 The Pazzini Saga
So there I was, appointed as manager of the famous portugese club Benfica. It was june 2005.
Tempted by the big money from bigger clubs I sell Benficas favourites Simao and Tiago, which saw my transfer kitty inflate enourmesely. The fans were protesting after they heard the shocking news, but although under massive pressure I kept my head focused on two things - to search and buy the best young players available on the market for a reasonable fee and build a team around them that could win the championship, as that was my only chance to regain the fans on my side.
Started with a flat 4-4-2 formation with buying my main targets Freddy Guarin and Kim Kallstrom for starters. Kallstrom already known as he was playin for french side Rennes, Guarin was a suprise purchase for many fans. This was the first year. The center midfield pair soon got in form and were one of the best midfield pair around with Kallstrom having a more attacking role and playmaking responsibilities, Guarin was the man protecting the back for mostly, known for his fierce drives which got him a couple of goals during the season.The season ended with me becoming champion by a narrow margin ahead of Sporting.
---This was the interlude of the main story.
---Years after.....
As years went by I needed a striking partner for prolific striker Fred, which I adored for his consistency and his goal instinct that I never saw anywhere else until..........I secured a young italian forward named Gianpaolo Pazzini on a free transfer from Atalanta.
Not knowing what he can he came to Benfica as second choice behind Fred and Gomes. He had difficulties settling in but when he finally adapted BANG! he started scoring every single game even when he came on in extra-time. That was when I came on top of the league again and duo Fred-Pazzini was making defences scared as any other striker. Then I thought I should offer him a new contract, but he REJECTED.
I started panicking, thinking of losing him on a free after just one single year. Why didnt I sign him for 5 years I thought. But now was too late. Elite clubs started calling, but I still tried to force him to pen a new deal. That wasnt possible. I even wanted to make him the clubs top earner, but nothing helped. Maybe I could have forced him with money, but I wasnt well off financillay, especially with the debt from the new stadium. So I had to sell rather than let him go a free. And so it happened Juventus brokered a deal with myself after lenghty negotiations. On the the last day of the transfer period Pazzini signed with the old lady from Turin for a fee of around 10 million euros. It became the moment I regret the most as manager of Benfica.
The club of Benficas stature could not afford to splash out big sums for world-class players so I had to find the next big thing.
But that never happened. The succesor was never found, as such prolific scorers are a rear kind and extremely difficult to find. There was one reunion at a inter-continental game against Juve where he scored one to tie the match to 2-2. The match went on to penalties, where we won, but I stll felt a bit sick when seeing a once my player at another club....
----COMMENT----
I wrote this quite dramatically, but it wasnt like that. Just felt very angry. Ok I hope it wasnt too boring. I dont eben care I just wrote cause havent yet written a story here on FMF.
I would appreciate if you dropped a minor comment, whatever kind it should be. | 
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