The Official Azzurri thread

[RomaShield27]

Lippi rules out Juve return
Saturday 25 April, 2009 – http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_ ... pr25h.html

Marcello Lippi has said he will “certainly notâ€

[Messinterista]

Maldini rejects Italy farewell offer

AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini has turned down the chance to make a one-off comeback for Italy in their friendly with Northern Ireland on June 6.

The 40-year-old, who will retire at the end of the season, ended his international career in 2002 after collecting a record 126th cap.

"No, I will not play a farewell game with the national team," said Maldini in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I would like to thank the federation for expressing an interest.

"But I prefer to leave football with an official match because I am not a fan of farewell games."

The veteran defender will play his last game at Fiorentina on May 31, bringing to an end a 24-year career in Italy's top flight.

"I am living these last few games of my career in a calm way," said Maldini.

"I am preparing for my farewell from football without any regrets after almost 25 years in football.

"A different life awaits me."

Source: http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/italy/ma ... er-186242/

[p_maldini_3]

[RomaShield27]

[juventino_italiano]

[Carlo Romano]

Don Marcello knows the score, guys...

He can see our Azzurri doing better in the 2012 Euros than in Sth Africa 2010, once our young hopefuls have matured and are most likely under someone else's guidance! All being good, we have a number of bright rising stars, ex Azzurrini who know each other's game well by having played together!

It won't surprise me if our makeshift Azzurri do better in the Confederations Cup than at the biggie next year. Yes, I expected Lippi to do exactly as he says, give the prospects a call and some of the on-form guys like Di Vaio who won't be picked for the World Cup.

I don't think somehow Cassano will figure even at the Confederations Cup unless Lippi reckons it'll be an ideal goodwill gesture...a way to shut some people up, and show there's nothing personal in the fact he won't call lo scugnizzo barese for the World Cup. Metaphorically throwing the dog a bone...

[tonykart]

Italy: Mascara yes, Cassano no

There are eight debutants for the Northern Ireland friendly, including Giuseppe Mascara, but Antonio Cassano is snubbed in the Confederations Cup.

Marcello Lippi had said he would “perform a few miraclesâ€

[RomaShield27]

I never thought I'd say this but Lippi has lost it and has to go. He is losing his marbles and is doing more damage than good at this stage. Yes, all Italians love him and he done great to win the WC blah blah, but enough, still refusing to call up Cassano is just petty and ridiculous.

[tonykart]

[juventino_italiano]

[tonykart]

[juventino_italiano]

[ricky2882]

[Carlo Romano]

Ed, when we want to, you talk sense and so do I.

But...we will have to agree to disagree on two points: Cassano's exclusion and Lippi being past his sell by date as coach. Like you, I too do not believe Lippi will lead Italia to any more greatness but my reasoning is different. I stand by my opinion of him knowing in advance his era as Azzurri CT is going the same way as Enzo Bearzot's did. I try to read between the lines when I watch him interviewed. Forget the technicalities, it's not working for him with the group of players he thought were his best which is why he now looks for options. He has publicly stated Italy has a bright future with so many rising young stars and he rates their chances (without him) at Euro 2012 highly. On Cassano I'd rather let professionals like Garganese, Stanco, and Perticari present what are also many of my thoughts...


[quote][size=84]Goal.com Italia’s chief editor, Sergio Stanco, and deputy editor, Daniele Perticari, offer their opinions on whether Cassano should have been called, and also just why Lippi refuses to give the ex-Roma livewire a chance.

Does Antonio Cassano deserve to be called?

Sergio Stanco: I don’t like to judge a player based just on television or highlights. If you only see Cassano like this, then yes he deserves the call. However, what does he do when he doesn’t have the ball? Does he help his team-mates when required? He’s a fantastic player, but also anarchic, in and out of the game, as all ‘crazy’ players are.

You can accept this at Sampdoria, but not at a big club or the national team. Recently the Italian media reported that Cassano could join Inter. What was Jose Mourinho’s reply? The Special One said: “Cassano has to learn to play also in a defensive way, you cannot only think about attacking.â€

[Messinterista]

Lippi turns to veterans

Italy coach Marcello Lippi has revealed the first 13 names from his squad for the Confederations Cup.

Lippi unveiled a largely veteran group of players, none of whom were included in the 21-man squad for next week's friendly against Northern Ireland.

However, all but four of the group were in Italy's Euro 2008 squad, including captain Fabio Cannavaro, Udinese winger Simone Pepe, Fiorentina striker Alberto Gilardino and Juventus forward Vincenzo Iaquinta.

Lippi will announce his full 23-man squad for the tournament on June 4.

World champions Italy were drawn alongside five-time world champions Brazil, CONCACAF Gold Cup winners the United States and African Cup of Nations champions Egypt for the tournament, which begins on June 14 in South Africa.

Lippi's squad to face Northern Ireland includes eight uncapped players.

Inter Milan defender Davide Santon, Siena midfielder Daniele Galloppa and strike duo Giuseppe Mascara (Catania) and Sergio Pellissier (Chievo) are among those included for the match in Pisa.

AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has been named despite missing most of the season with a knee injury, but there is still no place for controversial frontman Antonio Cassano.

Confederations Cup squad: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Marco Amelia (Palermo); Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Gianluca Zambrotta (Milan); Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Andrea Pirlo (Milan); Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese), Luca Toni (Bayern Munich)

Squad to face Northern Ireland: Morgan De Sanctis (Galatasaray), Federico Marchetti (Cagliari); Mattia Cassani (Palermo), Andrea Dossena (Liverfekkin'wankscum), Alessandro Gamberini (Fiorentina), Fabio Grosso (Lyon), Andrea Esposito (Lecce), Nicola Legrottaglie (Juventus), Davide Santon (Inter Milan); Marco Biagianti (Catania), Matteo Brighi (Roma), Gaetano D'Agostino (Udinese), Daniele Galloppa (Siena), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria); Pasquale Foggia (Lazio), Giuseppe Mascara (Catania), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria), Sergio Pellissier (Chievo), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal)

Source: http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/italy/li ... ns-190474/

[tonykart]

I'm bored and want to do an Italy WC2010 Lineup.

---------------------- BUFFON

MAGGIO - CANNAVARO - CHIELLINI - GROSSO

-------- GATTUSO - PIRLO - DE ROSSI

---- CAMORANESI ------------- CASSANO
--------------------- IAQUINTA

Bench: Amelia, Abbiati; Gamberini, Legrottaglie, Zambrotta, Dossena; D'Agostino, Aquilani; The Waterboy, G.Rossi, Pazzini, Inzaghi.

[juventino_italiano]

[tonykart]

[juventino_italiano]

[tonykart]