italiafile

Well, the man mountain Maradona wants to play a farewell game in Naples on October 30th this year, his birthday. Neapolitans are delerious, all I have spoken to conveniently ignoring the fact that Diego is obese, has a severe heart problem and hasnt stepped onto a football pitch for years. If he makes it to October I can't believe that any Neapolitan would want to see such an embarrassing scene as Maradona waddling out onto a pitch and having other professionals letting him pant his way to the goal line. Last year when he almost died, the windows of sports shops were instantly filled with thousands of yellow post it notes full of imprecations to God to save Maradona's life. For an Englishman who has grown up aware of the man's talent going hand in hand with an ability to cheat it all seems mildly amusing, but here it is not done to slander the man who single handedly took Naples to the top of the championship not once but twice, albeit 15 years ago. Of course if his son is instrumental in the revival of Naples football... that will be worth seeing, bearing in mind that when Naples first won the league the street party lasted 5 days.

The Comune is having to buy nearly 3000 new litter bins for the huge increase in cigarette butts on the street since the anti smoking laws came in force a week ago. They seem to be holding .. so far... but the Neapolitans patience is wearing thin. This morning an elderly gent lit up in the bar while I was having my breakfast and nobody said a word.... it was too cold to go outside.

Yesterday another Camorra murder. The 7th so far this year. This was the mother of a wanted man, lured to the front door in her dressing gown and shot. her husband is already in prison, and two of her nephews were shot and wounded last week. The head of the police says that this 'faida' will see the extermination of complete families.