06/16/2015
From tomorrow, Roma supporters can help to elect the four new members of the Giallorossi Hall of Fame.
AS Roma have chosen the committee, which is made up of journalists Piero Di Biagio, Tiziano Carmellini and Fabio Massimo Splendore, along with professor Adriano Verdolini and former BancoRoma basketball star Enrico Gilardi.
They have chosen the 20 candidates for the Class of 2015, dividing them into the usual four categories. Among them are 14 Italian title winners (seven with Roma), two European champions, three World champions and six winners of the top goalscorers charts in Serie A (three for Roma).
The first category is “The Pioneers, 1927-1961.” Guido Masetti, Pedro Manfredini, Rodolfo Volk, Dino Da Costa and Amos Cardarelli are involved and this one is really tough to call. Besides Masetti, the Scudetto-winning captain from 1942, there are three genuine goalscoring legends and a dark horse in the shape of long-time fans’ favorite Cardarelli.
The candidates in the second category, “Goalkeepers and Defenders” are as follows: Ubaldo Righetti, Pietro Vierchowod, Fabio Cudicini, Karl Heinz Schnellinger and Sergio Santarini. The category includes long-time club servants like captain Santarini (431 competitive appearances between 1968 and 1981) and those who, like the great Pietro Vierchowod, only turned out for a season at Roma. That in no way diminishes the impact these men had on the history of Roma.
Giancarlo De Sisti, Zibì Boniek, Toninho Cerezo, Damiano Tommasi and Arcadio Venturi are in the running for the spot in the “Midfielders” section. The inclusion of ‘Woodpecker’ De Sisti and Schnellinger (shortlisted in the “Goalkeepers and Defenders” section) mean that this year there are two of the stars of Italy’s 4-3 win over Germany in 1970, dubbed the ‘match of the century’.
Last but not least, the “Attackers”: Abel Balbo, Gabriel Omar Batistuta, Marco Delvecchio, Pierino Prati and Francesco Graziani. Different looks, different approaches but one thing in common, a thirst for goals. It’s down to the fans to decide which of them will be celebrating this time however.