of big strong CB we have missed for years , and scored his share of goals to , something we hardly ever see now from a CB.......

[SuperPapac05 3,383]

Best thing to ever happen to him was getting stripped of the Captaincy. He became a fucking tank after that. 

[Amac9 2,060]

Trusted him in big games against celtc but akways felt he would fuck up against lesser teams.

Still, some player for us. Loved the partnership with him and Craig Moore.

[TopCat 4,511]

Good interview.

 

Guys a legend.... full stop.

[Sparkle 53,598]

Someone at the time described him as 'vainglorious' which was spot on.

From his Italian cookery book and the moody photo shoots to rumours (fuelled by Advocaat "have you seen him!" ) of being hung like a horse - to having sutton in his pocket and the free kicks which either took the net off or killed someone in row Z. Legend.

[Fred H Crawford 1,182]

4 hours ago, Inigo said:

His mistakes always came from veinh,a cocky big cunt, striding forward like he owned tge joint. As for defending though, he was top class. Ranks up with the likes of Gough, Butcher, Moore, Cuellar and Bougherra as one of the best of the last 40 years.

Along with Gough and Butcher , IMO Amoruso was a notch above the rest of our centre backs since the Souness /Holmes revolution . Moore and Alan McLaren  just slightly behind . 

 As @eejay the dj said above , the man was a winner and we've been sadly lacking in that department in recent times .

[Inigo 32,534]

17 minutes ago, Fred H Crawford said:

Along with Gough and Butcher , IMO Amoruso was a notch above the rest of our centre backs since the Souness /Holmes revolution . Moore and Alan McLaren  just slightly behind . 

 As @eejay the dj said above , the man was a winner and we've been sadly lacking in that department in recent times .

For me Gough and Butcher were top, then Amo and Moore not far behind, then the others mentioned.

[Fred H Crawford 1,182]

4 minutes ago, Inigo said:

For me Gough and Butcher were top, then Amo and Moore not far behind, then the others mentioned.

TBF , It's a close call between all of those mentioned . Brown and Roberts not even spoken about either , both of them top class for a period of their Ibrox careers . Just posting this makes me think how fortunate we've been at various points of the last 32 years ( Fuck sake , typing that makes me feel old ) We were also well served , although briefly , at differing points by the likes of Berg , Boumsong and Frank De Boer ! 

[Clemdog 39,389]

As a tiny wee guy growing up, it says a lot that I got his name on the back of my jersey. 

[cr3_bear 14,869]

Love the picture of him laughing in hartsons face after he missed the penalty in the league Cup final 

[siddiqi_drinker 14,635]

6 hours ago, Inigo said:

His mistakes always came from veinh,a cocky big cunt, striding forward like he owned tge joint. As for defending though, he was top class. Ranks up with the likes of Gough, Butcher, Moore, Cuellar and Bougherra as one of the best of the last 40 years.

AND a leader on and off the park, great player, great captain

[cr3_bear 14,869]

On his point about winning one trophy, I think its actually a case of one win over celtic. Beat them and the belief in our team will go through the roof. We have to beat them at the end of next month.