Azzurri talk, Italy national team thread

[reza]

Poor choice if happens, it kind of makes sense though, the NT is mirroring the clubs in some way. Not just Milan, for example Inter hiring Chivu too. Italy is not just lacking in youth/new generation, it is also lacking in coaching.

[xudong]

Poor choice if happens, it kind of makes sense though, the NT is mirroring the clubs in some way. Not just Milan, for example Inter hiring Chivu too. Italy is not just lacking in youth/new generation, it is also lacking in coaching.

To an extent, that's true; however, the bigger issue isn't necessarily with the lack of talent, but that teams don't want to trust them with playing time. Young players cannot grow when they don't get to play. 

I blame it on the "culture" of Italy. Players tend to make their breakthrough at an older age, and youngster are never fully trusted. For example, our own Camarda, I can see him getting at least 10-15 minutes each game if he played for a foreign team. Instead, even for our most useless game, he just rots on the bench. 

When a current crop can't make their way to senior squad, they are also keeping the even younger cohort from making their next move, which explains the sad scenario of a seemingly comprehensive lack of talents in Italy. 

The Futuro project was such a brilliant design, but executed so disastrously.

[Sampinjon]

I'm wondering why and how they adopted that culture? Back in the nineties youngsters were playing. Can't they see it's completely wrong approach which cost them everything?!

[xudong]

I'm wondering why and how they adopted that culture? Back in the nineties youngsters were playing. Can't they see it's completely wrong approach which cost them everything?!

Good question! I don't have an answer to it, but let me give a try.

As for culture, I remember when I first started following Calcio, the Chinese commentators would say something like in Italy a scoreline of 1:0 is the most sacred, because defense is of the utmost importance in the way they play (which I think has been true in their football identity, "catenaccio" comes to mind), and they appreciate the experience in how to hold the most slim advantage and frustrate the opponents. I also remember when Luca Toni was considered as a "young dude" at 27/28 years old or when Dino Zoff won the WC at age 40. Again, I can be wrong and I have never thoroughly studied the history of Italian football, but I am always under the impression that young players had a much harder time to break through compared to France, Spain or Porgutal. 

For your second question, were you referring to the early 90s or late 90s? I feel that Bosman was a big turning point; before then, most teams couldn't play too many foreigners anyway, which kind of forced the club's hand that they had to field most Italian players, which certainly would make it easier for youngsters to come through. I cannot readily recall when the limit of foreign players were lifted, but I suppose that it would have a profound impact. 

For your third question, I have a simple (but not necessarily correct) answer: the corruption and incompetence of FIGC. I think they see that things haven't worked out. It is a "big" football powerhouse, yet look at their WC record after 2006. I don't think they care. They are more focused on politics and their own power. Local governments don't help either. You don't think that City of Milano knows that it is imperative that teams would greatly benefit from having their own stadium? Sure, I understand sometimes the club and the city may not have perfectly aligned interest, but you would think that if they are willing, both parties can find a solution meeting each other halfway. What has the City of Milano done so far other than sabotaging and exploiting our club?

Italian media are partly to blame too. They are prejudiced are interested only in their own power and clout and not so much on helping Calcio. I find it particuarly hilarious that they sucked up to Inter/Inzaghi so badly but after the CL final and Inzaghi's decision to leave, they spared no time launching a smear campaign against Inzaghi. Nothing is working in Italy, but they don't care. Those people in power care only about themselves, and that may be why young players felt the need to leave the country to save their career before it even has a chance to take off.

[Leoni9900]

I just find it frustrating that us, as the fans, know what the issues are. It’s like the FIGC and Lega Calcio don’t even try to hide it. It doesn’t take a genius to fix Italian football but these old guys don’t want to for whatever reason. They a bunch of losers and they can’t understand that once a team, or club becomes irrelevant in the sport, then money stops coming in and their pockets don’t get lined so much. It’s a give and take. You want to skim money from the top, ok. But keep the income generating entity strong so the money keeps flowing in for you.

[reza]

Rino is the new coach officially, Italy is going to miss another world cup?

[reza]

[Sleeping Giant]

Maldini and Leonardo resigns from Technical director just after 10 days of appointment over feud with the FIGC president as he rejected Pirlo appointment as Italy coach due to some connections with Russian brands. 

LOOOOLLLLL!! Italy is doomed forever

[reza]

Russian betting company lol. Backlash over something after the fact is always funny to me. Of course everybody knew his commercial stuff before, he was/is on TV for the company.

[Sampinjon]

So what if he is connected?! Aren't betting companies sponsors of various teams, competitions, etc...??? What are "concerns"? That he's going to openly put NT results in favor of bookies? I mean, sure, if he lose unexpectedly here and there, theories and conspiracies are going to mount, but same is happening with teams and competitions sponsored by bookies. At the end, if bookies are going to "corrupt and buy" someone it won't be their poster boy.
They all (from FIFA and UEFA to FA's) let betting companies officially become part of football... and now they somehow are "worried" about "image"...
Maybe it's just used as an excuse because they can't stand Pirlo