(They all want to wear blue.)

If you’ve been keeping track of the calcio news lately, and if you’ve been able to sort through the transfer rumor free-for-all, you may have noticed a trend. I have, anyway.

It seems that ever since the Euro 2008 qualifiers ended, everybody, their uncle, their agent, their agent’s uncle, their uncle’s agent, and their uncle’s agent’s kitchen sink has been telling the media that they’re gunning for a chance to wear the blue shirt of Italy.

You’d think that there would always be players knocking down the Azzurri coach’s door – and there probably are – but nowadays, they all seem a bit more… vocal. I won’t speculate as to why that’s the case, as there are more possible reasons than one can shake a stick at, but I will take a run through a list of the ragazzi that have been pleading to share the pitch with our campioni, and try to shed some light on whether they have – or should have – a chance.

• Christian Vieri – I see Vieri called “veteran striker” a lot, which leads me to believe that said moniker must be code for “old dude,” because Vieri is, of course, one old dude. (OK. That was a bit harsh.) Really, I’m just trying to say that this “veteran striker” has seen better days. Granted, like most, I love a good comeback story, and an Azzurri return would be one hell of a comeback story… but isn’t his return to Serie A inspiring enough? He may have a work ethic like no other, but the fact is, Italy has strikers coming out of their… you know what. That said, the Azzurri just don’t need Bobo right now, so I am going with NO on this one. Maaaaaayyyybe if (God forbid!) current big man Toni was unable to play, I’d send Vieri in off the bench, but otherwise… well… I’m sorry, Bobo.
• Cristian Molinaro – Well, he pretty much admits that he has no chance at Euro 2008, so the kid’s realistic, at least. At 24, this left back may have a chance some day, but now? Based off of the little I know about him, NO. Not now. Sadly, all I can really tell you about him is that he has been playing for the Old Lady quite a bit, and was capped a crap-ton for Salernitana. (I don’t watch enough Juve to have seen how he’s done when he has played, so maybe someone can shed some light on Mr. Molinaro in the comments section.)
• Rodrigo Taddei – OK. The inclusion of Taddei in this list is actually unfair on my part. See… he’s the only player here that hasn’t opened his mouth; in Taddei’s case, others are doing the talking for him. Actually, Taddei said he doesn’t want a spot on the Azzurri, and instead is waiting for a Brazil call-up, as he’s eligible for both national teams. Regardless, when Gigi Riva offers his endorsement, people tend to listen, and maybe Taddei will too. As for whether or not he should have a spot on the Azzurri (assuming he decides to *not* become a Sith lord [Sorry. Runaway Star Wars reference.]), I say NO. Actually, make that a HELL NO. With all due respect to the esteemed Mr. Riva, Taddei seems more Brazilian than Italian to me, and that just doesn’t mesh well with the whole Azzurri thing. Yeah, I know. I know. Camoranesi was born in Argentina. Camo’s Italian citizenship is through Italian ancestry though, and I couldn’t confirm that Taddei’s is. Besides, there are other worthy midfielders running about the peninsula, no?
• Alex Del Piero – It’s not easy for me to say this about the guy who scored that gorgeous, emotional goal against Germany in ’06, but if I were The Don, I’d say NO, and I’d do so fully aware of the fact that Alex thinks he’s earned a spot. I won’t get into the “why not” here, because I’ve already gone into detail on the matter in a prior post.
• David Di Michele – He’s got six Azzurri caps to his record, but we’d have to look back into the Vieri era to find them. Overall, he’s got a decent track record (illegal gambling episode aside), but as of late (last season, for instance), he hasn’t shown us an edge worthy of the Azzurri. (Nine goals in 28 matches is a decent ratio, I suppose, but compare that to Quagliarella’s six in 14.) I am going with a NO for David, while hoping that he shows us something more. (I’m not holding my breath.)
• Giorgio Chiellini – In a word: YES. Actually, in The Don’s mind, Chiellini is probably a call-up already (having already been capped… and having already scored), but Chiellini says he’s still “aiming” for a spot. (Humility, even when fake, is nice to see. Hear that, Del Piero?) While he’s a bit rough around the edges (i.e. young) at present, I see shades of (the good side of) Matrix in this kid. Actually, let’s just call him Matrix Reloaded, and be done with it, mmmmkay?
• Pippo Inzaghi – Though he’s another “veteran striker,” I’m hesitant to group Pippo with Bobo. (Holy crap. I just realized: Pippo? Bobo? It sounds like they should be furry and purple and singing about ABC’s or something.) Basically, while Bobo is just back from an injury, Pippo has never left; he’s been coming off of the bench, doing his thing – the – entire – time, and always *just* in time for the biggest matches. I realize, however, that Euro 2008 is seven or eight months away (which is a lot of time for a 34 year-old), so despite Pippo’s desire, I say the jury’s still out on this one. Once again, I’ll point out that the Azzurri are facing no striker drought, but on the other hand, nobody has a resume (and a currently growing one at that) like Pippo. Tentative YES.

Five marked NO, and seven marked YES? Hopefully, The Don can thin the pack this easily. Hell – maybe The Don will see this! (Remember that stint he had with the Metrostars? Maybe he speaks English!) Hey! The Don! No Del Piero, OK? Oh – and how ’bout some more Quagliarella or Di Natale?

• Update: Oh man… Did I actually forget Antonio Cassano? I don’t even need to think about this one: NO. Everyone is keen on pointing out what an outstanding talent Cassano is, but while he’s still acting like a baby, there’s no way I’d include him. Look – one of the most endearing things about the ’06 World Cup team was their group mentality; it was about the greater good, not about the individual. Lippi knew that Cassano could disrupt that cohesion, as the striker has shown us recently, so Lippi was wise enough to keep him off of the squad. I REALLY hope that The Don does the same, at least while Cassano’s moments of sanity are the exception rather than the rule.

Categories: Azzurri, Euro 2008
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(The News – Week 15)

[I'm going away this weekend, so please excuse today's brevity/format!]

Alright, we’re still not quite halfway through the Serie A season, but we’re getting there.  Of course, that means we’re terribly close to the January transfer window, and as a result, rumors are flying all over the place.  There’s a ton of news (both real and speculative), and I’m going to do what I can to pluck out some of the more interesting (or alarming) pieces. Here goes:

• A while ago, I posted something about a well-known German being considered by Juve. Now, it appears as though Juve may be considering an equally well-known Englishman. Interestingly enough, both are from Chel$ea.  The Channel 4 article claims that “just” £700K is stalling negotiations.  Just? Am I the only one that thinks that’s a lot of money?  Tuttosport seems to think it’s basically a done deal, money aside.
• Boy… it seems that Milan want somebody… anybody from Barcelona. First they’re talking about Zambrotta, then they’re talking about Ronaldinho, then they’re talking about both. Now Eto’s name is being thrown into the pot. My question is, what the hell will Barcelona want in return?  I haven’t read a thing on that. *cough*GiveThemRonaldoForFree*cough*
• This next one is being filed under “F’n alarming.” Lippi is being linked to the vacant England coaching position, and Corriere Della Sera is stating that he’s already “said yes.” In the past, Lippi has shunned talk of a trip to England, stating that it would be impractical due to the language barrier.  Here though, it seems like he’s wanted badly. I mean… Mourinho and Capello visited the FA, but the FA is sending a guy out to Lippi.  Please, England… with all due respect, kindly look within your own borders.
• This isn’t a transfer rumor [collective sigh of relief], but I found it interesting: Quagliarella says he’s not going to celebrate if he scores in this weekend’s Udinese v. Sampdoria match.  I think it’s a fair gesture, but it’s also easier said than done.
• OK. This last one has slid under the radar of plenty of news outlets… either that, or they just don’t care: Real Madrid wants Mutu and Vucinic.  It sounds to me that Roma aren’t in too much danger of losing Vuci; Lecce and Roma co-own him, and Lecce is being pretty good about warning big-brother Roma about Real’s prying eyes.  Mutu, on the other hand… 17M plus Diarra? Hmmm…

Categories: Fiorentina, Juventus, Milan, Roma, Sampdoria, transfers, Udinese
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(Empoli? Are you joking?)

Call the neighbors! Wake the family! Empoli, who are currently hanging out at the very bottom of the Serie A table with a goal differential of -13 (as in negative 13), have defeated Juventus in a Coppa Italia match!

To be fair to Juventus, I should note that A) the Bianconeri were without Buffon, Camoranesi, Trezuguet, Nedved, Chiellini, and Zanetti (although Del Piero and Palladino were started), and B) Empoli will probably receive a beat down like no other when the two teams face eachother in the January 16 return leg in Turin.

Nonetheless, congratulations to Empoli, who will henceforth be taken a little more seriously.

Capello to England?

Those visiting serieAmerica from the UK (and yes, there are some who do so regularly) probably know more about this next gem than do I.

I thought that after their last non-English coach, the FA had learned its lesson, but apparently, they’re still courting a non-Englishman for the vacant spot at the helm of the English National Team.

Anyway, I am surprised to see that Capello is still in the running for the job; I expected the English to pick one of their own for the post this time around.

What’s the deal, my English friends? Do you seriously want Capello?  While he’s a good coach, I didn’t think he was your type, especially after Sven!

Categories: Coppa Italia, Empoli, Juventus
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(Angry for a Good Reason)

Napoli’s starting ‘keeper, Gennaro Iezzo is less than happy, and rightfully so, perhaps. He has apparently caught wind of rumors concerning possible Napoli interest in Marco Amelia. According to his agent, Iezzo isn’t exactly “jumping for joy,” although I haven’t seen anything to indicate that Iezzo is considering an exit, as the Channel 4 Italia headline suggests.

While it’s true that Iezzo has had his bad matches, most notably this past weekend versus Atalanta, he and backup ‘keeper Gianello were at the top of their respective games earlier this season, to the point where I was sure that both of them would eventually be bound for squads with deeper pockets. That said, I hope Napoli aren’t actually considering Amelia; it’s possible that Iezzo hasn’t fully recovered from an injury sustained early in the season, and he may just need a bit more time. If that’s the case, Gianello is fully capable to man the door.

In other news…

(Since January is just around the corner, I’m rounding up some of the more credible transfer rumors.)

• Zambrotta to Milan – As if Milan didn’t already have a good defense, they’re going to get Zambrotta? This is pretty big.
• Shevchenko to Juve… or Milan – I’d rather see him return to the red and black, but it’s been said that Milan has reserved the spot for Pato.
• Lucarelli to Torino – This much is true: he’s not staying in the Ukraine; I’d bet on that.

Last but not least, did anybody read about the WWE-style feud involving the Cagliari players? If Cagliari has any prayer of challenging Roma today, they’ll need to get over this.

(Update: Cagliari management has dealt with the situation.)

Categories: Cagliari, Napoli, transfers
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While it’s true that Fiorentina lost to Inter 2-0 at Stadio Artemio Franchi on Sunday, since then, the Viola players and fans (Ultras, actually) alike have been receiving nothing but praise… and for very good reason.

Fiorentina’s coach, Cesare Prandelli returned to the Viola bench this weekend following the loss of his beloved wife, and out of respect, supporters tossed white roses onto the pitch and observed a minute of silence. The most touching gesture however, came from the Fiorentina Ultras, who unveiled this banner:

The English translation of the banner is, “Time will lessen the pain, but if you need her, look to the sky… her star will guide you forever and take you far.”

Prandelli acknowledged the outpouring of support with the following statement:

I would like to thank, on behalf of myself and my family, the Fiorentina fans and the whole city of Florence for their extraordinary tribute, civility and sense of respect shown in these last few days.

As if that wasn’t enough good will for one match, there was a display on-field as well, when the home squad lined up at the exit tunnel and applauded Inter off of the pitch. So well received was the Viola’s exemplary act of class, that the Lega Calcio president is volleying for the custom, which is normally seen after rugby matches, to be observed at all Serie A and Serie B matches.

For showing such respect and excellent sportsmanship on the field and in the stands, Fiorentina should be commended. Brava, Fiorentina, for setting such a meaningful and timely example! May all of calcio follow your lead!

Categories: Fiorentina
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(France. Again. – The Euro 2008 Draw)

The Euro 2008 draw was held today, and the last thing that I expected to happen did.

Specifically, our Azzurri must face France. Again. Anyway, here’s Italy’s group:

Group C

• Holland
• Italy
• Romania
• France

It’s already widely being called “The Group of Death,” and for once, I’m not disagreeing. Three major European sides (and one side known for playing like a major European side from time to time) have been drawn into what may be the tournament’s most difficult group.

Of course, the main story here is that the paths of Italy and France have crossed yet again, so let’s get that out of the way right now: This is a fantastic opportunity. Yes, you read that correctly. Although I am not looking forward to hearing about Domenech’s ridiculous comments, and while I understand that France’s very presence greatly complicates getting through to the next stage, I am looking at the June 21st match with France in particular as a chance to put some debates to bed.

Let me explain: Immediately following the 2006 World Cup, some contended that Italy did not deserve to win the tournament. On top of that, some actually argued that France was the better team in the final match, implying that the title was somehow stolen from Les Bleus. It seemed to be fate then, that placed Italy in France’s Euro 2008 qualifying group, which warranted a match in September, 2006 – right on the heels of the Azzurri’s victory in Germany.

Of course, Italy lost in Paris to a French team with something to prove – in front of 78,000 screaming Parisians. On the surface, that loss seemed to give credibility to the claims that France was the better team (although a look at Italy’s track record of not playing at its best until their backs are against the wall paints a more complete picture), and served to give the French a warm and fuzzy feeling. Subsequently, with a bit more motivation behind them, Italy welcomed France to Milan for a 2007 rematch which ended up in a bad-blooded, scoreless draw.

Had Italy emerged victorious from the tie in Milan, it would have gone far in silencing the critics who still maintain that France is the better team… but when an under-pressure France put 10 men behind the ball, the fate of the match was sealed. That leads us to today, with a June 21st meeting set – and another chance to prove that Azzurri are superior to Bleus – another fantastic opportunity to show the rest of Europe what Azzurri tifosi already know.

Bbbb…but what about the other two teams?

Romania. In four words: This won’t be easy. As if it wasn’t enough to have drawn France, Italy must face the nation of Gheorghe Hagi, a historically on-and-off force that seems to be set to “on” right… about… now. With a bunch of players from the Romanian league, it may be tempting to overlook Romania, but Chivu (from Inter) and Mutu (from Fiorentina) have led their country to the very top of their qualifying group. If that’s not some street cred, I don’t know what is.

Holland. (a.k.a. The Netherlands, a.k.a. The Oranje) Holy damn, can these guys ever pass! The last time Italy played them, it was in a friendly under Lippi which the Azzurri won 3-1, but don’t get a false sense of security from that result; Holland has improved since the last World Cup, and the squad is experienced, as always. With van Nistelrooy and Seedorf heading up their front line and midfield, respectively, they play a dangerously technical game to rival that of the Azzurri. The fact that Italy open their campaign against Holland makes them that much more dangerous (given the Italian tradition of being a little too relaxed until the situation is dire).

The Coaches Respond

To get a feel for the different responses to the draw, I’ve collected some of the comments made by Group C coaches… and much to my surprise, Domenech actually made sense this time:

Continue to the rest of this post… »

Categories: Azzurri, Euro 2008
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(Mancini! Are you afraid?)

Woah, woah, woah! What’s with all of the high-profile matches in Week 14? With each of the top five squads facing each other (or Milan), you’d think that we were in some kind of a knockout stage!

Tonight, it’s Juventus at Milan, while tomorrow, Inter visit Fiorentina and Udinese travel to Roma. Now – with those fixtures in mind – take a peek at the upper quarter of the table:

• Inter – 28 pts
• Roma – 25 pts
• Juventus – 25 pts
• Udinese – 25 pts
• Fiorentina – 24 pts

(That’s how it looks as of today, prior to tonight’s Juve – Milan match.)

As you can see, Inter’s situation is a little… shall we say… tight?

It wouldn’t be surprising then, if the Nerazzurri coach, Roberto Mancini, was feeling a bit of pressure.

What is be a surprise, however, is the fact that he has decided to verbally undermine Fiorentina’s credentials as a Scudetto contender.

Yep. His exact words were as follows:

“It will be a very difficult match and we need a great performance to overcome this obstacle.”

“Over the years they will become a great side. Although not Scudetto contenders now because with a lot of young players there can be a lack of consistency, if they remain united for a number of years then they can create a winning cycle.”

Roberto, you do realize that up until two weeks ago, Fiorentina were the only squad undefeated in Serie A play (other than Inter, of course), right?

At least he acknowledges that Inter face a difficult test, but his suggestion that Fiorentina “will become a great side… if they remain united for a number of years” doesn’t quite sit right with me.

News flash: Fiorentina are one of the best sides in Calcio, Mancini, and they’re “great” enough to be right on your a**.

His comments make even less sense on the eve of a match in which Inter will be without Vieira, Toldo, and Figo, while the Viola are getting back Ujfalusi, Gamberini, and Pasqual. Not only that, but it’s an away match for Inter, and as of late, when Inter doesn’t win, it’s been outside the protection of the San Siro.

So, is Mancini just trying to wind Fiorentina up, or is this how his fear of finally losing has manifested itself? I say it’s the latter, and I truly hope the Viola can bring the Nerazzurri down a notch.

By the way, I would just like to point out that I didn’t call them ArgentInter anywhere in the post above… but now I need to get it out of my system, so here goes: ArgentInter! A-R-G-E-N-T-I-N-T-E-R, as in Argentina + Inter = ArgentInter!  Now go out and get some Italian players, damnit!  Freakin’ ArgentInter! Damn!

Now I feel better.

Categories: Fiorentina, Inter
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