Intervista to Cristian Savani
Written
by Antonietta Paradiso e
Arianna D'Ercole
Translated by Claudia Pisanu
The infant prodigy from Castiglione delle Stiviere, the beautiful and the new of Italian volley. Waiting for dinner he has talked to our microphones, even if they were more like auriculars this time. So Cristian, it all started with a postcard...
S: “That's right. I was 14, when the postcard that Montichiari sent to all young of Brescia arrived. I played football, my friends asked me to try with them and, since I was quite tall, I tried. I have to say I didn't know anything about volley. Let's say it all started as a joke, even if in my family sport has always had a great importance".
True, Cristian's dad is a runner who even took part to the New York City Marathon, but the fate of Savani junior is bound, in some way, to post mail. For a long time, Cristian was on tenterhooks because of military service since, a few months ago, an other postcard arrived. But Cristian answers all happy:
S: “Now I give you
a scoop. I've found out that a normative says that, if you aren't called for
medical examination before September 31... you're safe... I had to do it after
October 10, so I can say I'm safe thanks to 10 days!”
He laughs, maybe knowing that he has avoided a big and tough duty... and, for now, he just wants to have duties which are linked to volley. He has alyways tried to make it, to stand out among all of his age group because, as he says:
S: “The biggest
dream of a boy is to play in the first category of the young sector in which he
plays”.
These
are hopes, because we live of hope when we're young, but there's also
determination and the fortune of finding people who believe in you. Like his ex
coach Emanuele Zanini.
S: “Zanini has been very important for me. It was him who launched me in A category when I was 19, and he was the first to believe in me truly, even if there are also family and friends".
Friends he never get tired to talk about and that are still giving him trust and the right enthusiasm to face this new adventure in the Itas Trento. Montali also trusted him. In 2003 Montali made him debut with the National Blue Shirt but, since now, as Cristian underlines:
S: “He hasn't given
me a lot, just a little. In short, at the end he brought Ciso to the Olympic
Games”.
Athens is still in his thoughts, but Montali knows very well that he can't do without this boy which is as shy as nice. Sava (as his friends call him) will have other chances, even Montali told him so, but this doesn't mean he has been promised he'll be a regular because as he says:
“Giampaolo
doesn't promise anything!”
Cristian is one of the few young players to
have space, because it's difficult to find people who bet on you in such a short
time. He tries to explain that it often depends on the coach and on luck. He
knows that not many of his class (1982) have been able to rise:
S: “Lasko has made
it. He changed team and he was right but, except a few cases, young players face
lots of difficulties”.
Probably "Sava" will find himself
face to face again with his companion and friend Lasko (the two made together
all the experiences of the youth national team), because Montali has decided to
bet on the "green line". Future National will have an important inheritance
based not only on results, but also on image. Savani is conscious of this:
S: “True, the image
inheritance is difficult to handle. If I think
to national team I think to Lucchetta, Zorzi, Giani…
but I don't think this is just our fault. Federation should promote some
initiatives. Apart from reaching results and "ape" a little on field,
I don't think we can do much”.
Talking about near past, we ask Cristian to
tell us about the impression he had when he first entered the Blue locker room
and to talk about his relation with his idol Andrea Giani.
S: “It was cool!!!
Absolutely great. At first I thought it would have been lots of people with a
very high opinion about themselves, that I would have been treated as the
beginner among big champions. It was none of that.
Giangio is a great model, I've had the great fortune to share the room with him
for a few days on training, waiting for Samuele to finish the play - off finals.
Well, it was real fun, he even knew my friends, by telephone!”
AA: "But there was some kind of initiation
rite”?
S: “Rite?!?”
AA: ”Yeah, like depilation or something
like that...”
S: “No rite and
don't give them ideas, or they'll think about it and they'll really do it to me!”
Sava now let's pass to frivolous things.
S: “Ok, I'll relax!”
AA: “Is it difficult living by yourself and
far away from your mother's delicious meals?”
S: “Nooooo, it's
not. It was right to cut the umbilical
cord, some people go away when they're 16. Living by myself has its
positive aspects, it was time to start walking on my legs”.
AA:“But what do you do on your free time?”
S: “I do the
washing! And I look for furniture for my new home. I like etnic and old
furniture”.
Dinner has arrived and our time is over, but
first we ask him if his heart is free or not.
S: “I'm single and I will not make any announcement. For now, I'm fine. Single life has its advantages too.
The sad salad (as he says) and mixed grill is
here and we let him eat in peace. The boy has to recover his strenght, he'll
play an important match on Sunday and the ankle is still sore.