Diego de Girolamo

[itsinyerblood]

Whatever happened to him?

Does he still post on here under another name?

Was he really pork, and decided to pack in here because SUFC took off like a rocket with CW and AK on board, leaving the pigs way behind?

Does anyone on here actually know him in the real world?

I often pictured him sat by a roaring fire, smartly dressed (checked trousers, never jeans), v-neck golfing jumper, shirt, cravat, smoking a pipe, with a glass of red wine in hand, saying "...no, no no, please not more talk of Dinosaur Dave and Little Louis, too much cap doffing going on here....."

Good question, my take is that Pinchy took a self-imposed leave of absence. I know that Pinchy didn't suit everyone, but I imagine that some feel the same about myself, so best to be your own man regardless.

 

[CrookesBlade]

Whatever happened to him?

Does he still post on here under another name?

Was he really pork, and decided to pack in here because SUFC took off like a rocket with CW and AK on board, leaving the pigs way behind?

Does anyone on here actually know him in the real world?

I often pictured him sat by a roaring fire, smartly dressed (checked trousers, never jeans), v-neck golfing jumper, shirt, cravat, smoking a pipe, with a glass of red wine in hand, saying "...no, no no, please not more talk of Dinosaur Dave and Little Louis, too much cap doffing going on here....."

I‘m sure I met him in the now condemned bit of Hillsborough in the D’Jaffo Derby. Nice chap and if he is a pig then he was operating under incredibly deep cover that day.

 

[GrayBlade]

Whatever happened to him?

Does he still post on here under another name?

Was he really pork, and decided to pack in here because SUFC took off like a rocket with CW and AK on board, leaving the pigs way behind?

Does anyone on here actually know him in the real world?

I often pictured him sat by a roaring fire, smartly dressed (checked trousers, never jeans), v-neck golfing jumper, shirt, cravat, smoking a pipe, with a glass of red wine in hand, saying "...no, no no, please not more talk of Dinosaur Dave and Little Louis, too much cap doffing going on here....."

Pinchy definitely wasn’t Pork mate.

 

[Houston_Blade]

People talk about Diego's talent. Indeed, he has a very unique talent.
No one on this Forum knows Diego
But everyone on this Forum knows someone who knows Diego
... remarkable ...
We call him "One Removed Diego" around our way.

This is funny and very true. I played football with his older cousin (very good semi-pro CM and hard tackler on the pitch). My dad played with and against his dad at football, who was also a very good Sunday league footballer. But I don’t know Diego himself apart from the odd kick about at training with him and his cousin when Diego would have been about 9 or 10.

 

[Grappler]

Good question, my take is that Pinchy took a self-imposed leave of absence. I know that Pinchy didn't suit everyone, but I imagine that some feel the same about myself, so best to be your own man regardless.

He was actually quite a laugh at times, and I think he really was a Blade, but his constant slagging off of the Dave Basset era and shouting "anti-football!" at anyone who remotely enjoyed those times wore a bit thin.

I don't think anyone thinks that about you by the way, but I maybe I better take more notice of your posts in future!

 

[S40BLADE]

Get him and Ched back and in Brian's trusty 4-4-2 he will fire us to Europe.

 

[Grappler]

Pinchy definitely wasn’t Pork mate.

Yeah I was sort of joking on that bit, although he did have an unnatural hatred of some of our players!

 

[JohnDenver]

Whatever happened to him?

Does he still post on here under another name?

Was he really pork, and decided to pack in here because SUFC took off like a rocket with CW and AK on board, leaving the pigs way behind?

Does anyone on here actually know him in the real world?

I often pictured him sat by a roaring fire, smartly dressed (checked trousers, never jeans), v-neck golfing jumper, shirt, cravat, smoking a pipe, with a glass of red wine in hand, saying "...no, no no, please not more talk of Dinosaur Dave and Little Louis, too much cap doffing going on here....."

I know exactly who he is but I’ve never been introduced (not necessarily a bad thing given the circumstances in which he meets many people).

No question he’s a Blade. Not sure why he’s taken a sabbatical from here, but I presume he wasn’t finding it as amusing as he once did.

I reckon he’ll be back. They all come back in the end.

 

[Sean Thornton]

I know exactly who he is but I’ve never been introduced (not necessarily a bad thing given the circumstances in which he meets many people).

No question he’s a Blade. Not sure why he’s taken a sabbatical from here, but I presume he wasn’t finding it as amusing as he once did.

I reckon he’ll be back. They all come back in the end.

Not if Foxy holds firm

 

[JohnDenver]

Not if Foxy holds firm

 

[BratislavaBlade]

In fairness, we felt very safe walking around Rio although we did keep in the main tourist areas but the tube and everything were fine. Didn't go on Copacabana as it was packed although did walk along the promenade. Went on Ipanema with no problems.

Its got better, but not much. Robbed at gunpoint in the late 90s a block from the Girl from Ipanema bar. Not pleasant.

 

[MobileBlade]

Its got better, but not much. Robbed at gunpoint in the late 90s a block from the Girl from Ipanema bar. Not pleasant.

We made sure carried nothing with us other than enough for what we needed. Maybe also looked like we had nothing! Just called me Mark.

 

[EddieColquhoun]

I know exactly who he is but I’ve never been introduced (not necessarily a bad thing given the circumstances in which he meets many people).

No question he’s a Blade. Not sure why he’s taken a sabbatical from here, but I presume he wasn’t finding it as amusing as he once did.

I reckon he’ll be back. They all come back in the end.

I hope your right. Hopefully his health is good.
I seem to be the exception as i found him amusing. His ribbing of "Rug Ron" on the Ryan Leonard thread was masterful
Come back Pinchy!

 

[BratislavaBlade]

We made sure carried nothing with us other than enough for what we needed. Maybe also looked like we had nothing! Just called me Mark.

There were 2 (so friends) and clearly knew what they where doing so that counts him out twice.

 

[PittsburghBlade]

Some of the messages and uneducated posts on here by fully grown men are a fucking joke and some of you need to have a long hard look at yourselves and consider what you actually know about Diego.

I was a year above him at United and knew him from being 7 years old, right through to u18/reserves and was one of my best friends on the team and outside of football too.

He was known as an outstanding talent from being very very young and consistently played years above his age group. Not many at all do that, considering you're already a part of the best group of players from a 40 mile radius never mind to be able to play in the years ahead on a consistent basis too. I remember playing against Birmingham as a 2nd year scholar when he was a first year, he scored 4 in 2 games against them and all 4 were outside of the box, including an overhead kick. Every single team we played against knew who he was and knew exactly how good he was at that time.

I was in a changing room when Jamie Hoyland (excellent coach, wealth of experience and true blade) who was the u18 manager at the time described him as the best footballer he had ever seen in academy football, and nobody in that changing room doubted it and Jamie had coached at Preston for 10+ years before he came to us.

People saw him as this "big time charlie" or whatever people want to think about him when the truth was in training he was consistently one of the hardest working players we had, he had immense confidence in his own ability and thats perhaps why people see it as arrogance but anyone who played with him knew that it was the same confidence that enabled him to excel doing things other people couldn't.

United rejected approaches from Arsenal and Everton (1m) for a player that was head and shoulders above everyone else at his age group across the country at the time before doing his ACL when playing for Italy. He never quite managed to regain the same momentum he had before that injury but with his talent I'll always remember him as being one of the very very best to not "make it".

I don't think people should talk about him in a way that they do when he could've easily left for another club at the time but chose to stay at Sheff utd and work with Danny Wilson who would've had him playing every week.

Sometimes it just doesn't work out, it wasn't through his "attitude" or whatever people try and make up to justify abusing someone they have absolutely no idea about.

I can't be arsed to sift through some of the shit that some people are posting but seen his dad mentioned a few times, Kozzy was and is an absolute top man who kept him grounded and pushed him through to succeed. Sometimes it just doesn't work out, i don't see why fully grown men have to abuse a kid who wanted it just as bad as anyone else.

The club was a fucking mess from top to bottom at that time of him coming through, we had 3 u18 managers in 2 years along with however many first team managers. I'm just glad i wasn't at the club when funny little nigel came along after some of the things I heard about him.

 

[itsinyerblood]

He was actually quite a laugh at times, and I think he really was a Blade, but his constant slagging off of the Dave Basset era and shouting "anti-football!" at anyone who remotely enjoyed those times wore a bit thin.

I don't think anyone thinks that about you by the way, but I maybe I better take more notice of your posts in future!

You're right, Pinchy could be good company and an amusing chap. I met him once and spent an afternoon watching him work. It was an eye-opener and gave me an insight into his character that otherwise I wouldn't have known about. Lovely bloke, and although I recognise why some had a short tolerance with his comments, I also believe that some of his online persona was intended to wind-up those who were there to be wound-up! Personally I think the forum's poorer for his absence, but each to their own I suppose.

Overall, in my time here I think we've had some excellent posters, some still with us and a few, through enforced circumstance, no longer available. The Forum's definitely an improvement on other similar sites I've come across, and without wishing to be viewed as someone who's in anyone's pocket, the main reason for the well run tone has to be down to the two people who finance and oversee this site. It's relaxed without being daft, and there are definitely lines that no one should cross, so we're asked to respect this wish, but just occasionally there is the odd poster who seems to think they know best. Often, not having any responsibility can cause a poster to imagine they're capable of far more than they clearly are not! So respect to the site's Admin for running such a decent platform for the likes of me and thee.

 

[Carlton Blade]

People talk about Diego's talent. Indeed, he has a very unique talent.
No one on this Forum knows Diego
But everyone on this Forum knows someone who knows Diego
... remarkable ...
We call him "One Removed Diego" around our way.

If he'd been called Doug Griswold and had gotten a game with England U20's it wouldn't have been as big a deal.

But the Italian angle was interesting and exotic and gave him exposure that obviously wasn't warranted in the end.

I don't get the hate though. If a young lad is told he's going to be a star from 10 years old then of course he'll have some personality issues. He was just a kid. People must forget what dickheads they were at 18

 

[wizadry]

Some of the messages and uneducated posts on here by fully grown men are a fucking joke and some of you need to have a long hard look at yourselves and consider what you actually know about Diego.

I was a year above him at United and knew him from being 7 years old, right through to u18/reserves and was one of my best friends on the team and outside of football too.

He was known as an outstanding talent from being very very young and consistently played years above his age group. Not many at all do that, considering you're already a part of the best group of players from a 40 mile radius never mind to be able to play in the years ahead on a consistent basis too. I remember playing against Birmingham as a 2nd year scholar when he was a first year, he scored 4 in 2 games against them and all 4 were outside of the box, including an overhead kick. Every single team we played against knew who he was and knew exactly how good he was at that time.

I was in a changing room when Jamie Hoyland (excellent coach, wealth of experience and true blade) who was the u18 manager at the time described him as the best footballer he had ever seen in academy football, and nobody in that changing room doubted it and Jamie had coached at Preston for 10+ years before he came to us.

People saw him as this "big time charlie" or whatever people want to think about him when the truth was in training he was consistently one of the hardest working players we had, he had immense confidence in his own ability and thats perhaps why people see it as arrogance but anyone who played with him knew that it was the same confidence that enabled him to excel doing things other people couldn't.

United rejected approaches from Arsenal and Everton (1m) for a player that was head and shoulders above everyone else at his age group across the country at the time before doing his ACL when playing for Italy. He never quite managed to regain the same momentum he had before that injury but with his talent I'll always remember him as being one of the very very best to not "make it".

I don't think people should talk about him in a way that they do when he could've easily left for another club at the time but chose to stay at Sheff utd and work with Danny Wilson who would've had him playing every week.

Sometimes it just doesn't work out, it wasn't through his "attitude" or whatever people try and make up to justify abusing someone they have absolutely no idea about.

I can't be arsed to sift through some of the shit that some people are posting but seen his dad mentioned a few times, Kozzy was and is an absolute top man who kept him grounded and pushed him through to succeed. Sometimes it just doesn't work out, i don't see why fully grown men have to abuse a kid who wanted it just as bad as anyone else.

The club was a fucking mess from top to bottom at that time of him coming through, we had 3 u18 managers in 2 years along with however many first team managers. I'm just glad i wasn't at the club when funny little nigel came along after some of the things I heard about him.

Finally, someone who actually knows the ins and outs yet the posts from Ball_Sup (Phil) will get more likes just because he’s watched him from time to time. The world and this forum never seizes to amaze me at the bullshit it can spout.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

Finally, someone who actually knows the ins and outs yet the posts from Ball_Sup (Phil) will get more likes just because he’s watched him from time to time. The world and this forum never seizes to amaze me at the bullshit it can spout.

Come at me again with that one please wizadry you've lost me. I've done nothing but defend Diego on this thread. Indeed in one post I said he was the most talented youngster I've seen. Indeed in one post I said I never saw any evidence of an attitude problem. I'll go so far as to say I've posted almost exactly the same as PittsburghBlade Albeit from a completely different angle. What's got into you?

 

[PittsburghBlade]

And despite being in league 1 with one of the most talented players under 18-19 in the country, the fact that funny little nigel had a serious problem with what car he drove shows just how shit of a manager he actually is and how much he lets his own ego get in the way of everything he does.

 

[PittsburghBlade]

If he'd been called Doug Griswold and had gotten a game with England U20's it wouldn't have been as big a deal.

But the Italian angle was interesting and exotic and gave him exposure that obviously wasn't warranted in the end.

I don't get the hate though. If a young lad is told he's going to be a star from 10 years old then of course he'll have some personality issues. He was just a kid. People must forget what dickheads they were at 18

What personality issues were they then? and what made him a dick head? Not scoring 200 goals for united?

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

I've never liked "the narrative" that Diego somehow lost his way, did something wrong, had a problem. This season, SUFC U23s used well over 40 players. Most of them have no chance of making it in professional football. The numbers are insane. A lot of Academy players, very few first team squad places. Diego just wasn't good enough. Like hundreds & hundreds of others. Who most of us can't name. Diego isn't a villain. He's a kid who didn't make it.

I saw him play loads of times. Loved it. Taking men on. Putting them on their arse. Scoring for fun. Against his contemporaries. That's what I go to games for. Personally, I didn't come across this attitude thing that you did. Wouldn't have bothered me too much if I had. He didn't have what it takes to make it.

I'm not sure we're disagreeing are we? I've often said that Diego was the most exciting lad I've ever seen at the Academy. I was asked for an opinion about Brooks for The Star. "Is he the best you've seen" I said no, that's Diego - (I asked Danny not to print that). But, he is the same as the many, many others who hadn't, ultimately, got what it takes. I know you're not painting it this way - but I am going to say - the reason he didn't make it is NOT because he had a personalised plate.

wizadry
These are my quotes. Why are you digging me out?

 

[Carlton Blade]

What personality issues were they then? and what made him a dick head? Not scoring 200 goals for united?

Not at all. Just the normal stuff an 18 year old has plus the fact you've been told constantly that the normal rules of life don't apply to you because you're going to be a millionaire superstar. If all that didn't affect him and he was completely grounded then good for him.

99% of all 18 year old who live normal lives are dickheads.

 

[Carlton Blade]

What personality issues were they then? and what made him a dick head? Not scoring 200 goals for united?

If you want to take that personally because you know him then that's your prerogative. I don't know him at all, I don't hold anything against him - it was his career and he was better at football than I am at anything I'd imagine.

My point was that any 18 year old in those circumstances will most likely not be a dickhead. I know I would be

 

[PittsburghBlade]

Not at all. Just the normal stuff an 18 year old has plus the fact you've been told constantly that the normal rules of life don't apply to you because you're going to be a millionaire superstar. If all that didn't affect him and he was completely grounded then good for him.

99% of all 18 year old who live normal lives are dickheads.

I just don't get the "of course he'll have personality issues.." based on what? someone on here said so? must be true then.

99% of 18 year olds aren't dick heads, thats a really strange thing to say.

 

[PittsburghBlade]

I just find it frustrating how football fans try and attach a narrative to every single player. It's like mousset right now, half our fans are calling him a dick head who's lazy this that and the other when they have absolutely no idea what's going off in his life.

a very young foreign player who suffered the loss of one of his closest friends before getting quarantined in a foreign country on his own for 3 months. Has a great goal disallowed at city away and can't seem to catch a break yet all the posters on here say he has personality problems and doesn't work hard enough..

 

[Carlton Blade]

I just don't get the "of course he'll have personality issues.." based on what? someone on here said so? must be true then.

99% of 18 year olds aren't dick heads, thats a really strange thing to say.

If he handled all that and remained fully focused on everything to do with his career then good for him. But that makes him the exception not the rule. Footballers are detached from real life as it is. Elite footballers even more so.

 

[Carlton Blade]

I just don't get the "of course he'll have personality issues.." based on what? someone on here said so? must be true then.

99% of 18 year olds aren't dick heads, thats a really strange thing to say.

And I stand by my "18 year old are dickheads" comment. I'm not saying they are bad people. But they are generally daft, selfish, completely unaware of how to get by in life etc. I'm sorry if all the 18 year old you've known are well rounded adults

 

[wizadry]

wizadry
These are my quotes. Why are you digging me out?

You said he wasn’t good enough, yet someone who’s played with him at a good level said he was.

Listen, I wasn’t saying you were speaking bollocks, I was making a point that someone who has played with him a lot will know more about the circumstances than someone who just watches him, if you get in a tiz from that then that’s down to you, that’s not what I was implying from my post. I wasn’t saying that you spout the shit.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

You said he wasn’t good enough, yet someone who’s played with him at a good level said he was.

Listen, I wasn’t saying you were speaking bollocks, I was making a point that someone who has played with him a lot will know more about the circumstances than someone who just watches him, if you get in a tiz from that then that’s down to you, that’s not what I was implying from my post. I wasn’t saying that you spout the shit.

Misunderstanding. I meant ultimately, it's been found he isn't good enough. That's what I mean when I say he wasn't good enough. As I've said I align myself fully with PittsburghBlade closer to the action view. I did choose "didn't make it" rather carefully in some of my posts