Davy 68 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Feb 1 2008 By Keith Jackson, Daily Record LORENZO AMORUSO last night accused fellow-Italian Andrea Caracciolo of bottling out of a deadline day move to Rangers. Amoruso was shocked yesterday afternoon when he received a phone call from Ibrox manager Walter Smith - the man who persuaded him to leave the Serie A for Scottish football 10 years ago. Smith was in Milan with Rangers chief executive Martin Bain, the pair having just finished giving Caracciolo the hard sale in a summit set up by the player's agent, Andrea D'Amico. With only about six hours left until the transfer window slammed shut, Amoruso was asked to help convince Caracciolo to accept a life-changing £2.5 million transfer to the SPL. But Amoruso was then stunned to learn the player had knocked back Smith to drop down a division and go on loan to his former club, Brescia. Speaking exclusively to Record Sport, Amoruso said: "The guy must be crazy. I do not understand him. "These days football players are not what they used to be. I was given the same chance to join Rangers at the same age as Caracciolli and I grabbed it with both hands. But that's because I wasn't scared of the challenge or frightened of adventure. "These days players just want an easy life. No one wants to fight or to better themselves any more. This guy doesn't know what he's missing. "I told Andrea if he did not take this opportunity,he might regret it for the rest of his life. "He is an excellent player but he's had some difficult times at Palermo and Sampdoria and, if he stays in Italy, he might never get the chance again to sign for such a massive club with such a fantastic history. "If he has ambition to realise his potential he must take this chance with both hands. It is too good to turn down. "He was even asking me where he should live and what were the nice areas of Glasgow. "To me, he was more or less ready to get on the plane. I don't know what has happened to make him change his mind. Maybe Sampdoria made the decision for him but it makes no sense." Twice-capped Caracciolo mulled over three proposals - one from Rangers, one from Brescia and one from Torino. It's understood Rangers had been quietly pursuing the 6ft 4in forward since the start of the month but that Caracciolo had been resisting their advances because of a reluctance to leave his homeland. That's why Smith boarded a flight at breakfast time yesterday in a bid to persuade the 26-year-old that his future lay in the SPL. Amoruso said: "Walter and Martin called me fromMilan and askedme to have a word with Andrea. They asked me to say good things about the club and I said, 'Walter, you don't need to say that - I love this club'. "Andrea wanted to talk about the city, weather, football, the atmosphere and lifestyle for him and his wife. I assured him they'd find everything they could ask for in Scotland. "OK, the weather is not great but he comes from Milan and, believe me, there is no great difference between a winter there and a winter in Glasgow. "I then said he had to look at this not just as a transfer but as an adventure and an experience that would change his life forever. That's what happened to me in Glasgow and, like Andrea, I was also 26 at that time. "I told him that if I lived my life another hundred times, my decision to join Rangers is one of the things I would never change. "This was a chance for him to have the time of his life and to grow as a player and a human being but he chose Brescia.He will live to regret it. "If you are not willing to work hard, to fight for your reputation and to prove yourself in a new country then you are going to have big problems. "Maybe he just didn't have the stomach for it. He has the quality to be a massive player for Rangers and it would have been perfect for him." Caracciolo was one of Italy's hottest prospects when he helped fire a superbly talented under-21 team to the European Championship in 2004. He won his first full cap with the Azzurri later that year and was recalled by current national boss Roberto Donadoni two years later for a friendly against Croatia. But in the same season the striker netted only five times for Palermo in 27 matches and was sold to Sampdoria last summer. He has scored just one Serie A goal so far this season. Amoruso said: "He had a problem in Palermo because the manager was playing him out of position. "He went to Sampdoria but just after he arrived they brought in a new manager and the first thing he did was buy his own strikers so Andrea has not had a chance to show what he can do." http://www.<No links to this website>/sport/footbal...86908-20305923/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CooperSF 5,792 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Well said Amo :beer2: He will live to regret it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muff 245 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 F*ck Caracciolo. Enjoy Serie B. Don't want players like him anywhere near my club. Well done Big Amo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stardog 11 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 You have to wonder if there was some dodgy money handed off to him if you know what I'm saying. It was Italy after all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boab 73 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Me, I cannae be too critical of him tbh as Brescia are my Italian team and so I'm pleased he's going there and hopefully gets them promoted. Although of course I'd have preferred him to go to Rangers, its doesn't leave me angry at all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muff 245 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Someone else has been slating Caracciolo today. Ex Hearts player, Pascale Bruno(sp). Seen it in the shop this morning. Said he's a lazy player who lacks ambition and could not believe that we were prepared to spend that type of money/wages on him as he is not all that good a player. Also has a wee dig at Donati. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
minstral 5,375 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 we have had a lucky escape. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandSuckMaster 1,775 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Despite his hand ball in Parma and his Baileys drinkin', you can't help but love big Ammo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuartmccallsfall 4 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Pretty much sums up the feeling over here of may mates. Good player, would have been great in Glasgow. No ambition, blah de blah. Well done Amo !! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledWeegie123 1,265 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 enjoy serie b ya tit who thinks amo should be given an ambassadorial role at rangers? the big man spoke more truth there than weve had for 15 years from upstairs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muff 245 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Give him Bain's job Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TunnyLoyal 1,136 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 big amo is a legend, what a guy! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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