Andrea Silenzi
Encyclopedia
Andrea Silenzi is a retired Italian
footballer who played as a centre forward.
He was known for his goal-poaching ability, but at a highly inconsistent level. The scorer of 89 league goals during his career, Silenzi was also the first Italian to play in the Premier League, when he signed with Nottingham Forest
in 1995.
. Nickname
d Pennellone (Big brush
) due to his height, he began his playing career with local club A.S. Lodigiani. During his third season there he started scoring, and finished as second top scorer in Serie C2, with 18 goals. In the next season he moved to Serie B
, with A.C. Arezzo
, but the season as a disaster both individually and collectively; the club finished last and was relegated to Serie C1, with the player appearing in 19 games and failing to find the net once.
He was transferred to another third level club, A.C. Reggiana 1919
, for 1988–89, where his fortunes changed dramatically. The club won promotion that year, finishing in first place, with Slienzi contributing nine goals in 31 appearances. The next season he fared even better, finishing the season as the league's top scorer in division two; he scored an astonishing 23 goals out of the squad's 33, doing it in 38 matches, the best goal-per-match ratio in the competition.
winners S.S.C. Napoli
, which was looking to strengthen its attacking options, in a side which featured the great Diego Maradona
. 1990–91 started brightly, with Napoli capturing
the Italian Super Cup
– a 5–1 thrashing of Juventus FC
, with Silenzi contributing with two of the five goals. However, the rest of that season proved unlucky for the player, who only managed two Serie A
goals (Maradona only netted six, all on penalties
). The club finished eighth, but fourth the following year, mainly thanks to the firepower of Careca and Gianfranco Zola
, who had taken over for the banned Maradona - Silenzi only scored four times in 20 games.
The next season, Silenzi, aged 26, was signed by Torino FC
, brought in with some of the funds that the club made on the then world-record sale of Gianluigi Lentini
to A.C. Milan
. That season Torino finished in 9th place, with Silenzi again grabbing only a handful of league goals (three). The only bright spot of that season was the conquest of the team's fourth Italian Cup, as he endeared himself to the club's fans with his display in the final, where Toro defeated A.S. Roma
after two legs on the away goals rule
, the aggregate score being 5–5; he scored both of the crucial goals in the second leg in Rome (2–5 loss).
In 1993–94, Silenzi had his best top flight year, as he finished the season with 17 goals, (tied for third in the scorers list), and the club managed to get to the semi-final of the domestic cup. That season, he was spearheading the attacking trio of Enzo Francescoli
and a young Benito Carbone
, and this impressive form garnered him a call-up to the national team
in early 1994. The next season saw the arrival of Ruggiero Rizzitelli
at Torino, and he took over the leading goal-scoring spot from Silenzi, netting 15 more goals (19 to four).
1.8m, becoming the first ever Italian to play in the Premier League. But he never fitted into the set-up at the City Ground
, making 10 league appearances in the 1995–96 season without scoring. After only two appearances in the following season, he returned to his country and joined S.S.C. Venezia, on loan.
In total, Silenzi made only 20 official appearances (seven starts) for Forest, scoring only twice: one in the FA Cup
against Oxford United
and one in the League Cup
against Bradford City. It is alleged that his contract was torn up by manager Dave Bassett
(who took over in March 1997), for allegedly refusing to return from his loan spell at Venezia. In the English press he is considered as one of the worst ever signings by a club in the country, his failure at City Ground reportedly costing the club nearly £3million.
for a season each, and also returning to Torino for a solitary season, his two goals in 11 games being too little to save Emiliano Mondonico
's side from top division relegation. He finished his playing career in 2001 at the age of 35, with another return, at Ravenna, playing seven scoreless games in 2000–01's second level.
came on 16 February 1994, as he played against France
as part of the warm-up process for the FIFA World Cup
being held that summer. In the match held in Naples
(0–1 loss), he came on as a second-half substitute.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
footballer who played as a centre forward.
He was known for his goal-poaching ability, but at a highly inconsistent level. The scorer of 89 league goals during his career, Silenzi was also the first Italian to play in the Premier League, when he signed with Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
in 1995.
Early years
Silenzi was born in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
d Pennellone (Big brush
Brush
A brush is a tool with bristles, wire or other filaments, used for cleaning, grooming hair, make up, painting, surface finishing and for many other purposes. It is one of the most basic and versatile tools known to mankind, and the average household may contain several dozen varieties...
) due to his height, he began his playing career with local club A.S. Lodigiani. During his third season there he started scoring, and finished as second top scorer in Serie C2, with 18 goals. In the next season he moved to Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
, with A.C. Arezzo
A.C. Arezzo
Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica Atletico Arezzo is an Italian association football club based in Arezzo, Tuscany...
, but the season as a disaster both individually and collectively; the club finished last and was relegated to Serie C1, with the player appearing in 19 games and failing to find the net once.
He was transferred to another third level club, A.C. Reggiana 1919
A.C. Reggiana 1919
Associazione Calcio Reggiana 1919 is an Italian association football club, based in Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna. The club was founded in 1919 as A.C. Reggiana and refounded in July 2005 as Reggio Emilia F.C., but it was renamed A.C. Reggiana 1919 soon after the start of the 2005–06 season. The...
, for 1988–89, where his fortunes changed dramatically. The club won promotion that year, finishing in first place, with Slienzi contributing nine goals in 31 appearances. The next season he fared even better, finishing the season as the league's top scorer in division two; he scored an astonishing 23 goals out of the squad's 33, doing it in 38 matches, the best goal-per-match ratio in the competition.
Napoli / Torino
Silenzi's prolific scoring garnered the attention of Scudetto and Coppa ItaliaCoppa Italia
The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
winners S.S.C. Napoli
S.S.C. Napoli
Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli, commonly referred to as Napoli, is a professional Italian football club based in Naples and founded in 1926. The club has spent most of its history in Serie A, where it currently plays its 2011–12 season....
, which was looking to strengthen its attacking options, in a side which featured the great Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona
Diego Armando Maradona is a retired Argentine football player and widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. Over the course of his professional club career Maradona played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell's Old Boys, setting...
. 1990–91 started brightly, with Napoli capturing
1990 Supercoppa Italiana
The 1990 Supercoppa Italiana was a match contested by the 1989-90 Serie A winners Napoli and the 1989-90 Coppa Italia winners Juventus.The match resulted in a 5-1 win for Napoli.-Match details:-References:...
the Italian Super Cup
Supercoppa Italiana
The Supercoppa Italiana is a pre-season football competition held the week before the season begins in Italy every year. It is contested by the winners of the Serie A and the Coppa Italia in the previous season, as a curtain raiser to the new season. It is usually played at the home of the Serie A...
– a 5–1 thrashing of Juventus FC
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
, with Silenzi contributing with two of the five goals. However, the rest of that season proved unlucky for the player, who only managed two Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
goals (Maradona only netted six, all on penalties
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
). The club finished eighth, but fourth the following year, mainly thanks to the firepower of Careca and Gianfranco Zola
Gianfranco Zola
Gianfranco Zola, OBE, Ufficiale OMRI is a retired Italian footballer and manager, who most recently managed West Ham United from 2008 to 2010, after having been assistant manager of the Italy U-21 under Pierluigi Casiraghi...
, who had taken over for the banned Maradona - Silenzi only scored four times in 20 games.
The next season, Silenzi, aged 26, was signed by Torino FC
Torino F.C.
Torino Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Torino, is a professional Italian football club based in Turin, Piedmont, that was founded in 1906. The club has spent most of its history in the top tier in Italian football....
, brought in with some of the funds that the club made on the then world-record sale of Gianluigi Lentini
Gianluigi Lentini
Gianluigi Lentini is a former Italian winger who was once the world's most expensive footballer, when he moved from Torino to AC Milan for £13 million in 1992....
to A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
. That season Torino finished in 9th place, with Silenzi again grabbing only a handful of league goals (three). The only bright spot of that season was the conquest of the team's fourth Italian Cup, as he endeared himself to the club's fans with his display in the final, where Toro defeated A.S. Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
after two legs on the away goals rule
Away goals rule
The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in association football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each team's home ground. By the away goals rule, the team that has scored more goals "away from home" will win if scores are otherwise equal...
, the aggregate score being 5–5; he scored both of the crucial goals in the second leg in Rome (2–5 loss).
In 1993–94, Silenzi had his best top flight year, as he finished the season with 17 goals, (tied for third in the scorers list), and the club managed to get to the semi-final of the domestic cup. That season, he was spearheading the attacking trio of Enzo Francescoli
Enzo Francescoli
Enzo Francescoli Uriarte is a former uruguayan football player of Italian and Spanish origin, who retired in 1997. An elegant and highly skillful dribbler, passer, and goal-scorer, Francescoli was nicknamed El Príncipe or Le Prince...
and a young Benito Carbone
Benito Carbone
Benito known as Benny Carbone is a retired Italian professional footballer and former manager of Serie B club Varese. He played as a forward, winger or midfielder...
, and this impressive form garnered him a call-up to the national team
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
in early 1994. The next season saw the arrival of Ruggiero Rizzitelli
Ruggiero Rizzitelli
Ruggiero Rizzitelli is a former Italian football player, in the role of striker.-Club:...
at Torino, and he took over the leading goal-scoring spot from Silenzi, netting 15 more goals (19 to four).
Nottingham Forest
In the summer of 1995, Silenzi was signed by Nottingham Forest's manager Frank Clark for £Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
1.8m, becoming the first ever Italian to play in the Premier League. But he never fitted into the set-up at the City Ground
City Ground
The City Ground is a football stadium in the West Bridgford area of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, on the banks of the River Trent. It has been home to Nottingham Forest Football Club since 1898, and has a capacity of 30,602 ....
, making 10 league appearances in the 1995–96 season without scoring. After only two appearances in the following season, he returned to his country and joined S.S.C. Venezia, on loan.
In total, Silenzi made only 20 official appearances (seven starts) for Forest, scoring only twice: one in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
against Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
and one in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
against Bradford City. It is alleged that his contract was torn up by manager Dave Bassett
Dave Bassett
David Bassett , also frequently known by his nickname of Harry, is an English football manager and a former player....
(who took over in March 1997), for allegedly refusing to return from his loan spell at Venezia. In the English press he is considered as one of the worst ever signings by a club in the country, his failure at City Ground reportedly costing the club nearly £3million.
Late career
Silenzi continued his playing career with various clubs back in Italy, going on to play for Reggiana and Ravenna CalcioRavenna Calcio
Ravenna Calcio is an Italian association football club, based in Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna. The club was founded in 1913 and refounded in 2001....
for a season each, and also returning to Torino for a solitary season, his two goals in 11 games being too little to save Emiliano Mondonico
Emiliano Mondonico
Emiliano Mondonico is an Italian football manager. He last served as head coach of Serie B side AlbinoLeffe.-Career:...
's side from top division relegation. He finished his playing career in 2001 at the age of 35, with another return, at Ravenna, playing seven scoreless games in 2000–01's second level.
International career
Silenzi's only international cap for ItalyItaly national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
came on 16 February 1994, as he played against France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
as part of the warm-up process for the FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
being held that summer. In the match held in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
(0–1 loss), he came on as a second-half substitute.
Team
- Reggiana:
- Serie C1: 1988–89
- Napoli:
- Italian Super CupSupercoppa ItalianaThe Supercoppa Italiana is a pre-season football competition held the week before the season begins in Italy every year. It is contested by the winners of the Serie A and the Coppa Italia in the previous season, as a curtain raiser to the new season. It is usually played at the home of the Serie A...
: 19901990 Supercoppa ItalianaThe 1990 Supercoppa Italiana was a match contested by the 1989-90 Serie A winners Napoli and the 1989-90 Coppa Italia winners Juventus.The match resulted in a 5-1 win for Napoli.-Match details:-References:...
- Italian Super Cup
- Torino:
- Italian CupCoppa ItaliaThe Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
: 1992–93
- Italian Cup