- Vincenzo Montella
Infobox Football biography
playername = Vincenzo Montella
fullname = Vincenzo Montella
height = height|m=1.72
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1974|6|18
cityofbirth =Pomigliano d'Arco
countryofbirth =Italy
position =Striker
currentclub = Roma
clubnumber = 23
youthyears = 1990–1992
youthclub = Empoli
years = 1992–1995
1995–1996
1996–1999
1999–
2007
2007–2008
clubs = Empoli
Genoa
Sampdoria
Roma
→ Fulham (loan)
→ Sampdoria (loan)
caps(goals) = 051 (26)
034 (21)
083 (54)
215 (94)
010 0(3)
013 0(4)
nationalyears = 1999–2005
nationalteam = Italy
nationalcaps(goals) = 020 0(3)
pcupdate =May 18 2008
ntupdate =February 9 2005 Vincenzo Montella (born
June 18 ,1974 inPomigliano d'Arco ,Campania ) is an Italian football player who currently plays as astriker for Roma.Club
Montella began his club career in
Serie C at Empoli in 1990 before moving toSerie B club Genoa in 1996, where he scored 21 goals in his only season with the club. He then moved up toSerie A toU.C. Sampdoria , where he remained three years, until 1999, when he moved to Roma in a €25m transfer.AS Roma
It was Roma coach
Zdeněk Zeman that wanted him to spearhead the Roma attack, but that year Roma also signed a new coach,Fabio Capello , who disliked short forwards. Despite this, during the season 1999-00, Montella scored 18 goals, being the topscorer of the "giallorossi".The following year, Roma signed theArgentina forwardGabriel Batistuta fromACF Fiorentina , the tall striker wanted by Capello.There was a controversy between the two forwards concerning the jersey #9, [ [http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/sport/calcio/200008/22/39a2be7206b19/ A Montella il n. 9] ] that was the number of both players. In the end Batistuta chose #18. "Batigol" was the coach's first choice, while Montella was often a substitute [ [http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/sport/calcio/200002/08/38a06eeb01113/ Il silenzio degli innocenti] ] . Despite his lack of starts he was one of the main protagonists of Roma's third
Scudetto in 2000-01 & scored many important goals for the team. [ [http://www.repubblica.it/online/campionato_partite/juveroma/juveroma/juveroma.html Montella e Nakata rimontano la Juve] ]The controversies between Capello and Montella continued in the following years as Montella was unhappy at his lack of first team opportunites, and in March 2002 he made his sadness clear stating "I would have better expectations with another coach". [ [http://www.repubblica.it/online/calcio/ferrazza/ferrazza/ferrazza.html Roma, Capello-Montellaè lite continua] ] . Has always been an idol of Roma's supporters, mainly because he has had a knack for performing well in the
Rome derby againstS.S. Lazio , scoring a brace in his first derby in 1999, and four goals in a 5-1 win on10 March 2002 [ [http://www.avvelenata.it/giallorossi/2001-02/lazioroma.html Roma - Lazio 5-1] ] . His four-goal haul is still the record of goals scored in a derby by a single player.2003 was a bad period for Montella as he divorced from his former-wife, [ [http://news2000.libero.it/gossip/wmr21.html Un calcio al matrimonio] ] & was plagued with many injuries, during the season 2003-04 he played only 12 games but still managed a good scoring record, scoring 6 goals in those limited games.During the season 2004-05
Fabio Capello finally left Roma forJuventus FC and, while the "giallorossi" had a disastrous season, Montella scored 23 goals and earned a new contract last untilJune 30 ,2010 . [cite news|url=http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind=2/newsid=295172.html|title=Montella rewarded by Roma|date=2005-04-13|accessdate=2008-05-27|publisher=UEFA.com] In season 2005-06 he was again plagued with injuries, he underwent surgery on both his back and shoulder, limiting him to just twelve games. In January 2007, during season 2006-07 he was loaned toFulham FC becauseFrancesco Totti was the lone forward inLuciano Spalletti 's 4-2-3-1, while Montella wanted to have more chances to play. [ [http://news.kataweb.it/item/254797/spalletti-da-il-via-libera-a-montella Spalletti dà il via libera a Montella] ]In the red AS Roma jersey he played a total of 215 matches in 8 years scoring 94 goals, becoming the fifth best topscorer of Roma's history.
He played his last game with "giallorossi" on
23 December 2006 .Later career
He joined Fulham on loan on
4 January , 2007 on a six month deal wearing the number 11 shirt. He scored twice againstLeicester City on his home debut in theFA Cup . He scored again on27 January in the same competition against Stoke City.On
January 13 , 2007 he made his Premier League debut againstWest Ham United . [cite web|title=Tactical Formation|work=Football-Lineups.com
url=http://www.football-lineups.com/wiki/_match3158.php | accessdate=January 20 | accessyear=2007] Against Tottenham atCraven Cottage seven days later, he scored his first Premiership goal with a penalty kick. He also scored a goal against Blackburn Rovers in a 1-1 all draw which gave Fulham the boost to stay up in the premiership.Montella quickly became popular with the Fulham fans and showed his gratitude for making him feel at home at Craven Cottage. [cite web|title=High Flyer|work=FulhamFC.com
url=http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2007/January/HighFlyer.aspx | accessdate=January 22 | accessyear=2007] However, he hardly started under manager Chris Coleman, despite several public pleas. [cite web|title=MONTELLA MAKES COLEMAN PLEA|work=SkySports.com
url=http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=457108&CPID=8&clid=54&lid=&title=Montella+makes+Coleman+plea | accessdate=March 27 | accessyear=2007] After Coleman's sacking, Montella only started twice under replacement managerLawrie Sanchez . [cite web|title=HUNT PILES PRESSURE ON FULHAM|work=SkySports.com |url=http://home.skysports.com/matchreport.aspx?fxid=298651&CPID=8&channel= | accessdate=April 14 | accessyear=2007] [ cite web|title=COTTAGERS' CHANCES TAKE A HIT|work=SkySports.com | url=http://home.skysports.com/matchreport.aspx?fxid=298713&CPID=8&channel= | accessdate=April 21 | accessyear=2007] [cite web|title=GUNNERS PILE PRESSURE ON FULHAM|work=SkySports.com |url=http://home.skysports.com/matchreport.aspx?fxid=318294&CPID=8&channel= | accessdate=April 29 | accessyear=2007] [citeweb|title=Tactical Formation|work=Football-Lineups.com |url=http://www.football-lineups.com/games/?game=5957&t=Fulham%20-%20Liverpool | accessdate=May 5 | access year=2007] Montella hinted that he would like to return to Roma after the end of the 06-07 season. [ cite web|title=MONTELLA EYES ROMA RETURN|work=SkySports.com |url=http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=463626&CPID=8&clid=54&lid=&title=Montella+eyes+Roma+return | accessdate= April 27 | accessyear=2007] The loan was terminated by Sanchez onMay 8 ,2007 , a week before its natural expiration. [citeweb|title=New boss Sanchez shows his teeth|work=ThisIsLondon.co.uk|url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/sport/article-23395532-details/New%20boss%20Sanchez%20shows%20his%20teeth/article.do| accessdate=May 8| access year=2007] .He has been loaned to
UC Sampdoria for the season 2007-08.Bruno Conti brought Montella back to Roma in 2008-09, after Amantino Mancini left Roma. This time he took the number 23 jersey, as number nine was taken byMirko Vučinić , right after Montella's departure to Sampdoria. He swtiched to 23 the shirt that Vučinić used to wear when Montella had the number nine shirt.Country
Montella received his first international cap against Wales on
5 June 1999, and was part of the Italian national team at Euro 2000 and the 2002 World Cup. He has yet to receive another call-up since 2005 and was not included in Italy's 2006 World Cup triumph.Trivia
*Montella's nickname is "L'Aeroplanino" ("The Little Aeroplane"), in a reference to his short stature and trademark goal celebration.
*Montella has always worn the number 9 shirt, and whenGabriel Batistuta arrived at Roma he wanted Montella's 9. Montella refused to give it up and Batistuta had to wear number 18.
*Montella took number 23 when he came back to Roma after being loaned to Sampdoria, Vucinic held on the number nine shirt which was formerly for Montella, and Montella took the number 23 shirt which was formerly for VucinicReferences
External links
*soccerbase|id=18748|name=Vincenzo Montella
* [http://www.footballdatabase.com/site/players/index.php?dumpPlayer=37 FootballDatabase provides Vincenzo Montella's profile and stats]
* [http://www.romaforever.it/en/players/montella.htm Profile at Roma Forever]
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