The Official Azzurri thread

[Carlo Romano]

Indeed, Bagg! There's constructive criticism and there's crossing the line, two different things entirely.

The whistles, I say, were completely justified. But...I have two questions only this particular group of fans could answer. Were they deliberately going OTT with their insults hoping to give Lippi and the players a "wake up call?" Secondly, if that was the case, then are we to presume they wouldn't have behaved as on Wednesday night, say, a year ago?

I'd like to think that's the case which is what prompted me to say in my above post that Lippi must accept criticism. I too say that doesn't however include telling him to go and fuck himself or that Quagliarella is a piece of shit. In any case we saw something a lot more like the real Quag after our squadra pulled themselves together.

I think we are all agreed that no-one expected or required Lippi to send out a full strength side and demand they score a bucketful of goals. What's sad from my point of view isn't just the fact that I at least don't know whether it was our team's pride and self belief which prompted the fightback or just a reaction to strong discontent from the tifosi in the Stadio Tardini, some of it unacceptable.

The real bummer for me is in knowing our team and coach had enough ability to have never let those circumstances arise in the first place.

[Bagg10]

I don't know Carlo... It's kind of hard for to imagine the fans having a meeting on how they're going to psychologically condition Lippi into calling up the players they want, or to give them a wake up call. I agree with Perotta, that the tifosi are spoiled. That being said, Lippi is stubborn and should be more open minded when it comes to criticism and player call ups.

[Bagg10]

[p_maldini_3]

fuck zarate, bring cassano...

[RomaShield27]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QixzsXsiO64

How about Cassano and Pazzini yesterday...? Watch the highlights, they were ripping it up all over the shop, brilliant performances. Its getting to the stage of criminal proportions that these two are not the starting forwards for the Azzurri, and I'd even go so far as to say Lippi should be fired immediately and replaced with a man who picks the best players first and worries about his own reputation later.

[morra10]

[marco]

[Bagg10]

[red]

Possibly.

Either Santon or Criscito should be starting at fullback, but it would be risky to start both of them.

[Carlo Romano]

Ed, it's very rare that a national team manager of note would be fired so close to a major tournament. I'm trying to think of an example and am struggling. Wasn't Eriksson brought in to replace Taylor, England's stand in coach after Kevin Keegan's dismal results had put their World Cup 2002 qualification at risk? But that was around a year or slightly more before Sth.Korea/Japan.

Lippi won't be fired but he will stand down after Sth Africa. I keep saying I'm certain we'll see a much better Italy at Euro 2012. The new faces, players and coach, will have settled in by then.

[RomaShield27]

Canna: Nesta, Italy needs you!

Tuesday 27 October, 2009

Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro has revealed how he would like to try and convince Milan defender Alessandro Nesta to come out of international retirement. Nesta called time on his international career in 2006 after the World Cup in Germany when his chronic back problems really started in earnest.

The 33-year-old has only recently returned to full fitness and is currently the best defender in Serie A by some distance. He scored both goals in Milan's 2-1 win over Chievo at the weekend and was excellent at the Bernabeu against Real Madrid.

Writing in La Stampa, Cannavaro expressed his displeasure at Nesta's decision not to re-enter the international fold.

“I respect it and I understand it. He has been out for a year. He was afraid of having to stop and the memories of the last World Cup [in which he was injured and replaced by Marco Materazzi] are not good, seeing that he was almost always hurt,â€

[Bagg10]

-----------------------------Buffon

Zambo/Santon-------Canna-----Chiellini------Grosso




------------De Rossi----------Gattuso/Marchisio/Palombo



Cammo-----------------Pirlo------------------------Giovinco


-------------------------Pazzini

[RomaShield27]

[Bagg10]

[quote]'Ugly story' keeps Cassano out
Wednesday 4 November, 2009
Sampdoria President Riccardo Garrone has revealed how an “ugly storyâ€

[juventino_italiano]

Cassano screwed Lippi's wife or daughter ... didnt he?

[tonykart]

[stefano]

[RomaShield27]

Or else Lippi tried to 'have his way' with Cassano in the showers or something when he was younger 'cos he thought Cassano, being a headcase and messed up kid that he was, wouldn't know what was going on and so he'd get away with it, but Casanno refused, and so they haven't spoke since?

[Bagg10]

My friend who just got back from Italy told me that the rumor out there is that Cassano and Lippi's son ( I think his name is Davide), don't get along, and it has something to do with that.

[marco]

so maybe davide lippi's wife / girlfriend. it wouldnt surprise me in the slightest if there was any real substance behind the rumours that are coming out in the past couple of days. from what i can see, it has to be personal since i dont recall of any situation where the two have crossed paths professionaly. another thought i had is that maybe cassano was somehow involved in the gea situation....maybe he testified against lippi's son?