The Official Azzurri thread

[juventino_italiano]

[p_maldini_3]

[stefano]

[maro]

[Tonigol]

[juventino_italiano]

[marco]

[marco]

[vtec]

[maro]

[RomaShield27]

SKIPPER UPBEAT ABOUT ITALY CHANCES



Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro remains confident the Azzurri will deliver when it matters despite a 1-0 defeat to Spain in Wednesday's international friendly.

It was Cannavaro who was at fault for the only goal of the game in Elche. His poor clearance allowed Valencia striker David Villa to fire home the winner against the world champions with 13 minutes to go.

He said: "This defeat hurts because when you create chances and you do not score it is a pity.

"You can only applaud a goal like Villa's. We are not machines and we do make mistakes, although I did not expect that my clearance would be met by a fine volley."

The Real Madrid defender is convinced this setback will not affect the Italians, who aim to follow up their World Cup triumph with the title at Euro 2008.

He said: "It was a good performance. We played a very good game and we have proved we are a solid team that can play against anyone. The important thing is to bounce back. This was a friendly and official games are a different story."

Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni is also upbeat about Italy's chances in the summer and believes his side are on track to arrive in Austria and Switzerland in top form.

He said: "There are games in which you are unable to score. But you cannot throw away the good work we have done. It is not easy to come to Spain and give a good performance and we have done just that.

"I think Spain were fortunate to win but we showed that we are a strong outfit. We have lost this game but we are nevertheless optimistic."

Roberto Donadoni4s side face a tough task if they are to add the European title to their world crown, after being grouped with Holland, France and Romania in the finals of Euro 2008.

Italy, who beat France on penalties to win the World Cup in Berlin two years ago and also faced Les Bleus in qualifying, will meet them again in their last Group C match in Zurich on June 17.

Toni added: "We want to play a great European tournament. We will try to do well, we are all focused on having a great tournament. We are aware of our potential and the fact that we are a great group."

Donadoni has yet to renew his contract with the Italian Football Federation, which ends after Euro 2008, leading to speculation that World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi could return to guide the Azzurri, having stepped down shortly after the success in Germany.

But Toni does not believe Donadoni4s future will interfere with the team's preparations.

He said: "We have full confidence in our coach. We are all rowing in the same direction and want to do well at this summer4s tournament. That is the coach and the team's main focus right now."

[Amantino Mancini]

[RomaShield27]

Donadoni retains faith

SkySports.com – 29th March 2008

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) insist they are fully behind coach Roberto Donadoni ahead of this summer's European Championship.

Questions have been raised as to whether Donadoni's tenure as Italy's coach will be extended beyond Austria and Switzerland, with talks about an extension having been postponed until after the finals.

Donadoni had hoped to have his future sorted before the tournament but is now facing an uncertain summer as speculation over his tenure continues to cause a stir in Italy.

FIGC president Giancarlo Abete is adamant that he retains total belief in Donadoni and is confident of a bright European Championship for the Azzurri.

Close relations

"The priority is with the current coach and we will continue until June to keep a close relationship with Donadoni," Abete told Rai TV.

"We have two aims; continuity but at the same time we must have alternatives.

"We are ready for this but hope it won't be necessary.

"There is a positive feeling with the coach and the conviction that we can have a good European Championship.

"We postponed everything about this deal but hope we will go a long way together."

[morra10]

Donadoni Tells The Waterboy: You’re Going

According to Il Giornale, Italy national team boss Roberto Donadoni has telephoned Alessandro The Waterboy to tell him that he will be travelling to Euro 2008.

‘The Golden Boy’ had been considered as a huge doubt for the finals in Austria and Switzerland because as well as having not played for Italy since September of last year, it had also been claimed that he did not fit in with Donadoni’s 4-3-3 tactical set-up.

The Waterboy has been in simply stunning form in recent months though, and at the weekend took his Serie A goal tally up to 14 with the opener against Milan.

Yesterday the Italian press united to launch a campaign that the 33-year-old be taken to Euro 2008, and it seems that it may have had some effect.

Il Giornale today claims that Donadoni telephoned The Waterboy to tell him that he will be boarding the plane to Austria and Switzerland.

The coach explained that his absence from the squad to play Spain last month had no bearing on his final 23-man selection as he wanted to take a look at some players he knew less about.

Donadoni is highly unlikely to confirm either way whether he did indeed call The Waterboy, but these reports are sure to delight the legions of fans who are desperate to see the Juve number 10 go.

[Bagg10]

Wednesday 16 April, 2008
Blog: Vote The Waterboy



Panini have already made a space for tender Alex The Waterboy in their Euro 2008 sticker album and James Horncastle thinks Roberto Donadoni should too
The Democratic Party failed to win enough votes to form a government on Sunday and fears are growing that another candidate for Italy’s centre-left, Alessandro The Waterboy, will not be picked for Euro 2008.

How can Roberto Donadoni not select Ale this summer? The 33-year-old, nicknamed Pinturicchio by Juventus’ late patron Gianni Agnelli after the 15th Century Italian painter, is showing all the characteristics of an old master.

In a curious example of life imitating art one could say that Del Piero’s 15th season with the Bianconeri has been a personification of Pinturicchio’s Liberation of a Prisoner, freed from the shackles of Serie B, the Trevignano is hungry and rejuvenated on his return to normal life, back in Italy’s First Division.

The Waterboy has made just six appearances under Donadoni, playing 316 minutes and while I agree that the former Livorno Coach was right not to select him on previous occasions, the time has changed.

Juventus’ talisman has scored 17 goals in all competitions this season, 14 in Serie A and deserves to play a part at some stage in Austria and Switzerland. Putting his current form down to a ‘hunger’ for success, Del Piero’s work-rate, potency, tactical flexibility and above all his experience – he has represented his country 114 times if we take into account his appearances for the Under-17s, U-19s and U21s – are reasons enough for Donadoni to book him on the plane.

His misses in the Euro 2000 Final against France and his squabbles with Marcello Lippi during training at the World Cup two years ago are held up as examples of Del Piero’s difficult relationship and ‘incompatibility’ with the Azzurri. But his detractors should remember it was Ale who scored the winner to take Italy to their sixth Mundial Final and it was the ‘bottler’ himself who coolly stepped up and slotted home one of La Nazionale’s five penalties to win the trophy.

So what is Donadoni’s problem? While The Waterboy often speaks his mind and cuts an outspoken figure in the dressing room one cannot help but class him as a loyal team player. Sometimes it seems Ale is proud but uncomfortable with his status as Juventus’ bandiera, preferring to be a cog, albeit a very large and shiny one, in a well-oiled Bianconero machine.

“I am only a small part of a huge black and white flag that grows with the passing of the years and if each one of you looks closely at it, you will find your own name written on it,â€

[Bagg10]

the guy was doing great until his last paragraph... Aquilani and Chiellini have nothing to do with The Waterboy being called up. and Chiellini(arguably the best italian CB currently) shouldn't go because Panucci and Grosso will provide enough cover?!?! I think not.

[Zoff82]

[marco]

haha, interesting take, dino. probably not all that far off. we'll see over the next 5 games, i guess.

[Bagg10]

[stefano]