Bruno Bolchi
Encyclopedia
Bruno Bolchi is an Italian
retired football (soccer)
manager and former player.
, made his debut at the age of 18 with F.C. Internazionale Milano
in a Serie A
away match lost 1-0 to S.S.C. Napoli
on May 18, 1958. He played six seasons with the nerazzurri, with 109 caps and 10 goals, gaining the nickname Maciste and appearing for the Italian team
in four occasions, all in 1961. He then played for Serie B
side Verona
, and returned to play in the top division for Atalanta
and Torino
, where he ended his playing career in 1970.
club (at the time, Seconda Categoria was the sixth level of Italian football). In 1974 he had his first professional coaching job at Sorrento
. He first coached a Serie A
team, Cesena
, in 1982, but did not manage to save it from relegation. Since then, Bolchi made just two appearances as Serie A coach, despite his long career all over the country: in 1985-1986, his third season as Bari
's boss which followed two consecutive promotions from Serie C1
to the top tier of Italian football; however, Bolchi was not able to save the biancorossi. In 1988-1989, he had his last Serie A job before 2007, as Pisa
head coach, but he was sacked after the 22nd matchday.
On April 23, 2007, with just five matches remaining before the end of the league, Bolchi was appointed head coach of Messina
, a team he already coached in their 1975-1976 Serie C
campaign and, for six matches, at the end of the 2002-2003 season, in Serie B
. He did not manage to avoid relegation, also due to Messina's poor league table well before his appointment, and finally retired from football after the end of the season.
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...
retired football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
manager and former player.
Playing
Bolchi, a midfielderMidfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
, made his debut at the age of 18 with F.C. Internazionale Milano
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
in a 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...
away match lost 1-0 to 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....
on May 18, 1958. He played six seasons with the nerazzurri, with 109 caps and 10 goals, gaining the nickname Maciste and appearing for the Italian 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 four occasions, all in 1961. He then played for 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...
side Verona
Hellas Verona F.C.
Hellas Verona Football Club is a professional Italian association football team, based in Verona, Veneto. The team's colours are yellow and blue and gialloblu is the team's most widely used nickname...
, and returned to play in the top division for Atalanta
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...
and Torino
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....
, where he ended his playing career in 1970.
Coaching
Bolchi started his coaching career in 1971 with Pro Patria, then a Seconda CategoriaSeconda Categoria
Seconda Categoria is the actual name of a level of football in Italy. It is considered to be the 9th level in the Italian football league system. Each individual league winner within the Seconda Categoria level progresses to their closest regional league in the Prima Categoria level...
club (at the time, Seconda Categoria was the sixth level of Italian football). In 1974 he had his first professional coaching job at Sorrento
A.S. Sorrento Calcio
Sorrento Calcio is an Italian association football club from Sorrento, Campania, the club was founded during 1945. Currently the club compete in Lega Pro Prima Divisione after starting a promotion streak in 2005–06 when they were promoted from Serie D, followed by promotion from Serie C2.The club...
. He first coached a 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...
team, Cesena
A.C. Cesena
Associazione Calcio Cesena is an Italian football club based in Cesena, Romagna. The club was formed in 1940 and won the first promotion to Serie A in 1973. Since then, the club have been in the Italian Premier League for a total of in 11 seasons, reaching the best achievement in 1976 with the 6th...
, in 1982, but did not manage to save it from relegation. Since then, Bolchi made just two appearances as Serie A coach, despite his long career all over the country: in 1985-1986, his third season as Bari
A.S. Bari
Associazione Sportiva Bari is an Italian football club founded in 1908, they are based in Bari, Apulia and plays in Serie B. The club have spent many seasons bouncing between the top two divisions in Italian football, Serie A and Serie B....
's boss which followed two consecutive promotions from 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....
to the top tier of Italian football; however, Bolchi was not able to save the biancorossi. In 1988-1989, he had his last Serie A job before 2007, as Pisa
Pisa Calcio
Associazione Calcio Pisa 1909 is an Italian association football club, based in Pisa, Tuscany. The club was founded in 1909 as Pisa Sporting Club and refounded in 1994 as A.C. Pisa , after the cancellation of the old one because of economical troubles...
head coach, but he was sacked after the 22nd matchday.
On April 23, 2007, with just five matches remaining before the end of the league, Bolchi was appointed head coach of Messina
F.C. Messina Peloro
Associazione Calcio Rinascita Messina is an Italian football club based in Messina, Sicily. It currently plays in Serie D.- Brief history :The origins of the team go back to 1900 when Messina F.C was founded in the city. The club has spent most of its history in the lower Italian football leagues...
, a team he already coached in their 1975-1976 Serie C
Serie C
The Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico , commonly known as Lega Pro , is the governing body that runs the third and fourth highest football divisions in Italy, the Prima Divisione and Seconda Divisione respectively. It also includes the sole professional club of San Marino...
campaign and, for six matches, at the end of the 2002-2003 season, in 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...
. He did not manage to avoid relegation, also due to Messina's poor league table well before his appointment, and finally retired from football after the end of the season.