Angelo (right) with the other member of the board, Samuele
With the new year 2016, we inaugurate a new series of articles celebrating each and every birthday boy of our team.
The first is our coach, Angelo Palmeri, who is turning 41 today! Happy Birthday!
Where were you born?
I was born in Palermo, Sicily, but risen in Bari, Apulia. Call me a true Southerner.
What is your zodiacal sign?
Capricorn.
Marital status
Married with two children.
Profession
Freelance football writer, publisher of football books in Estonian language.
What club do you support?
Apart from Rumori Calcio I have always been a great fan of FC Internazionale Milano. In Estonia I follow with sympathy FC Kuressaare from Saaremaa island. But I cannot hide I have also a great sympathy for my hometown club, FC Bari.
Which is/was your football idol?
Nowadays I don’t have any, probably because of my age and role I look more at coaches. Definitely Mourinho is a great inspirational coach. But recently I have started to appreciate also Pep Guardiola, albeit the two would seem at odds. Carlo Ancellotti is also a great coach.
When I was a kid I loved the likes of Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Jürgen Klinsmann and the true Ronaldo, before he left Inter among criticism for his behaviour. They were all Inter heroes, but outside of my favourite club, I was hooked by people like Roberto Baggio, Jari Litmanen, Marc Overmars and Ryan Giggs.
In Estonia, Risto Kallaste, for his flip throw-in’s. I was glad to meet and interview him, what a moment!
What is your favourite dish?
Definitely pasta. But when I go out I love pizza. The best places for a true Italian pizza in Estonia are Pulcinella in Tallinn’s Old Town and Dolce Vita in Tartu.
Which clubs did you play in the past?
In Italy I just played with friends in traditional ‘Saturday football’. When I moved to Estonia I did not know where all people gathered to play, then I realized they do rather join amateur clubs. I joined one (FC Soccernet) and played there for some years. It was a good experience, it helped me learning the language, the culture and also how Estonians are in general. I have kept several good friends from that club and it shaped also my knowledge of local football. Then I moved to FC Pokkeriprod, a club made by professional poker players who loved football together with simple football lovers. The club changed name into FCF Tallinn Ülikool II (double of the sake name club -edit) due to financial reason. I was in the ‘new’ club for a year only but played very little. My only regret from Pokkeriprod/Tallinna Ülikool is that I never scored a goal. Compared to FCS, I rarely played as a striker, but didn’t manage to finish the few chances I had.
Do you remember your greatest goal?
Aw that’s hard…from ‘Saturday football’ in Italy is quite hard to recall. In FC Soccernet, there were a couple of really good ones. I tell you the most recent one which was also great: double flick and shot nutmegging the goalkeeper. I scored it in the ‘Aastalõputurniir’ for Jõgeva Hundid (the FC Jõgeva Wolves fans team -edit) as I was invited to help them. We have good relations with Wolves, so it was a pleasure to help them. It was a special goal as I scored it in front of my 4-year-old son…
What Italy will do at the Euro2016 next Summer?
Aw…I am not very optimist. Contrary to 2012, when I had good vibes and predicted Italy to the final, this time I think we will struggle to make it through the group stage…it will be hard, Belgium is strong, Sweden never easy and Ireland. Each game will be a battle. The pots were not kind with us…
