Mean Old Lady

Richard Whittle — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:00:00 GMT

One positive to come out of Tuesday evening’s shenanigans in Genoa was that Giorgio Chiellini didn’t get a chance to kick Milos Krasic.

The Juventus defender had warned his team-mate that he might have to give him a “little knock” despite warnings from Gigi Del Neri to his rambunctious tackler to show some caution.

Memories of Euro 2008 came flooding back, when the then out-of-control colt crocked Fabio Cannavaro even before the competition had kicked-off. And of course, in the build-up to the Serbia game, Chiellini had denied that Giuseppe Rossi had nut-megged him in training, claiming on Twitter “he wouldn’t be able to walk again if he had.”

As it turned out the Serbian nationalist pride away day ensured that the players at least returned to their clubs with limbs intact.

Chiellini must have been kicking himself that he missed the little dust up in training between Felipe Melo and Momo Sissoko, who apparently squared up to one another like rutting stags during a five-a-side game.

There is no evidence that the ball was actually anywhere in the vicinity of the combative midfielders who have a taste for what some have termed ‘reckless tackling’ - or what they would probably describe as ‘wholehearted endeavour’.

As happens in such moments an animated discussion ensued followed by a bit of pushing before the arrival of a team-mate or two to separate the pair, who subsequently made up with a round of high-fives.

Both players are literally battling it out for one spot in midfield and reports suggest Melo has come out on top with Sissoko to be sold in January, although that seems to be the club’s yearly New Year's resolution when it come to the Mali international. So far he has survived intact.

Not that the incident will have concerned Del Neri, who observed the scene from afar no doubt feeling that he is finally moulding the team into his own image – mean, moody and competitive.

Maybe not a band of brothers but certainly a side that can demonstrate character, which has always been a feature of Juve teams down the years.

There has never been anything beautiful about the Old Lady – charming at times, alluring at others - but really comes into her own when she is left to be a craggy old dear.

We have seen something of her settling into her more familiar look in recent games – against Manchester City and Inter – where the team was well-drilled in its defensive duties and composed going forward.

Before that indiscipline was everywhere, with little or no cohesion between the defence, midfield and attack, but that may have had more to do with the employment of the personnel at the coach’s disposal.

The midfield area has been a particular problem but with Alberto Aquilani gaining in match fitness there are signs that finesse may not remain an entirely forgotten element within the team.

Having a minder such as Melo or Sissoko in the centre of the pitch and flanked by two willing wide men, the former AS Roma man can begin to flourish once again after two years of misery on the sidelines.

Having held Inter before the international break, Juve now have two more than winnable games coming up – at home to Lecce this weekend and then Bologna away.

Del Neri won’t mind if his side win them ugly as long as the Old Lady is sitting pretty heading into the clash with AC Milan at the end of the month.

Azzurri look to end annus horribilis

Richard Whittle — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:40:00 GMT

Here is a depressing fact: Italy have not won a game in 2010. There have been World Cup qualifiers, the World Cup finals and a few friendlies in between, but not one measly victory to mention.

The saying goes that Italy don’t do friendlies, preferring to get it right when it really matters, but South Africa held that theory up to ridicule.

Cesare Prandelli begins his reign as Italy coach against Ivory Coast this evening in what would usually be termed a meaningless and un-needed kick-about between players who are nowhere near match-fit, and in some cases still removing the sand from between their toes after their summer holidays.

In the knowledge that most Italians are taking the almost obligatory August break, the Italian Football Federation have switched the match to London and although the welcome will no doubt be warm from the Anglo-Italians, the pressure is very much on the new coach.

Prandelli needs to hold firm in his commitment to launching new generation of players whatever the outcome of the game at Upton Park.

There are ten newcomers in the squad and the average age is now down to a more acceptable 25 years and seven months compared to the near 29 years under Marcello Lippi.

With the scourge of Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli joining the rest of the pensioners on the beach these two supposed mavericks have an opportunity to at least put some faith back in a disillusioned public that La Nazionale is worth following once again.

The training footage from the last few days certainly suggests that there is more fizz in this new group than amongst the tired old faces in June.

You would expect Prandelli to be animated in his first days in charge but it is his enthusiasm during every drill that has really caught the eye while most of the sessions have been pretty relaxed affairs just as they were when the 53-year-old was in charge at Fiorentina.

Certainly without the likes of the retired Fabio Cannavaro and Rino Gattuso, not to mention assorted other old-stagers, the new faces can ease their way into the international set-up.

Amauri and Balotelli both have points to prove – the former to win over those who believe the Juventus striker is not up to international class (never mind the fact he’s Brazilian…), while the latter seems to have the world at his feet but doesn’t know what to do with it.

Maybe running out at a Premier League ground will open his eyes to the possibility that he can build a career away from Serie A, which for many players in the past meant that they had little or no chance of receiving a call-up to the Azzurri.

Giuseppe Rossi may have a recent exception to the rule but it would seem that the new regime is open to everyone near and far: Stuttgart’s Cristian Molinaro is a case in point, having failed to get anywhere near a call-up when he was at Juventus, of all places.

Of course, it is taking advantage of these opportunities on the pitch that will be the acid test and in Cassano’s case his third and last strike to leave his mark in the blue shirt.

Significantly, he has grabbed the number ten shirt so hopefully the newly-married and in Prandelli’s words “a more mature” Cassano will play with the sort of freedom he demonstrated through the latter-half of last season.

Amauri or Marco Balotelli leading the attack with Cassano and Balotelli in support would be the ideal way to start a new era - not to mention a victory to finally put an end to what has been an annus horribilis for the former world champions.

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Mean Old Lady

Azzurri look to end annus horribilis