Despite not winning the Serie A title, Carletto Mazzone made history in Italian football and not only by having a major influence on the careers of lends like Andrea Pirlo, Francesco Totti and Roberto Baggio, writes Giancarlo Rinaldi.
If your footballing philosophy is that winning is the only thing that matters then you can stop reading right now.
Carletto Mazzone’s trophy cabinet was stubbornly uncluttered with the trinkets we usually use to measure success. And yet, as the tributes poured in after the 86-year-old’s passing, his significance to Serie A – and some of the game’s greatest stars – would be hard to understate. His special qualities were worth more than mere silverware.
For the best part of four decades, he was a permanent fixture on the Calcio landscape and rattled up the best part of 800 matches as a coach in Italy’s top division. As Roman as a plate of Cacio e Pepe – he travelled the length and breadth of the country and is remembered with warmth and affection everywhere from Brescia to Lecce and many points in between. Fans loved his plain speaking and passion while countless players considered him a father figure or, later in his career, a surrogate Nonno.
It all began in Ascoli – the club where he transitioned from player to manager and spent the best part of seven years in charge. That kind of long-term commitment was as rare in the late 1960s as it is now but he rewarded his employers with an impressive run of results at the provincial side. He set a win rate there that would remain among the best of his career.
It got him a move to Fiorentina where he managed his best-ever Serie A finish – a third place in the 1976-77 campaign. However, he struggled to build on that and would soon start wandering up and down the Peninsula. It would be 25 years into his managerial adventure before he landed the job that he had dreamed of – in charge of Roma.
Although the trophies refused to arrive, he cemented his reputation as a great nurturer of talent with the Giallorossi. His special relationship with fellow Romano, Francesco Totti, saw him help the then-teenage talent develop into the player he would become. Many years before, he had also played a part in bringing through a certain Giancarlo Antognoni in Florence.
It was that paternal and educational role that was a constant theme of his football life. He has been widely credited with switching Andrea Pirlo to the deep-lying role in Brescia which would see him become a world-beater. “I am proud to have met you and that you helped me to grow as a man and a footballer,” the ex-Azzurri star said in tribute.
His bond with Roberto Baggio helped the Divin Codino to shine later in his playing days when many thought he was a spent force. And Pep Guardiola was also among the many to honour Mazzone at the weekend with kind words and a T-shirt featuring his mentor’s image. For a guy who did not win much, he influenced an awful lot of people who did.
The picture on the Manchester City boss’ chest was an iconic one from a famous derby clash with Atalanta while he was in charge at Brescia. Having been insulted for much of the match by the opposition support, he could not contain himself when his team equalised late on and he went to celebrate in front of the rival fans. When, inevitably, he was sent off by referee Pierluigi Collina, Mazzone admitted he deserved to see red.
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It was this humanity, simplicity and sense of humour which will be remembered now that he is no longer with us. While in charge at Roma, he had one famous exchange with marauding full-back Amedeo Carboni as he flew up the pitch. “How many games have you played in Serie A?” he asked his player and the answer came back – 350. “And how many goals have you scored?” he followed up. “Four,” was the response. “Then I’d like to know where the hell you think you are going,” quipped Mazzone, “get back in defence right now.”
A smart tactician, he never took himself too seriously and that earned him respect from his own fans and opposition supporters alike. His drooping features had the air of a man who had seen it all and knew that there was more to life than winning football games. That did not mean he lacked passion – as his celebrations often testified – but simply that he was capable of keeping things in perspective. When he retired from coaching, post-match TV interviews lost one of their star performers.
His family and friends will mourn him most but any true fan of Serie A will also be saddened by his passing. Some people might see the absence of Scudetti and Coppa Italia triumphs as a mark of failure but he showed us there was much more to the game than titles and trophies. He was true to himself and loyal to his players with a warmth that has been returned in the glowing tributes from around the world. The sport has lost one of its most charismatic figures whose importance could never be measured in simple silverware. Grazie di tutto, Carletto.
Giancarlo Rinaldi is the author of a number of books on Italian football. He is also half of the Rigore! Podcast team. You can follow him on X @ginkers.