Viola... In English!

English Language Source for Italian News

While surfing the Internet today I stumbled upon a Viola-related news article from an Italian news source.  The interesting part, though, was that it was in English so I decided to check it out a bit.  The article was found on the AGI website and, while it's the only Viola-related article on there at the moment, it may be worth following up on.  It could be even more useful if you are interested in more than just the sports side of Italian news.

You can find the English version of the site's sports section by clicking HERE.  Below you will find the article that I found there in its entirety.

FOOTBALL, PRANDELLI (FIORENTINA): MUST DESERVE TO BE FIELDED

(AGI/ITALPRESS) - Florence, Jan.15 - "The players who don't like sitting on the bench must only prove on the pitch they deserve to be fielded, giving me a hard time making choices. I will assess the situation better after the last training session, considering who is available, then I'll decide who to field", Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli said, commenting tomorrow's return match against Ascoli, for the second leg of the Italian/TIM Cup. "There might be a few changes on the pitch, but the team will always show a winning mentality, as it does in the championship. Frey has recovered quickly, but he's still training aside, so I'll field Lupatelli tomorrow. I can now say that I thought we'd have a tougher time against Parma, but we only had some problems during the central part of the match. We fought well, in every single action. Those whom I fielded during the game proved to be important. The tactical line-up may change according to the players' characteristics.
    Adrian Mutu is turning out to be more of a centre-forward than a second attacker, so we must consider that too. Vieri is doing very well now, but that doesn't mean there is no space for Pazzini. We have many matches ahead, so his help will be crucial. Cacia? He must recover well from a bad injury, but I'm sure he'll be useful too". As for the controversies on the Fiorentina projects after the declarations some players and team manager Corvino made yesterday, "the Team Manager spoke straightforwardly. He depicted the current situation, both to the players and to the press, but without causing any problems whatsoever".

Viola Club New York

What follows is a questionnaire that I sent to Roberto Consales, President and webmaster of Viola Club New York (VCNY).  He and I have emailed each other back and forth a few times over the last few weeks and he has been good enough to add a link to Viola In English to his website at www.vcny.com which has been added to my links page.  I thought that his site would be of interest to Viola fans in the United States.

Hello Roberto.  I really believe that some of my readers will find your club interesting.  How long has Viola Club New York (VCNY) been in existence?

Since December 1991.

How many members does VCNY currently have?

Currently 35.

There is a 'Join Now' button on your web page.  I'm assuming that you are active and accepting prospective members.

Yes, we are active and always looking for new members.  We get together to watch Fiorentina's games on TV and for quarterly social dinners.

Are all of your members from the New York City area?  From where does your most distant member hail?

Our members are from the Tri-State area: primarily New York City, Connecticut and New Jersey.  We have a few members in Florence (folks who lived in NYC and have moved back to Florence).

I originally found your club on the ACCVC site.  Does this mean that you are affiliated with the ACCVC?  If so, what benefits does that bestow on a member of VCNY?

Yes, we are affiliated with ACCVC: as far as I know, we were the first Viola Club officially founded abroad.  We liaise with ACCVC in order to help our members find tickets to watch Fiorentina's games at Franchi Stadium.

Does the club make trips to Firenze for matches?  If so, are any planned?

Despite our intentions, VCNY has never sponsored a trip to Florence for all its members.  However, it is our hope one day to set up a trip to Florence to celebrate a major event!

Thank you so much for your time Roberto and Forza Viola!

Ciao a presto e Forza Viola
Roberto