By Jordan Jones and Tom Pritchard
The San Siro, Stadio delle Alpi and the Stadio Olimpico are just a few of the grounds that World Cup winner and new Bangor City boss Pedro Pasculli has graced.
A ten-year playing career saw Pasculli play in front of crowds of over 70,000 on a number of occasions during his time in Italy. He was also an unused substitute at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico, which saw Argentina beat West Germany 3-2 in front of a crowd of 114,600 to win the 1986 World Cup.
But now, the former Argentinian international will take to Cae’r Delyn, the home of Gwynedd League outfit Nefyn United.
Nefyn’s ground name translates from Welsh to ‘Harp Fort’. The name came from when the ground was bought from a farmer in 1982. The shape of Caer Delyn once resembled a harp, which allowed the farmer to continue a farming tradition of giving a field a name.
Already Nefyn have produced two Cup shocks, beating higher opposition in Llandudno Amateurs and Mynydd Llandegai, and are now preparing to take on one of Welsh football’s most well-known names.
Alan Jones, part of a three-man managerial set-up at the club, is looking forward to testing himself against Pasculli, while maintaining that there will be no room for sentiment once the whistle blows.
“It will be great to welcome a World champion to Cae’r Delyn. Being a bit older than the other two (managers), the 1986 World Cup is the first one that really made an impression on me.
“The Azteca Stadium, that shadow on the pitch when Maradona danced through England’s defence was well worth staying up for on a school night.
“It will be nice meeting him, but on Saturday we’ve got a job to do. We must focus on the task in hand to put in a performance against Bangor City.”
Jones, who is still registered as a player in case of emergencies, admits that the composition of the clubs coaching staff is “different”, but explains that it “just works”.
“We’re different personalities with different attributes”, he said. “Steve (Jones) and Carl (Jones) are still vital members of the team as well as being managers.
“My role is to help prolong their playing careers from the sideline as they transition into management. Even though we compliment each other in different ways, we’ve still got the same goal of playing positive, attacking football that both players and supporters can enjoy.
“We must be doing something right as there is a great feel-good factor around the club, with more people coming through the gate.
“Whatever happens on Saturday, we’re confident that we’re doing the right things to develop our team.”
Jones, a goalkeeper in his playing days, recognises the changes that Saturday’s opponents have gone through in recent years, while insisting how tough an assignment they have ahead of them.
“This is a very different Bangor City these days. Obviously they’re going to be big favourites as a Cymru North side, one which should really be in the Cymru Premier.
“This makes it the biggest test we’ve had in the early days of our managerial careers, but it’s one that we’re certainly looking forward to.”
(Featured Image: Peter Miles)
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