Nostalgia of Soccer (Football) Magazines Project-Part 9

In my continuing collaborative series with @1888Letter, I will ask the experiences of Italian RHO MAURO.

His blog, http://allafinedelprimotempo.blogspot.com/, is dedicated goalkeepers.

Name: RHO MAURO – Cabiate – Como – Italy

Twitter:

Website: http://allafinedelprimotempo.blogspot.com/

Personal Description:  

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: At what age did you become a Football fan and how long after did you start reading Football Magazines?

Response:  When I was 7 years old I became  a Football Fan and at 13 I started to read “GUERIN SPORTIVO”.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: What was the first Soccer (Football) magazine that you read as a new young fan of the game? (Personally I like ’Guerin Sportivo’ for its format and photos)

Response:  GUERIN SPORTIVO in  1984.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Were there other local magazines that you also read?

Response:  Yes.  This is the list:

FORZA  MILAN   (from 1985 to 2000)

INTREPIDO SPORT  (from 1987 to 1998)

SUPERGOL  (from 1984 to 1988)

CALCIO 2000 (from 1997 to 2001)

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Describe the general format of these particular magazines? What was your favorite section(s) of these said magazines?

Response:  They are Football Magazines with some photos and excellent writings. FORZA MILAN  was (only)  for the fan of  “rossoneri”. “INTREPIDO SPORT” had both comics and football articles. SUPERGOL often reported articles taken from French Magazine  “ONZE”. All these were excellent magazines.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Was the coverage of Football mainly local  Italian Serie A or was International Football news covered as well in a meaningful way?

Response:  They are some news  about International  Football except “FORZA MILAN”  that was only about the Italian football team.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: In general on a typical newsstand, how many choices were available for reading Football?

Response:  In the 80s and 90s there were many Football Magazines and all of excellent quality  … today remain only a few … unfortunately for the Football Magazines internet has changed everything.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Do you remember foreign Football publications at your newsstands as well? If so did you read any?

Response:  Yes   “FRANCE FOOTBALL” and  “WORLD SOCCER”.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: I will ask this from everyone, one of my best memories as a young football fan was the anticipation of the day when new issues were available on newsstands. It was a weekly ritual that would stay with me for decades. In your own words, can you explain your memories of these days?

Response:  When I found  GUERIN SPORTIVO every Wednesday on newsstands  I was happy because I waited it so much.  There was always a great expectation… I always hoped to find some photos or articles about my developed goalkeepers.  The newsstand was here a few meters from my house. Now it’s closed … and there’s a Bank. The Times are changed.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Did you enjoy your magazines for the scores/league tables, etc or did you prefer the writing? Or was there an evolution as when you aged you started to appreciate the deep written analysis more?

Response:  I appreciated both of these but the score tables were my favourites.  I always went to look for the two portieri (goalkeepers) who confronted each other.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: How has the quality of your favorite magazines changed (for better or worse over the years)?

Response:  The quality has changed in worse over the years. Guerin Sportivo has become monthly instead of weekly. Now it’s  like the first numbers of “CALCIO 2000”. More “Amarcord” … and there are no more the excellent photos of “FILM DEL CAMPIONATO”.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Looking back what was the best era for your favorite magazines?

Response:  There are no doubts. The 80s and 90s.

The “splendida era” of GUERIN SPORTIVO directed by  Italo Cucci. 

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: As an Italian, the daily newspapers, ‘La Gazzetta dello Sport’, ‘Corriere dello Sport’ and ‘Tuttosport’, etc play a big part in the coverage of the game. Can you compare these daily papers compared to a magazine like ‘Guerin Sportivo’?

Response:  GUERIN SPORTIVO was better than daily newspaper because it had photos and was more colourful.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: I had been aware of ‘Guerin Sportivo’ for years, in the late 90s, a new monthly magazine ‘Calcio2000’ came onto the scene. Despite not being able to read Italian, I found it impressive in its format? Can you describe this magazine and its evolution?

Response:  I bought only a few copies of  “CALCIO 2000”  because it was like an encyclopedia while the “GUERIN SPORTIVO”  was written in a better different way.   The “Guerino”  has always been more "critical" and always linked to current events. “CALCIO 2000” was a “clone” of GUERIN.  I can't tell you what evolution it has had because I haven't bought it anymore.

But I think that the original is always the original.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Has your taste in magazines changed over the years or do you still read your favorite magazines?

Response:  I read, today, only GUERIN SPORTIVO but it changed in the worse.

I always read with pleasure the articles of the historical ex-director Italo Cucci. but it has changed so much ... and nostalgia always brings me to the lines of "my" director of the golden age.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Looking back, do you feel these magazines kept you sufficiently informed about the events of the game as a whole?

Response:  Yes.  Reading more magazines I always had everything under control.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Did your interest in reading magazines wane with the advent of Internet and 24 Hour Sports Television channels or are you as interested as ever in reading?

Response:  I’m interested in reading Magazines.  I've never subscribed to pay-TV to watch the games. I listen to the radio  “RADIO 1 – TUTTO IL CALCIO MINUTO PER MINUTO”  … and … live the printed paper and its "perfume".

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Are there publications that have since been defunct that you miss?

Response:  Yes. INTREPITO SPORT, FORZA MILAN, SUPERGOL … they do not exist anymore.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Getting back to my earlier question about anticipating the release of magazines. Given that now many receive their magazines on PDF, do you feel that a level of excitement has been lost as a result?

Response:  I don’t receive anything on PDF. For me it does not exist. I only read on paper.

Soccernostalgia/@1888Letter Question: Once again thank you for taking the time in participating in this project.

Response:  thanks to you my friend for this nice interview. I must tell you that you have posted on your blog the most beautiful and complete article on my idol Jean-Marie Pfaff ... I will be grateful to you forever. Thank you.