You can listen to the full interview with Franco Parisi on the Tier Two Talk podcast HERE.
The knockout stages of the Australian Championship get underway tonight, and the competition's first-ever quarter-final has the makings of being the competition's finest game yet.
Wests APIA and the Marconi Stallions will meet for the fifth time this season, 92nd all-time. Though most importantly, the famous Derby D’Italia will be back on the national stage under the lights in Sydney’s Inner West, which will mark another highlight in these two historic clubs.
The head coach of West APIA, Franco Parisi, has had a connection to the club from Leichhardt spanning over 30 years. During that time, Parisi started and ended his playing career, began his managerial career, won countless team and individual trophies, but most importantly, learnt about what it means to represent the 71-year-old Italian club.
“The age of 10 through to 15, that's where I was [playing], and that's where I fell in love with the club, understanding the passion, the pride, the history and what it means, and you start getting that competitive blood flow through you,” Parisi said.
“The only reason I left at that stage is that I went on to join a team that was still participating in the National Soccer League.”
But after eight years away from his boyhood club, there was only one club Pariris wanted to return to.
“I was at a stage where I probably wasn't where I expected to be professionally, and I decided to step away professionally. And I called APIA, and I said, I want to come home,” Parisi said. “And that's probably me emphasising that it was home, even though I hadn't been there for so long, it was coming home.”
Parisi admits, though, that this feeling and attachment to APIA not only flows within himself but through the club's involvement in the Australian Championship, people are once again feeling the pride of being involved with the former national champions.
“The location, the community is fantastic, but it's just something about the connection people find with this club,” Parirsi said.
“[At the Australian Championship games] I'm seeing faces that I haven't seen for a long time, and that's when it shows me that it's in there. They still can't deny the love and care they have for the club.”
Having already versed Marconi four times this season, twice in the NPL, once in the Preliminary rounds of the Australia Cup and most recently in the NPL NSW finals series. There is a sense of familiarity between these two rivals; however, this Friday will be uncharted territory, and with so much more than a semi-final spot on the line, both sides will not be focusing on what has already unfolded but on what is ahead.
“This Friday just feels like something special. It doesn't feel like we're just playing Marconi,” Parisi said.
“It is not your typical APIA vs Marconi. It's heightened, times whatever number you want to multiply it by, and the nation is watching.”
The last time these two clubs faced on the national stage at Leichardt Oval was December 7th 1991, in APIA's last season in the NSL. In front of 3688 spectators, it was Marconi who picked up the 1-0 win with Soccerross Andy Harper scoring the lone goal for the Stallions that day.
Now 12,403 days later, the Derby d’Italia will return to Leichhardt Oval on the national stage. With five national championships between the two clubs, the winner of Friday night's quarterfinal will progress on in the Championship. Still in hope of being one of the teams playing on the first weekend of December, and the hope to claim national glory once again.
“It's just perfect. A local ground in the inner west, within the CBD distance, it's going to attract all those football lovers. That really just want to see the best that football can offer in a knockout game,” Parisi said.