The Genova International School of Soccer provides opportunities for outstanding young soccer players in Europe, North and South America, and Australia to develop a soccer career to international standard.

The school is based in Ovada, in Piedmonte, northern Italy, in a recently built fully equipped sports complex, and offers the right balance of an elite training regime and a healthy lifestyle. The complex includes indoor tennis courts, a basketball stadium, and a gym, and can accommodate up to 60 people at any one time. Detailed images of the centre can be viewed here.

Ramon Turone, Bruno Conti, and Morris Pagniello, Roma, March 2006

GISS operates in an autonomous capacity as it is not controlled by any official organisation or governing body. GISS maintains close relationships with key clubs and personnel across Europe.

The Genova International Academy currently trains players five days per week in Melbourne, Australia, with the purpose of developing professional players for the European market and in future to feed into the Australian A-league. In the past eighteen months GISS has held five AS Roma clinics in Melbourne, establishing the brand in Australia and generating much publicity in Europe.

In 2007, Genova International director Morris Pagniello arranged for Australian players to particiapte in games against top Italian clubs and saw four teams travel to Italy to play games against seria A and B teams interested in talented young Australian players. Of these Australians, seven players have been successfully signed to professional clubs.

Activities for 2008 include three Australian AS Roma campuses in the early part of the year, two AS Roma campuses in Asia, three coaching courses and overseas coaching tours, and four Australian team tours. Morris is also negotiating major events in collaboration with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Australia for Italian serie A teams to come to Australia and Asia for exhibition games against the Hyundai A-league Teams. Morris has also negotiated the exclusive distribution rights to AS Roma merchandising for Australasia.

As of September 2008, Morris Pagniello and the famous Gigi Maifredi - Juventus 1st team coach in the 80's and 90s' - are to jointly open a new football academy. Gigi Maifredi is one of Italy's major icons in the football world. The Maifredi family management group will also be GISS's Fifa agents for Italy. Christian Maifredi visited Australia in January, 2008 and met with Gabriela Priolo (GISS Australian Administrative Director) and Joe De Martino (Head Coach, GISS) to discuss future plans for the Australian academy.

An agreement has also been formalised between Morris Pagniello and AS Roma's famous 1st team player Alessandro Mancini, for Genova International School of Soccer to be represented by the Mancini family in Brazil. This will allow the exchange of players between Brazil, Italy & Australia.

GISS has operations in Holland, France, Switzerland, Brazil, Canada, Singapore and Australia.

In order to enhance players' competitive standards, Genova International has established Melbourne Phoenix FC, officially affiliated with AS Roma Calcio, to compete in the Victorian Football Federation state competition. Currently fielding 3 junior boys teams - under 12, under 14, and under 18 - Melbourne Phoenix aims to establish a junior girls team for 2009.

Genova International will also field junior teams in European and Asian competitions as Melbourne International FC.

Aims of GISS

• To provide a professional approach to training
• To provide professional standard technical knowledge
• To raise the standards of players to compete at an elite or professional level
• To create a bridge for Australian soccer players to access European teams
• To place players in professional or semi-professional teams throughout Europe