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| | Wednesday 7 May, 2008 | | Blog: Kaiser Toni | | After blasting his way out of lower League anonymity Luca Toni has become football’s usual suspect when it comes to smashing and grabbing goals. But who, asks James Horncastle, is Kaiser Toni? |  |  | | The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist, explains Kevin Spacey in the 1995 film, The Usual Suspects. Luca Toni did just that. Seven of his 14 seasons as a professional were spent in Serie B and C1 at nondescript clubs like Fiorenzuola and Lodigiani.
His mentor there, Alberto Cavasin said of the 6ft 3in, 14 stone giant: “At youth level his physique helped him while in the first team it penalised him.” Toni was called Tortellino at school because of his rotund figure which called to mind the puffy meat-filled pasta and, despite scoring his first goal in Serie A when he was 23 back in 2000, it was not until he joined Palermo in 2003 that the heavyweight scorer we know came into being.
On Sunday, the 30-year-old celebrated his first Bundesliga title, the third trophy he has won with Bayern Munich since joining them in the summer from Fiorentina. His 39 goals in all competitions for club and country this season takes his tally to 148 in his last five seasons.
The former Vicenza and Brescia striker is arguably the best centre-forward on the planet, likened to legendary German striker Gerd Müller by Bayern Munich fans, he spirits into the box like a phantom, wreaks havoc like a poltergeist and then celebrates his goals with a smile not too dissimilar from that worn by Casper the friendly ghost, pulling his hand to his ear, gyrating it, as if to say: “Did you hear that?”
Watching Toni develop over the years has been a real pleasure, especially given that we are now living in a world which expects instant success and isn’t willing to patiently nurture raw talent. That, if anything, is credit to the Italian coaching system, which looks to cultivate and encourage players over time. One wonders whether a late bloomer like Toni would have been given so many chances in England.
People can relate to Toni in a way they cannot with other modern footballers like Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi who are born champions. One gets the impression that Toni has had to work hard at his game, learning gradually where to run and how to exploit an opportunity to the best of his abilities. Fans respect this – it’s familiar to how most people live their lives on a daily basis.
That’s why – despite spending no more than two seasons at each of the 10 clubs he has played for – supporters adore him. A down-to-earth journeyman – albeit now earning £153,000 a week – who won the European Golden Boot and the World Cup at 29, becoming only the seventh man in Serie A history to score more than 30 goals in a single season and a Fiorentina record holder.
Another Florentine, Niccolò Machiavelli, believed it was impossible to be both loved and feared, but Luca Toni is proving otherwise and long may it continue.
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