Presentation + First Training Sessions
("How YOU doin'?")
Hurrah, they're back! Most of them! \o/ After spending almost a week straggling in for their medicals, the team headed out to Cortina yesterday, where they'll spend several days having their asses kicked by the new gaffer. Expect many miserable, moanie faces from the Frenchie.
Before leaving Florence, though, the team held a quick event at the Franchi to greet the fans. Oddly, the only people who went were Sinisa, Jojo, D'Agostino, Babacar and, since you can't have an event that involves actually talking without him, LDS. (Based on the pictures, there was much signing and kicking of footballs, and precious little else.)
Tifosi: "YAYAYAYYAAAAY!"
Guy in the grey shirt: "... I was told there would be free beer. Where is the beer?"
Sinisa approves of the suggestion of beer.
Mostly, he seems to have stood around looking impressively tan and very please indeed.
When he wasn't giving a lecture, that is.
Sini: "Champions League! This is our goal!"
Tifosi: *sing with adorable, if totally naive, optimism*
For the record, he's already warning that he will beat people up, if necessary. You've been warned, crazy keepers.
Honestly, this seems to have been the entire point of the evening.
Signing footballs, and kicking them to the adoring public. Yay!
Oh yeah, he's still got it.
Even he's laughing at his right foot. Come on, man, it's not that bad!
It was not, however, all about the gaffer.
I don't know what's going on here, but I bet you anything innocentface Jojo did whatever made Babacar laugh.
See? They had to be separated.
Oh, this is embarrassing. Is Jojo in a time out?
Jojo: "HEEEEE."
Look, a trim! Could this be a permanent move away from the crazy Brian May 'do?
He looks bigger, y/y? Somebody's finally grown up.
Babacar, also, is massive, but he was born that way.
Which probably is what the fans were singing about when they embarrassed him with an adoring song about his sexual prowess. Aw, tifosi!
Damn, isn't he a little young to have such an impressive signature? Kids grow up so fast these days. *sniffle*
(Dude on our left is on the Babacar band wagon so hard it's not even funny.)
D'Agostino: "OHAI. I'm new here. Please don't hate me."
Thinkyface! That's so much better than the expression of terror he seems to wear most of the time.
They really don't bite, man -- it'll be ok.
Is anyone surprised LDS is the only player we see actually talking to the fans? Probably dropping many different languages on them, just because he can.
(It's somehow reassuring that the Tongue of Concentration has to be deployed to execute even a skill as minor as this one. Nice to have things we can count on.)
... Do you think he went to the Viola gift shop before they got on the bus?
Remember how, last winter, there was all sorts of discontent because Cesare was circling the wagons and wouldn't let the team go sign autographs?
Well, Sini's making very sure that is not going to happen. (Awwwwww. I hope he and D'Agostino can hang out and start looking less scared.)
Yeah, Jojo's sort of a pimp.
LDS, meanwhile, isn't quite sure what's going on.
Hey, look who's back! For the moment, anyway. Yay?
Sweet bag btw, Adi.
Oh, Natali. Is that a pompadour you're trying to work there? Needs more wax, I think.
Aw!
AWWW!
Comotto: Not actually at Lazio. Or in Greece. Good work there, people who make up transfer rumors.
Di Tacchio's skin has taken a turn for the worse over the summer, the poor kid. Puberty blows.
Holy crap. Who is that man with an adult hairdo and no stripes on his face? WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH SEBASTIEN FREY?
Sini's first training session in charge was yesterday, after the team arrived in Cortina.
Based on the fan site reactions, one could say it went pretty well.
Because, in what has to be the quickest seduction record, they are already obsessed.
Really, it was ridiculously easy -- all he had to do was joke with Adi to prove there's no bad blood between them, and then smoke him, Jojo and Adem in a free kick contest.
Oh, and do ab work for 15 minutes after training, a feat (apparently) so awesome one of the fan sites has decided to call him Robocop. And, also, swoon when he walks by.
Aw. I suppose it's nice to know that he's able to smile from time to time still?
Yes, suspended people can train. Photo guys are thankful.
Man, forget Mutu -- who's that guy on our left?
And here's someone else we've not seen for a while!
Looking awesome and barrel-like, Juan Manuel. Welcome back, my man.
Gambero! In his ugly, yet oddly appealing, new boots.
Jeez. I mean, D'Agostino really, truly seems to think someone is going to just walk up and punch him in the face.
... Ok, secret!rage Pasqual might not be the best person for him to hang with, to be honest.
There we go! Much better choice.
We see you, Mighty Marco.
Adem: *happily watches his not-at-all-secret boyfriend run*
(According to one fan site, Adem and Jojo "always travel hand in hand" and are "going steady." LOL. LOLOLOLOL.)
I see compression socks and grim determination -- it must be preseason.
Oh boy, he's struggling already. I hope Boruc isn't incredibly fit -- that'll make Seb EVEN MORE GRUMPY.
Between training sessions, everyone is waiting with bells on for the arrival of Artur Boruc, who passed his medical and is expected to join the team in Cortina today. There best be presentation pictures.