The Official Azzurrini Thread - Italys future stars!

[juventino_italiano]

What sad game it has been for the U-21....

I dont blame a lack of youth talent...i blame a lack of confidence given by teams to consistently use the available talent pool

[Giacomo]

Yes, I think that is a significant problem which this exit has highlighted, although whether Italy would have been eliminated had De Silvestri and Schelotto not been suspended is very doubtful

[juventino_italiano]

Thats true....those are key and very promising figures in the U-21 backline....

I hate how everyone says there's no youth talent in Italy...mostly coaches and team owners....they can go fuck themselves

[RomaShield27]

Italy Under-21 coach Casiraghi leaves by mutual consent

MILAN, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Pierluigi Casiraghi has left his job as coach of the Italy Under-21 side by mutual consent after the failure to reach next year’s European Championship, the Italian soccer federation said in a statement on Wednesday.

Italy lost a playoff against Belarus last week to also miss out on the London 2012 Olympics and the former Azzurri striker has paid the price after four years in charge.

Former national team coach Arrigo Sacchi, now in charge of youth development at the federation after Italy’s World Cup flop exposed the lack of emerging talent, will choose a successor with former Lazio coach Davide Ballardini among the favourites.

[red]

Ciro Ferrara is the new coach.

[juventino_italiano]

[Carlo Romano]

Yes Andrew and I'm not sure what to think!

Ennio, he will give the boys the benefit of his playing experience which is massive, given his quality. In defensive terms they couldn't ask for much better to learn from. But as an all round coach, he himself is still in the learning process which you and Andrew know only too well. Do we know yet who he has as his assistants? That could be the all important key.

[red]

Angelo Peruzzi is to be one of the assistants, I think.

Ferrara seemed to do a decent job when he was in charge of Juve's youth team, even if he clearly wasn't ready for a big job.

Still, I wish him all the best.

[Carlo Romano]

We all do Andrew. Well, Peruzzi is not a bad choice as second in command. I always thought he was one of Juve's unsung heroes in the glory days of the mid 1990's, not getting as much credit as he deserved and fully meriting Lippi's call out of obscurity for the World Cup 2006 squad.

[juventino_italiano]

Thursday 24 March, 2011
U-21: Italy defeat Sweden
Ciro Ferrara’s winning streak as Under-21 Italy boss continues following a 3-1 win over Sweden this evening.

Ferrara went into the Reggio Emilia friendly with two wins from two after victories over Turkey [2-1] and England [1-0] in previous tests.

Italy took an early grip of the game by going in 2-0 up at half-time. Empoli’s Diego Fabbrini and Alberto Paloschi of Genoa grabbed the goals.

The home side then made it three soon after the break with Federico Macheda. The Manchester United striker, on loan at Sampdoria, has scored in all three of Ferrara’s games so far.

Sweden did grab a consolation goal just after the hour through Larsson, but it made no difference to the result.

The Italian Under-21s are again in action on Tuesday when they take on their German counterparts in another friendly.

Italy U-21 3-1 Sweden U-21
Scorers: Fabbrini 19 (I), Paloschi 32 (I), Macheda 56 (I), Larsson 65 (S)

Italy: Pinsoglio; Donati, Camporese, Caldirola, Crescenzi; D’Alessandro, Romizi, Soriano, Fabbrini; Paloschi, Macheda

Sweden: Noring; Larsson, Jansson, Dyrestam, Asp; Hamad, Johansson, Hiljemark, Hult; Jonsson, Armenteros

[juventino_italiano]

U-21: Ferrara: Well done lads!



Italy Under-21 boss Ciro Ferrara was delighted with his side's emphatic 3-1 victory over Sweden on Thursday.

The result never once looked in doubt thanks to goals from Diego Fabbrini, Alberto Paloschi and Federico Macheda.

“The lads gave a great performance,” Ferrara told Rai. “It wasn't easy.

“We won deservedly over the course of the game. We were good at managing the ball in certain moments and we should have scored even more.

“I have to compliment the lads.”

Ferrara was particularly impressed with the display of Inter midfielder Lorenzo Crisetig.

“When a player is good, he is good. Lorenzo has great personality. He was born in `93 and has different characteristics with respect to the other midfielders available to me.

“He responded to the task at hand. Pierluigi Casiraghi had noted his qualities. Now we'll rest and then think about the tough game against Germany on Tuesday.”

[RomaShield27]

Great result for Ireland, but things don't look to bright for Italy if this result is anything to go by:

Doolin's young guns polish off Italy to qualify for finals
– Monday May 30 2011

Ireland U-19 3 Italy U-19 0

IRELAND stunned Italy in yesterday's deciding UEFA qualifier to book their place at the European Championships in July. Knowing only victory would suffice against the group leaders to qualify for the finals in Romania, Paul Doolin's side raced into a first-half lead through Conor Murphy, which was added to by goals from substitute Sean Murray and Joe Shaughnessy.

The achievement comes in Doolin's first season in charge and bridges a nine-year gap since Ireland last reached the finals. The shock result was too much for the favourites to take as Inter Milan defender Cristiano Biraghi's last-minute dismissal was followed by another red card for Mario Sampirisi in stoppage-time.

Bray Wanderers striker Murphy grabbed the crucial breakthrough on 32 minutes by racing clear from a long ball before chipping the ball over goalkeeper Francesco Bardi. Though the Italians mustered a couple of half-chances following the restart, Ireland sub Sean Murray extinguished their hopes on the hour with a superb second following a Kevin Knight cross.

The lead might have been reduced 10 minutes later when Aaron McCarey's crossbar was rattled by the Italians. However, Shaughnessy killed the game off with a third Irish goal following a headed knock-down by Murphy.

IRELAND -- McCarey (Wolves); Doherty (Wolves), Shaughnessy (Aberdeen), Egan (Sunderland), Williams (Aston Villa); Walker (Wrexham), O'Sullivan (Blackburn Rovers), Hendrick (Derby County), Carruthers (Aston Villa); Forde (Wolves), Murphy (Bray Wanderers). Subs: Knight (Leicester City) for Forde (h/t), Murray (Watford) for Walker (48), Lopez (Bohemians) for Carruthers (90).


Full line-ups and stats here:

http://www.uefa.com/under19/matches/sea ... index.html

[juventino_italiano]

I dont think this result means anything for Italy's future.
They choked, plain and simple, they had the advantage to qualify going into this.

How many players come out of the U-19 and even the U-21 as stars and then vanish...Italy's always been fine
Portugal and France also got knocked out.

It is a good result for Ireland however.

It means two different things for these two different teams with two different cyclical systems

[RomaShield27]

I disagree. If the Under-19 side of a top European footballing nation is getting whipped 3-0 in an important qualifying game then something is not right. I don't mean to take away anything from my own nations win – it was a great result and I'm happy to see it – but we are not exactly world beaters, I can admit, and so it doesn't look good for Italy's future.

[juventino_italiano]

[Giacomo]

Yes, while success in the FIFA and UEFA youth competitions is always welcome, relative failure like this is probably a poor indicator of future fortunes. Italy's win in the 2003 edition of this competition and the subsequent careers of virtually that entire squad are testiment to that.

Helping players to develop is the main purpose of the U-19 and U-17 national teams, while - as far as results are concerned - only the national team matters.

[RomaShield27]

U21: Italy face Swiss test
– Wednesday 13 July, 2011

Italy’s Under-21 side has arranged a friendly against their Swiss counterparts on August 10. Coach Ciro Ferrara will have the opportunity to test out some new faces in the match against Switzerland, which will take place at the Stadio Ossola in Varese.

It is the last friendly ahead of the opening game in the European Under-21 Championship qualifiers.

Italy begin that run-up to the 2013 tournament with a trip to Hungary on September 6.

[RomaShield27]

– Milano, 06 September 2011

Ciro Ferrara's youngsters got their Euro 2013 qualifying campaign off to a flyer: the Atalanta striker bagged himself a brace before Borini rounded off the scoring thanks to Destro's dangerous counter-attack and lay-off. All the goals came in the second half after the Azzurrini wasted lots of chances in the first 45 minutes. Impressive football with a good understanding between players in the final third.



UNGHERIA U21 (4-2-3-1) : Gulacsi; Szokol, Fodor, Kadar (71' Kalnori-Kis), Svob; Kiss, Tajthy; Bodi(85' Gyurcso), Gosztonyi, Balasz(46' Bertus); Futacs

ITALIA U21 (4-4-2) : Pinsoglio; Santon, Capuano, Caldirola, Crescenzi; Gabbiadini(75' Destro), Marrone, Florenzi, Saponara;Rossi, Borini(84' Paloschi)

[RomaShield27]

Here's this great goal from this Insigne kid which made the headlines for the Azzurrini, he plays for Pescara but is on loan at Napoli:

[RomaShield27]

Oh, brother! Another Gabbiadini
http://www.football-italia.net/node/13091

Italian Under-21 star Manolo Gabbiadini is one to watch. Antonio Labbate writes on the striker who is following in his sister’s footsteps.

“He’s a very good striker. He’s tall, he’s quick and he has a great left foot.” That’s the verdict of Melania Gabbiadini when asked about the ability of her younger brother Manolo. Such an assessment is perhaps to be expected from a sibling, but she speaks with the benefit of her own experience as an international striker – and a relatively successful one at that.

Now aged 28, Melania’s list of honours is one which Manolo will perhaps find tough to match. Having started her career at local club ACF Bergamo, she moved to Bardolina Verona in 2004. To date, she’s won three Scudetti, three Italian Super Cups and two Italian Cups. In Italy’s on-going European Championship qualifying campaign, she’s banged in four goals and provided two assists in four games.

Manolo, though, is starting to make a name for himself in Italian football thanks to his heroics with the Under-21 side. Currently penalised by his inexperience at Atalanta, he is thriving for Ciro Ferrara’s seemingly unstoppable outfit. In 13 games for the Azzurrini, the 19-year-old has bagged 10 goals to date. It has been enough to get his agent talking about interest from the big clubs – inside and outside of the peninsula.

In reaching double figures for his country, Gabbiadini has become only the ninth Italian in history to score at least 10 goals at that level. Yet it is when comparing him with past Azzurrini goal kings that it becomes evident that a prolificness with the U-21 set-up does not guarantee a career path that is paved in gold.

For the success stories of Andrea Pirlo, Christian Vieri and Gianluca Vialli, there are the still to be judged playing spells of Giuseppe Rossi, Alberto Gilardino and Robert Acquafresca, as well as the ‘disappointments’ of Cristiano Lucarelli and Massimo Maccarone – two who didn’t quite reach the heights that many predicted while they were baby-faced assassins.

Fortunately, and refreshingly, Gabbiadini seems to be well aware that he is by no means the finished product. “I don’t consider myself as a talent,” he stated. “I have so much to learn and prove that I haven’t even arrived yet. I read considerations about myself in the media, but I try not to take too much notice. I can’t afford to let it go to my head because the road ahead is still long.”

One of Manolo’s primary problems is that while his agent talks about interest from Juventus, amongst others, the youngster can’t get a regular game in Bergamo. A product of the outfit’s famed youth system, Gabbiadini has been restricted to just 111 minutes of Serie A football this term – thanks to a combination of his age, boss Stefano Colantuono’s tactics and the surprising goal touch of Serie A top scorer German Denis.

However, Gabbiadini, who spent the 2010-11 campaign on loan at Cittadella, seems prepared to bide his time having been recalled to his beloved Nerazzurri following their promotion to the top flight last season.

“I’m young and I want to play more, but I have had the right impact with Serie A,” the 1.86m tall striker, who initially wanted to be a goalkeeper, stated. “We are doing well and I am learning a lot from my teammates in training and during games. I pay close attention to quality players like Denis, Maxi Moralez and Simone Tiribocchi. They are greats and examples for me.”

Being an Atalanta fan, you can understand where Gabbiadini’s patience stems from, but sooner or later he knows that he has to start playing – and with regularity – if he is to get close to his sister’s haul of goals and trophies.