Ciro Polito
Encyclopedia
Ciro Polito is an Italian footballer currently contracted to Atalanta
, in the Italian Serie A
.
based club, Salernitana Sport, in the mid 1990s, and began to earn senior call-ups in 1997. Despite often being called-up during the 1997-98 season, Polito was loaned out to Rimini
for the 1998-99 season, and managed to earn a starting position for much of the season. With the club, Polito made 29 league appearances and returned to Salerno
in 1999, but the young goalkeeper never earned a senior debut for his near-hometown club. In July 1999 he was involved in a swap deal with Lucchese
. The deal saw Lorenzo Squizzi
move in the opposite direction, with both players joining their new clubs in co-ownership
deal.
. The loan spell proved to be successful, as Polito earned starting gloves for the remainder of the campaign, making 12 starts. In June 2000, he returned to Lucchese, but their share of his contract was sold back to Salernitnana, but Polito did not remain in Salerno
either and he was sold to nearby rivals U.S. Avellino
.
.
, Polito again earned a starting position, and went on to make 33 appearances for his new club in all competitions, in just one season. Following his impressive form during the course of the 2002-2003 season, he was scouted by, and eventually sold to Sicilian club, Acireale. After officially joining the Sicilian
outfit in July 2003, Polito again found a position in the starting XI of his newest club, and made 30 league appearances that season. He was then scouted by Catania
chief director Pietro Lo Monaco, and was brought to the club during the summer window of 2004.
Serie C1
and Serie C2
, Polito made the step to Serie B
in 2004, when he transferred to Sicilian
club, Calcio Catania. In his first two seasons with the club, Polito made just 5 appearances, as he was utilized as a back-up to veteran Armando Pantanelli
. Polito was a part of the team that led Catania
to a runner-up finish in the league during the 2005-06 season, which earned the club promotion to the Italian Serie A.
It was his first season in the top flight. During his first season in the league, Polito again served as a back-up for Pantanelli, but he managed his Serie A
debut, and only appearance in the season, on 26 November 2006. In January 2007, Polito was loaned out to Pescara
, in exchange for Vitangelo Spadavecchia
, who also joined on loan. At Pescara
, Polito played as the starting goalkeeper, ahead of Marco Tardiolli, and made 17 league appearances over the remaining portion of the Serie B
season.
In June 2007, Polito returned to Catania
, after the departure of Pantanelli. Under new coach, Silvio Baldini
, Polito became the club's starting shot-stopper and his career took off. He was a major part of the club's first team, until Walter Zenga
took over as head coach and Polito was dropped in favor of Albano Bizzarri.
Polito began the 2008-09 Serie A
campaign, the same way he ended the previous season, on the bench. Zenga actually opted to drop Polito to third choice, behind new signing Tomas Kosicky
, and hence, Polito was ultimately set for a winter transfer, following his falling-out-of-favor with the coach.
On 3 January 2008, Catania signed goalkeeper, Paolo Acerbis
from Grosseto
on loan, and in return, sent Polito to Grosseto
on loan to fill the gap left by Acerbis. Both clubs obtained the option to make the deals permanent at the end of the season.
At Grosseto, Polito took over the starting gloves, and made 18 Serie B
starts. With Catania
, not using the option to make the deal permanent, both players returned to their respective clubs. Polito was instantly transfer listed and sold back to his youth club, Salernitana Calcio in July 2009. He made over 50 appearances for Catania
in all competitions.
as the club lost Tommaso Berni
, following the expiration of his loan deal and Salvatore Pinna
, who was sold to Pescara Calcio
. Polito managed to make 34 appearances (2 in Cup
in all competitions for his club, and even managed a rare goal, but his efforts were not enough to save the club from relegation to the Lega Pro Prima Divisione for the 2010-11 Lega Calcioseason.
on 23 September 2011 to provide injury cover.
Atalanta B.C.
Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly known as just Atalanta, Atalanta Bergamo or the abbreviation Atalanta BC, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy.They are nicknamed the Nerazzurri and the orobici...
, in the Italian 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...
.
Salernitana
Ciro Polito began his footballing career with the youth system of SalernoSalerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
based club, Salernitana Sport, in the mid 1990s, and began to earn senior call-ups in 1997. Despite often being called-up during the 1997-98 season, Polito was loaned out to Rimini
Rimini Calcio F.C.
Associazione Calcio Rimini 1912 is an Italian association football club based in Rimini, Emilia-Romagna....
for the 1998-99 season, and managed to earn a starting position for much of the season. With the club, Polito made 29 league appearances and returned to Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
in 1999, but the young goalkeeper never earned a senior debut for his near-hometown club. In July 1999 he was involved in a swap deal with Lucchese
A.S. Lucchese-Libertas
Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica Football Club Lucca 2011 is an Italian football club, based in Lucca, Tuscany that currently plays in Eccellenza Tuscany.The club was founded in 1905 and having last been in Serie A in 1952....
. The deal saw Lorenzo Squizzi
Lorenzo Squizzi
Lorenzo Squizzi is an Italian footballer who plays for A.C. ChievoVerona.Squizzi started his career at Serie A team Juventus F.C., but has spent most of his career in the lower divisions. In summer 2006, he signed for his second Serie A club Chievo.-Early career:Born in Domodossola, Piedmont,...
move in the opposite direction, with both players joining their new clubs in co-ownership
Co-ownership (football)
Co-ownership is a system whereby two football clubs own the contract of a player jointly, although the player is only registered to play for one club...
deal.
Lucchese
Polito made just 5 appearances with his new club and was hence, loaned out in January 2000, to A.C. MantovaA.C. Mantova
Mantova Football Club is an Italian football club, based in Mantua, Lombardy. Mantova had played consecutively in the Italian Serie B from the 2005–06 season to 2009–10 as Associazione Calcio Mantova, when they were relegated after ending the season in 20th place.During the summer 2010, the club...
. The loan spell proved to be successful, as Polito earned starting gloves for the remainder of the campaign, making 12 starts. In June 2000, he returned to Lucchese, but their share of his contract was sold back to Salernitnana, but Polito did not remain in Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
either and he was sold to nearby rivals U.S. Avellino
U.S. Avellino
Associazione Sportiva Avellino 1912 , since summer 2010, is the new name of the Italian football club, based in Avellino, Campania. The club was founded in 1912 and its traditional colours are green and white...
.
Avellino
Since signed by Avellino permanently, the goalkeeper failed to break into the club's starting line-up in two seasons, but still managed to make 22 league appearances as a back-up between 2000 and 2002, when he was sold to A.C. PistoieseA.C. Pistoiese
Unione Sportiva Pistoiese 1921 is an Italian association football club, based in Pistoia, Tuscany.At the end of the 2010-11 Eccellenza season, Pistoiese was promoted to Serie D....
.
Pistoiese & Acireale
Following his move to A.C. PistoieseA.C. Pistoiese
Unione Sportiva Pistoiese 1921 is an Italian association football club, based in Pistoia, Tuscany.At the end of the 2010-11 Eccellenza season, Pistoiese was promoted to Serie D....
, Polito again earned a starting position, and went on to make 33 appearances for his new club in all competitions, in just one season. Following his impressive form during the course of the 2002-2003 season, he was scouted by, and eventually sold to Sicilian club, Acireale. After officially joining the Sicilian
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
outfit in July 2003, Polito again found a position in the starting XI of his newest club, and made 30 league appearances that season. He was then scouted by Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
chief director Pietro Lo Monaco, and was brought to the club during the summer window of 2004.
Catania
After playing many seasons in the ItalianItaly
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...
Serie C1
Serie C1
Lega Pro Prima Divisione is the name of the third highest football league in Italy. It consists of 36 teams, divided geographically into two divisions of 18 teams each. Until 2008 it was known as Serie C1....
and Serie C2
Serie C2
Lega Pro Seconda Divisione is the name of the fourth highest football league in Italy, the lowest with a professional status. Usually it consists of 54 teams, but in the season 2010–11 the teams are only 49 divided geographically into three divisions of 17, 16 and 16 teams each...
, Polito made the step 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...
in 2004, when he transferred to Sicilian
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
club, Calcio Catania. In his first two seasons with the club, Polito made just 5 appearances, as he was utilized as a back-up to veteran Armando Pantanelli
Armando Pantanelli
Armando Pantanelli is a former Italian professional football goalkeeper-Career:Born in Turin, Pantanelli spent his childhood in Parma, and began his footballing career with A.C...
. Polito was a part of the team that led Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
to a runner-up finish in the league during the 2005-06 season, which earned the club promotion to the Italian Serie A.
It was his first season in the top flight. During his first season in the league, Polito again served as a back-up for Pantanelli, but he managed his 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...
debut, and only appearance in the season, on 26 November 2006. In January 2007, Polito was loaned out to Pescara
Pescara Calcio
Delfino Pescara 1936 is an Italian football club based in Pescara, Abruzzo.The club was formed in 1936 and currently plays in Italian Serie B. Pescara has competed in 5 seasons in Serie A...
, in exchange for Vitangelo Spadavecchia
Vitangelo Spadavecchia
Vitangelo Spadavecchia is an Italian football goalkeeper who currently plays for A.S. Andria BAT.-Career:...
, who also joined on loan. At Pescara
Pescara
Pescara is the capital city of the Province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. As of January 1, 2007 it was the most populated city within Abruzzo at 123,059 residents, 400,000 with the surrounding metropolitan area...
, Polito played as the starting goalkeeper, ahead of Marco Tardiolli, and made 17 league appearances over the remaining portion of the 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...
season.
In June 2007, Polito returned to Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
, after the departure of Pantanelli. Under new coach, Silvio Baldini
Silvio Baldini
Silvio Baldini is an Italian association football manager and the former head coach of Vicenza in the Serie B league.- Coach :...
, Polito became the club's starting shot-stopper and his career took off. He was a major part of the club's first team, until Walter Zenga
Walter Zenga
Walter Zenga is a retired Italian footballer and current manager. He is a long-time goalkeeper for the Italian national team and Internazionale. He also holds Romanian citizenship...
took over as head coach and Polito was dropped in favor of Albano Bizzarri.
Polito began the 2008-09 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...
campaign, the same way he ended the previous season, on the bench. Zenga actually opted to drop Polito to third choice, behind new signing Tomas Kosicky
Tomáš Košický
Tomáš Košický is a Slovakian goalkeeper, who currently plays for Calcio Catania in the Italian Serie A.-Inter Bratislava:...
, and hence, Polito was ultimately set for a winter transfer, following his falling-out-of-favor with the coach.
On 3 January 2008, Catania signed goalkeeper, Paolo Acerbis
Paolo Acerbis
Paolo Acerbis is an Italian football player, who is currently plays goalkeeper for Grosseto of Serie B.He also played for Livorno in Serie A, as well as AlbinoLeffe, Triestina, and Calcio Catania in Serie A....
from Grosseto
U.S. Grosseto F.C.
Unione Sportiva Grosseto Football Club is a professional Italian association football club, based in the city of Grosseto, Tuscany. The club was founded in 1912. The team's most associated nickname is grifone, after its logo, depicting a griffon...
on loan, and in return, sent Polito to Grosseto
Grosseto
Grosseto is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of the Province of Grosseto. The city lies 14 km from the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the Maremma, at the centre of an alluvial plain, on the Ombrone river....
on loan to fill the gap left by Acerbis. Both clubs obtained the option to make the deals permanent at the end of the season.
At Grosseto, Polito took over the starting gloves, and made 18 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...
starts. With Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
, not using the option to make the deal permanent, both players returned to their respective clubs. Polito was instantly transfer listed and sold back to his youth club, Salernitana Calcio in July 2009. He made over 50 appearances for Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
in all competitions.
Return to Salernitana
He signed a 3-year contract with SalernitanaSalernitana Calcio 1919
Salerno Calcio, or simply Salerno is an Italian association football club from Salerno, Campania.The club is not the legitimate heir of the former Salernitana Calcio 1919, but there is however a sports continuity between the two companies thanks to Article 52 NOIF of FIGC, and the fact that they...
as the club lost Tommaso Berni
Tommaso Berni
Tommaso Berni is an Italian football goalkeeper currently playing for S.C. Braga.-Career:Berni started his career at F.C. Internazionale Milano and played for Primavera Team at 2001 Torneo di Viareggio....
, following the expiration of his loan deal and Salvatore Pinna
Salvatore Pinna
Salvatore Pinna is an Italian goalkeeper.-External links:* *...
, who was sold to Pescara Calcio
Pescara Calcio
Delfino Pescara 1936 is an Italian football club based in Pescara, Abruzzo.The club was formed in 1936 and currently plays in Italian Serie B. Pescara has competed in 5 seasons in Serie A...
. Polito managed to make 34 appearances (2 in Cup
2009–10 Coppa Italia
The 2009–10 Coppa Italia was the sixty-second season of the tournament. The competition started on 2 August 2009 and ended on 5 May 2010.-Serie A :-Serie B :-Prima Divisione :-Seconda Divisione :...
in all competitions for his club, and even managed a rare goal, but his efforts were not enough to save the club from relegation to the Lega Pro Prima Divisione for the 2010-11 Lega Calcioseason.
Atalanta
Having been released from Salernitana at the end of the 2010-11 season, Polito joined AtalantaAtalanta B.C.
Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly known as just Atalanta, Atalanta Bergamo or the abbreviation Atalanta BC, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy.They are nicknamed the Nerazzurri and the orobici...
on 23 September 2011 to provide injury cover.