Read about Ivanos Rollercoaster spell in charge of the Dees. Without a shadow of doubt, the last word you`d use to describe his time in charge would be BORING
23/6: Dundees new coaching team arrive at Dens Park.
New boss Ivano Bonetti and his back-up team of Dario Bonetti, Dario Magri and Enzo Romano met the players they have inherited from outgoing manager Jocky Scott and introduced them to new signings Marco di Marchi and Georgi Nemsadze.
Pre-season training begins in earnest this morning and double sessions are planned until Friday when Dundee will depart for a training camp in Italy where they will spend 16 days.
29/7: Dundee manager Ivano Bonetti began his SPL season in acrimonious circumstances after receiving a red card in his side's 2-0 victory over Motherwell.
Goals from Patrizio Billio and Javier Artero sealed all three points for Bonetti's side, but two yellow cards for the Italian player-manager marred Dundee's win.
To listen to Ivano download and listen to this streamed interview click here >
1/12/1999: Dundee FC rubbished rumours that a consortium, comprised of current and former Serie A stars, had made a multi-million pound bid to buy the club.The first time he is linked with Dundee as he is named along with Attilio Lombardo and Roberto Mancini as part of an Italian consortium interested in buying the club.
The trio, in connection with other associates, failed in an attempt to buy Grimsby Town, and rumours circulating in the city had them trying to buy their way into the Scottish Premier League.
Chairman Jimmy Marr was not having any of it, however.
"I don't know where this is supposed to have come from. No bid whatsoever has been received."
"We are very happy the way things are going, and we dont want to be distracted in any way from what we are trying to do here.''
11/5/2000: Dundee unveil Italian Ivano Bonetti as their new player/head coach at a Press conference today at the Ballinard Hotel in Dundee. His brother Dario will also be confirmed as assistant coach today. The Bonettis will be joined at Dens by their cousin Dario Magri, who last year assisted in the transfer of Patrizio Billio from Crystal Palace to Dundee.
Magri is to take on a specially created role at the club acting as link man between the Bonettis and the Dark Blues board as well as dealing with administrative matters on behalf of the new coaching set up.
The Bonettis contracts with Dundee will not commence until July 10, the day after those of Scott and his number two Jimmy Bone expire.
The pair are currently still con-tracted to Italian fifth division amateurs Sestresse who would want compensation to release them early in any case.
18/5: Bonetti lines up his 1st signing before he even has the job.The man set to join the Dens Park club is Georgian international captain Georgi Nemsadze.
The once £1.5 million-rated Nemsadze, who was formerly with Grasshoppers Zurich, has played for four different teams in Georgia (Lokomotiv Tblisi), Russia and Ukraine since last November. He had been without a club after leaving Reggiana in the summer of 1999 following their relegation from Italys Serie A.
Two months ago he played a trial for Hibs, turning out for their under-21 side against Kilmarnock.
He admitted, though, that he sees linking up with the Dark Blues as a stepping stone to a move across the Border."I am looking forward to joining my new team in early July but I would love to play in the English Premier League some day"
The 28-year-old, who has made 49 appearances for his country, has agreed in principle to sign a three-year contract and will meet his new teammates for the first time when pre-season training gets under way.
21/5: The managerial reign of Jocky Scott and Jimmy Bone came to an end yesterday-but Dundees 12-year quest for a league victory over Aberdeen at Dens goes on. This was a far from fitting conclusion to Scotts highly successful tenure even if Dundee Uniteds loss to Celtic meant the Dark Blues have, for the second year running, finished higher up table than their local rivals. Instead, in reflecting upon his last match in charge and the campaign overall, the departing boss had a dig at the Dens Park board and threw down a ``beat that'' challenge to them and his successor Ivano Bonetti.
"We set out to consolidate in the league and we have done that comfortably. We set out to get a minimum 40 points and weve done that too. Now theres only room for improvement so well see what happens.
"I wasnt emotional at the end because I have known for weeks that I was out. It would have been different if I was walking away-but not when Ive been sacked."
"I fully understand these sort of things happen in football. It would though be nice to know why, but no-one has told me why."
Dundee director Jim Connor said, ``As we have said before we thank Jocky and Jimmy for their efforts on behalf of Dundee Football Club and if one or both of them get fixed up with other positions then everyone at Dens will be very pleased for them". As Scott and Bone head for the exit door it seems however, they may not necessarily be followed by striker James Grady, whose contract is also at an end.
Gradys agent Raymond Sparkes and the club are still nowhere near to agreeing terms-but following fresh developments yesterday the player, who threw his shirt and boots into the Bobby Cox stand at the end of the game in what looked like a parting gesture, revealed that he has not given up on extending his stay at Dens.
Click icon to hear Jockys side of events >
30/6: The squad heads off to Italy for a pre-season training camp.
01/7: Dundees total trip yesterday took over 12 hours in total-to be as popular as worldwide favourite Lake Garda, their Borno base with its snowcapped peaks overlooking sylvan valleys nevertheless is sure to provide a stunning backdrop for the Dark Blues work-outs.
Of more value to Bonetti is the effect the 1000-metre height above sea level will have on his players fitness levels.
14/7: Bonetti announces he is poised to sign two strikers currently playing in Paraguay-Juan Sara and Fabian Caballero.
Argentinians Fabian Caballero (22) and Juan Sara (24), both currently playing their football in Paraguay, were in talks with Dark Blues manager Ivano Bonetti at the clubs training camp high in the Italian Alps.
19/07: Dundees championship success of 1962 is among the many highlights celebrated in the clubs first ever official video, launched today at Dens Park.
21/7: Dundee fans are snapping up season tickets in anticipation of the new season, with the 4000 barrier broken for the first time in 15 years. Amazimgly this figure was only 700 when the Marrs took control at Dundee FC
22/7: The Dark Blues record a 2-2 draw against Bonetti's former club Grimsby in a friendly, with Nemsadze scoring a ``wonder'' goal. Nemsadze, the 50-times capped skipper of his national side, picked up the ball wide on the right in the 63rd minute he twisted first one way then the next, leaving three Grimsby defenders in his wake before placing a shot inches inside the post.
``It was a beautiful goal and one which showed great personal skill,'' said Bonetti. ``We have known that Georgi is a very good player indeed for some time now and that illustrated why.
05/08 DUNDEE STRIKER Juan Sara's message that ``Jesus Loves You'' was delivered on a day of worship at Dens Park that saw the club's Italian-inspired renaissance roll on.
The Argentinian's public show of devotion came when he lifted his team shirt to reveal an embla-zoned T-shirt after converting the second of his side's three goals against Dunfermline on Saturday from the penalty spot.
Dens chairman Jimmy Marr was delighted with the backing his team received on Saturday."It was fantastic-just what we have been looking for,'' he said.
"There were around 1100 visit-ing fans so that means there were over 6000 supporting us.It shows you that if you are playing good football then people will come out to watch it.''
20/9: A Sara hat-trick gives Dundee victory in Bonetti's first city derby but the bad news is that Caballero has picked up a serious knee injury.
Hear the views offered by the managers post match by downloading the URLs
< Match report from Radio Scotland
26/9: Supporters worried over who will replace Caballero are stunned to hear the club being linked with Argentinian World Cup legend Claudio Caniggia.
Former Argentinian international striker Claudio Caniggia is due to arrive at Dens Park this morning for signing talks with Dundee. Dark Blues player-boss Ivano Bonetti, in need of a short-term replacement for sidelined front man Fabian Caballero, wants World Cup star Caniggia (33) to sign on until the end of the season.
"Getting Caniggia would be a big thing for us because we are speaking about a world class player,'' said Bonetti."The fact he is coming across to talk to us is I think a positive sign but in attempting to convince him to join us finance will be an important factor so I cannot say for sure that he is going to join the club.''
This is the second time in a matter of months that Bonetti has
attempted to land Cannigia.
Listen as Ivano explains how he finally got his man >
05/10 CLAUDIO CANIGGIA on the pitch, the promise of Diego Maradona in the stands- fantasy football is fast becoming reality for Dundee fans.
From bartering tracksuits for Fife juniors to former World Cup stars in the space of just a few years, one can only wonder where it will all end.
After all the waiting, the biggest signing in the history of the Dens club was yesterday unveiled to a fanfare that eclipsed even that witnessed half a century ago when Billy Steel arrived from Derby County for a Scottish record fee of £23,500, a move that would be worth several million in today's terms.
Scotland star Steel, who had joined Derby from Morton for a world record £15,000 three years earlier, went on to lead the club to back-to-back League Cup wins in 1951 and 1952 and earn himself immortality as the finest player ever to grace the Dark Blue.
In Caniggia, the striker who distinguished himself in the 1990 and 1994 World Cup Finals with Argentina, Dundee boss Ivano Bonetti has no doubt he has captured an equally singular talent.
"I have dreamed of bringing Claudio to this club and today my dream has come true,'' said the smiling Italian as he sat shoulder to shoulder with his new acquisition.
"He is a great champion, a man with a wonderful reputation as a footballer who can do fantastic things not only for Dundee, but for all of Scottish football.
"When people like Caniggia play, everyone watches. Not just Scotland, not just Europe but the whole world, for he is one of the very biggest names the sport has.
"He has come here to help his friends and to help himself for he still has a real desire to play for his country again in the next World Cup."
"This is a huge transfer for us and it is a very positive one which I am sure will make our fans as happy as we are at this moment.''
Fabian Caballero-the man whose knee injury was the catalyst for Dundee's audacious move for Caniggia-has voiced his appreciation for the near 200 messages of good wishes he has received from supporters.
The club's official interpreter Dario Magri said, ``Fabian has asked me to pass on his thanks for the many, many e-mails sent to him since he has been across in Italy. He had not realised just how big a hero he is to them and the thought that they are eager for the time when he will get back in action is a spur to him in his recuperation.
14/10 Dundee travel to Pittodrie in their thousands to witness the debut of world class player Caludio Cannigia. The scene was set for a fairytale and the outcome was just what the visitors had hoped for. Robert Douglas bowing out with a clean sheet, player boss Ivano Bonetti making the breakthrough with the goal of the season, substitute Claudio Caniggia wrapping things up after his side's near 40-minute battle to defend their lead after Gavin Rae's sending off-it just went on and on.
Even the referee's whistle didn't end it, with the sight of Douglas taking a bow to the fans while Caniggia stripped to fling his shirt to a lucky fan capping an astonishing afternoon for the visitors.
``I am very happy, for today was like a dream for us,'' said Bonetti, a smile stretching from ear to ear.To come here and get this result, in this way, it was more than we could have hoped for."
``What happened at the end, with Robert and Claudio, it was a very emotional thing for us to watch. Robert is a great keeper and we are very sad that he is leaving us. If it had been a smaller club who wanted him we could perhaps have persuaded him to stay but when such a big team (Celtic) comes in you have to let them go."
``We wish him well and hope that he is a success, not just with his new side but with his country too.''
Listen to the summing up from Pittodrie >
12/11: More derby day delight for Dundee as they clinch a 2-0 success at Tannadice. Dundee United, (without a win in their last 8 games prior to this latest derby meeting) were given a lesson in finishing by Dundee, who although still short of their best performed better than of late, and but for a goal-line clearance from Fullarton and Alan Combe thwarting Caniggia from close range would have doubled their scoring tally.
Caniggia's counter was a perfect example of how to take advantage of slack defending. Jamie Buchan, operating at sweeper in the suspension- ravaged home defence, tried to control a Barry Smith through ball with his chest but succeeded only in surrendering possession to Willie Falconer whose measured pass the former World Cup star duly drilled past the advancing Combe.
And the Dark Blues 73rd minute clincher saw Georgi Nemsadze apply the perfect finish to a wonderful move, calmly chipping the ball over Combe after Caniggia had opened up the United rearguard for him by backheeling a Javier Artero flick on off another Smith pass into his path.
``I have come close to scoring in many matches for Dundee before but never quite done it and to get my first goal for the club in a derby was very good,'' commented the Georgian international. When I turned towards goal I found I was at a bad angle and the keeper was shutting me down. My only option was to go over his head so that's what I did.''
< DIFFERENT CLASS >
Bonetti's delight at the result was such he leapt on the back of Steven Tweed as they left the pitch at full-time demanding to be carried off shoulder high. But he also admitted to a sense of relief, this result ending a run of three straight defeats.
"It was important to win after our recent results because I didn't want the players' confidence to dip, and we did that thanks to two wonderful goals,'' he said.
"We had unbelievable support today and I was especially pleased to get a victory for the fans. I think this game showed that when my players concentrate we are a difficult team to beat but the major difference between this game and the last three was that we took two of our first three chances.''
By way of an unauthordox thank you to the Dundee fans, Ivano led a small band of players and officials up to a local hostillery after the match, and much to the amazement and delight of the locals were treated to World Cup star Claudio Cannigia taking on the role of barman as he coolly poured a pint from the fonts watched by a bemused Roccatti. A few wives would think their men were still the worst for wear the next morning when the stories were once more recited over the breakfast table.
Even Willie Miller had a decent word or two about Dundees win >
11/12: A training ground bust-up ends in speculation that promising young defender Lee Wilkie has played his last game for Dundee. After over a year in the wilderness, Wilkie returned to first-team duties and even earned a place in the Scotland side.
The Dens boss was reluctant to go into detail about the row.
``This is a club matter and as such will remain private between the player and myself,'' he said. ``I do not intend to make any further comment on the subject.''
It is understood however that Wilkie (20) has been banned even from training with the first-team squad owing to the nature of his participation in a practice match last week.
Central defender Wilkie is believed to have taken it upon himself to play up front during the game and ignored repeated instructions to return to his accustomed role.
When eventually he did step back Bonetti formed the view that he was being less than professional in his approach and so ordered him from the field.
A subsequent attempt by Wilkie to discuss what had occurred was met by a stoney response from Bonetti who advised him that he would be training with the club's under-21s.
8/1/2001: News breaks that Diego Maradona, a close friend of Caniggia's, could be on his way to Dundee to play in an exhibition match. The media were in a frenzy as the rollercoaster takes a huge high but would quickly take a giant tumble after both visa and personal problems emerge to dampen this would be fantasy.
The story makes headlines all over the world and even merits a piece on the childrens TV show Newsround ;¬)
BBC Worldwide talk to Damon Rhind
Gavin Rae is hopefull of the dream
To view part 2 of the Rollercoaster
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