Alberto Tarantini

Infobox Football biography
playername = Alberto Tarantini


fullname = Alberto César Tarantini
height =
nickname = "Conejo"
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1955|12|3
cityofbirth = Ezeiza
countryofbirth = Argentina
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
position = Left-back
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1973-1977
1978-1979
1979
1980-1983
1983-1984
1984-1988
1988-1989
clubs = Boca Juniors
Birmingham City
Talleres de Córdoba
River Plate
SC Bastia
Toulouse
FC St. Gallen
caps(goals) = 179 (0)
023 (1)
013 (1)
0|00? (?)
029 (1)
130 (8)
0|00? (?)
nationalyears = 1974-1982
nationalteam = Argentina
nationalcaps(goals) = 061 (1)

Alberto Tarantini (born December 3, 1955 in Ezeiza) is an Argentine former football player. He played as a defensive left back early in his career, and later as a wing back.

Noted for his technical ability as well as stamina, Tarantini was best known for his fiery temper.

He rose through the Boca Juniors youth divisions in the early 1970s, and was noted for his afro hairdo and his large front teeth, which earned him the nickname "conejo" ("rabbit").

Tarantini was part of the under-23 team that won the 1975 Toulon tournament, together with Jorge Valdano, Américo Gallego, and others, with César Menotti as coach. He became the left-back of the Argentina national football team after Jorge Carrascosa left the team (the book "El DT del Proceso" by Gasparini and Ponsico [ [http://ibucs.tripod.com/m1978.html El DT del Proceso] ] claims that "the wolf" Carrascosa declined to play for the dictatorship). He was also, at 22, the youngest player of that team.

A few months before the 1978 FIFA World Cup, he had a contractual dispute with Boca that left him clubless, as Boca management pressured all Argentine clubs into denying him a new contract. After some good performances during the World Cup (he scored a goal in the 6-0 victory against Peru) he was signed by Birmingham City for £295,000. His spell in England was overshadowed by poor discipline, with Tarantini flattening Manchester United striker Brian Greenhoff, and famously ending his 23-game spell in Birmingham by wading into the crowd to punch a heckler.

After his return to Argentina he played for Talleres de Córdoba, River Plate (where he had good performances as a full-back), and European teams SC Bastia, Toulouse and FC St. Gallen.

Tarantini also played the 1982 FIFA World Cup for Argentina, and retired from the national team immediately thereafter.

Tarantini's love of nightlife was noted by gossip columnists; for many years he was the husband of fashion model Patricia "Pata" Villanueva.

Titles

References

External links

* [http://www.national-football-teams.com/v2/player.php?id=19311 Career details] at National Football Teams
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=22532 Tarantini at Sporting Heroes]