Former Azzurri striker Bobo Vieri remembers his past: 'In Serie B you really hardened your bones, or else you broke them. Juventus? I left for money.'
The former Juventus, Inter and Milan poacher was arguably the most prominent Italian attacker of his generation, in particular in the years of 1998-2004, but he did not start out as a forward.
“My Coach needed some help,” he explained to La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I gave him that help when I was fourteen.
Former Azzurri striker Bobo Vieri remembers his past: 'In Serie B you really hardened your bones, or else you broke them. Juventus? I left for money.'
The former Juventus, Inter and Milan poacher was arguably the most prominent Italian attacker of his generation, in particular in the years of 1998-2004, but he did not start out as a forward.
“My Coach needed some help,” he explained to La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I gave him that help when I was fourteen.
“I was playing as a left-back and I scored more than the strikers. I said, Coach, it's not that I don't like playing in defence, but it may be best if you position me forwards.
“That was in Sydney, in the youth training grounds of the Marconi Football Club. That's how my story as a striker starts.
“I remember that I took such beatings in Serie B! Back then even [Filippo] Inzaghi was among the cadets. We were already friends and I had fun calling him ahead of the critical games, telling him, 'Hey Pippo, they'll break you tomorrow, the madman marking you told me he can't stand you!'
“In Serie B you really forged yourself. Man versus man, every game was a war. It was the championship that created me.
“Those were nasty pitches, especially in the south, where you arrived, smiled and said sincerely: 'Good morning!' and people replied, 'Good morning my left foot!'
“These things built character. You really stiffened your bones there, when you didn't break them.”
Vieri then discussed his farewell from Juventus.
“One day [former Juventus director Luciano] Moggi called me in, and I met my agent and [Roberto] Bettega. With his tranquil manners and his half-closed eyes, the director told me he was willing to increase my salary.
“But he wasn't prepared to beyond two million lire per season, while Atletico Madrid offered three and a half. So I told myself, 'let's go to Spain'.
“And that was the end of the meeting. I'll admit it, I made my decision looking only at my wallet. If I could go back, I'd have stayed.”