Bagnoli: from Bovisa to the Inter dugout

MILAN – Men like Osvaldo Bagnoli have always been a rarity in the world of football. Intelligent and respectful as well as gifted and genuine. Popular in the true sense of the word, summed up by his upbringing in the working-class Bovisa district of Milan: a place of factories, fog and humanity that was described famously by Giovanni Testori before being captured on film by Luchino Visconti.

Osvaldo etched his name indelibly in footballing history for masterminding Hellas Verona's unrepeatable Scudetto triumph in 1985/86. But he'll also be remembered for the man he was and his style of football, which always had the people in mind. 

The legendary Gianni Brera went so far as to nickname him Schopenhauer, writing in La Repubblica: "As I get to know Bagnoli better, I can do no better than baptise him Schopenhauer, that great pessimistic philosopher. Bagnoli is a man of letters and knows who Schopenhauer is."

Bagnoli did and had no need to consult the encyclopedia about the German thinker in order to appreciate the joke.

When it came to building a football team and managing a changing room, Bagnoli combined intelligence with humility. After a playing career at Ausonia and AC Milan, Osvaldo turned his hand to coaching. A revealing anecdote comes from his time at Solbiate, when he 'invited' the club president to step outside after he had arrogantly entered the building smoking a cigarette and flanked by his yes-men. Bagnoli ended up leaving the club and sticking true to his principles.

His appetite for coaching whetted, Bagnoli's next step was his memorable title-winning spell in Verona and then onto Genoa, where his principles were on show yet again as he fearlessly confronted part of the crowd after a Coppa Italia defeat to Roma. Undeterred, Osvaldo pressed on with his approach and built a solid outfit based around Gianluca Signorini, Vincenzo Torrente and Branco. Blessed with the attacking pair of Tomas Skuhravy and Carlos Aguilera, Bagnoli's Genoa achieved fourth place in Serie A in 1990/91 – their best result since before the Second World War. That extraordinary season culminated with victory over Juventus that ensured qualification for the following season's UEFA Cup.

Bagnoli's Genoa side left their mark in Europe and in March 1992 became the first Italian club to beat Liverpool at Anfield, thanks to two goals from Aguilera and saves from Simone Braglia between the sticks.

Inter came calling and five months later Bagnoli left Genova for his city of birth. The Nerazzurri gave him the brief of rebuilding the squad after the complicated and controversial stint with Corrado Orrico in charge. There was the need for the true Milanese hardworking spirit of a decent man like Osvaldo, who constructed his team around another Uruguayan talent, Ruben Sosa.

As usual, he worked hard and well, applied the necessary professionalism to the task and took the right time settling into the role. Once he'd done that, his Nerazzurri embarked on an unlikely comeback attempt, trailing Fabio Capello's AC Milan by 11 points during a period when it was two points for a win. Baffling the odds, Bagnoli's Inter took it to a derby fixture with hopes for the title on the line. The game ended in a draw because of an individual error but was conducted with dignity and a positive spirit, qualities Bagnoli had managed to give back to the Nerazzurri fans following a difficult spell.

It's not all about titles in football. With Bagnoli, we're celebrating the coach and the man, our memories of whom are only positive. It's the club's pride to have experienced someone like Osvaldo – the magician from Bovisa.   

Carlo Pizzigoni