The Official Azzurri thread

[juventino_italiano]

[p_maldini_3]

[RomaShield27]

[juventino_italiano]

[Bagg10]

[Messinterista]

[RomaShield27]

Don't worry, MI, this current Azzurri hasn't got much of a chance of winning the WC anyway...


I Will Support Italy In South Africa Even If I'm Snubbed - Antonio Cassano
– 3 hours, 38 minutes ago

Antonio Cassano admits he will be following Italy in South Africa as he underlines his indifference over whether he makes the squad for the summer tournament. The Cassano for Italy question has never been answered fully, despite widespread calls for him to be included by Marcello Lippi. His lack of call ups since Lippi returned to the helm suggest there is no room at the inn.

But, 'Il Talentino' is not throwing any tantrums as he accepts the coach's decision.

"La Nazionale? I will be supporting Italy whether I am there with them or not," he told Rai Sport Dribbling.

Sampdoria have endured a rollercoaster season thus far as a bright start appears to have fizzled out in recent weeks. Nevertheless, Cassano believes Inter are in firm control of proceedings up on the summit.

"The race from Milan downwards is a good one. Inter are just too strong compared to the others," he added.

[Messinterista]

[San Paolo]

[Messinterista]

lol san. Yep, that sounds more accurate.

[Messinterista]

Who will save Italy's goal at the World Cup?

Marcello Lippi has clear ideas: He will cap those who won the title in Germany, plus some new players able to add quality and quantity to a seasoned but still good group. However, there is some incertitude with regard to the goalkeepers. Buffon is not in doubt but behind him there is a list of suitable keepers: Morgan De Sanctis, Marco Amelia, Federico Marchetti and Emiliano Viviano. Curci and Castellazzi might be out of the list at the moment.

Calciomercato.com has asked the opinion of the president of scuolaportieri.it, Vittorio Baccari.

Baccari, you've been a professional goalkeeper and a trainer. Who would you cap as a "deputy" Buffon?
"I'd say Morgan De Sanctis. He's tactically and technically not similar to Buffon, but he's more reactive and reflexive. A strong personality is important at the World Cup/"

Is the Italian goalkeepers' school in crisis?
"The problem is the young players. The youth teams lose lots of talents. In Italy mistakes are taken too seriously, goalkeepers are "formed by their errors". So their self-esteem, that is essential in this role, is low. The moder keeper manages the ball 60%, saves are few and therefore confidence and self-esteem are essential. Maybe because of this, foreign goalkeepers have an advantage. They come from schools where there is less pressure and they are more relaxed"

At the World Cup, the third keeper should be a veteran or a young talent?

"I consider De Sanctis a veteran. Therefore I would bring a veteran as a second goalkeeper and a young talent as third. I prefer Viviano to Marchetti because he's got more personality"

As an expert, could you bet on two names for the future?
"Seculin of Fiorentina is a young interesting keeper, but I'd recommend Nicola Leali of Brescia, born in '93 and Under 16 national player".

Source: http://www.calciomercato.com/index.php?c=46&a=163643

[Messinterista]

Blog: Red tape to the rescue

As Juventus have plunged deeper and deeper into crisis, it has been interesting to observe the reactions of individual players.

Giorgio Chiellini, for one, has responded admirably, offering up some truly titanic performances. He seems to have matured into a leader of the side, even in the presence of club legends Alessandro The Waterboy and Gigi Buffon.

Compare and contrast with Amauri. He was already having a disappointing season, but in recent weeks he’s been utterly abysmal. His tricks and flicks haven’t come off, he’s spent far more time on the turf than necessary and most importantly he hasn’t scored, or even looked remotely capable of doing so. In fact, he seems to have forgotten what the nets are for and taken up the sport of dodgeball instead.

Perhaps I’m being overly harsh. It can’t be easy playing in a side sapped of confidence and overburdened by expectation while the fans anger rises like smoke from the blazes they set in the stands.

Still, you expect a £17m striker to do more than trundle around in a huff. Amauri simply wouldn’t have got near Juve’s first XI in recent times if not for David Trezeguet and Vincenzo Iaquinta’s injuries.

The Bianconeri board evidently don’t have much faith in him, otherwise they wouldn’t be losing face in their embarrassing attempts to recall Michele Paolucci, Davide Lanzafame and Raffaele Palladino – forwards they clearly didn’t consider good enough beforehand – from co-ownership deals.

Not so long ago Amauri’s nationality was the hottest of hot topics, but when’s the last time you heard serious talk of it?

The consensus view seemed to be that the former Palermo hitman should be declared an Italian national and called into the Azzurri squad ASAP – once he had stopped humming and hawing and chose his adopted nation ahead of Brazil that is.

Then bureaucracy got in the way, with the revelation that the citizenship process wouldn’t be completed until March, meaning Marcello Lippi was deprived of the opportunity to try Amauri out in warm up games for the World Cup.

Now, given the big Brazilian’s dire form, and the dynamic displays of homegrown target-man Marco Borriello, all that red tape looks like a blessing in disguise.

Source: http://www.football-italia.net/blogs/sf48.html

[RomaShield27]

Italy announce World Cup friendlies
– Wednesday 27 January, 2010

Italy will play a superstitious friendly against Switzerland and another two matches against Mexico and Cameroon as part of their preparations for the World Cup. The Azzurri will fly to Monte Carlo on March 2 to take part in a charity match with Cameroon, the proceeds of which Prince Albert has promised to donate to the aid effort in Haiti.

Marcello Lippi's side are then scheduled to travel to Brussels on June 3 where they will face Mexico in another charity match. This time the gate receipts will be donated to the families of the Italian soldiers killed in Nassiriya.

Two days later, Italy will face Switzerland in Geneva before departing for Johannesburg on June 8. The Azzurri consider playing Switzerland before a major tournament to be something of a lucky charm.

They drew 1-1 with the Swiss on May 28, 1982 and did so again on May 31, 2006. Needless to say, Italy went on to win the World Cup on both occasions.

[San Paolo]

ahh so it is possible for Puma to fuck up twice on our shirts.

Shirt



Shorts

[juventino_italiano]

I like these better than the home ones

[juventino_italiano]

[San Paolo]

[juventino_italiano]

[RomaShield27]

Italy stick with Confederations Cup base
www.Reuters.com - 3 hours ago

ROME - Italy's World Cup training base in South Africa will be the same facility they used during last year's woeful Confederations Cup campaign. The world champions will train at Southdowns College between Johannesburg and Pretoria for the June 11-July 11 tournament, the Italian football federation said in a statement on Tuesday.

Italy, who face Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia in Group F, won a battle with the U.S. team to use Southdowns but will this time stay at Leriba Lodge hotel in Centurion rather than the Irene Country Lodge which has been booked by the Americans. Italy failed to get out of the group stages at the 2009 Confederations Cup, losing to Egypt and Brazil.

[Messinterista]

lol thats an interesting stat. another reason to love the swiss...