World Cup 2010 : Italy

Italy returning to the dark ages

Richard Whittle — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:45:00 GMT

It hurts when you hit rock bottom and when you get this low there is little chance of bouncing back quickly.

Italy are now in a similar if not worse position to that after the tournament in 1974 when they arrived in Germany as World Cup runners-up and slinked home after the group stage.

Then of course there was the infamous tomato-throwing incident when the shame-faced players exited to North Korea in 1996, but it is doubtful anyone will waste lobbing any love apples this time around.

In fact, the general consensus was 'an accident waiting to happen' but even those who had predicted that the Azzurri would not escape the group stage could not have taken much pleasure from the ignominious manner in which the team undid the heroics of Berlin four years ago.

The zeroes of South Africa will only be remembered as the failures who could not even muster a decent result to finish above New Zealand – and the old adage that you should never go back will haunt Marcello Lippi for the rest of his life.

It was ‘in Marcello we trust’ when the legendary coach returned to take over the reins of the qualifying campaign.

However, without a win in 2010 and what seemed a personal animosity towards Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli the mask of invincibility was starting to slip on those handsome features long before the squad headed to the tournament.

Three group games and three different formations suggested that Lippi was making it up as he went along and at least he had the good grace to accept the blame for the fall from grace in what La Gazzetta dello Sport described as the 'Darkest Day'.

Is there now to be a new dawning for the national team as there was after ’74 when the likes of Paolo Rossi, Roberto Bettega and Antonio Cabrini came to the fore in Argentina?

On the face of it, the darkness has been closing in for some time and could be set to continue for the foreseeable future as Serie A club coaches continue to put collect strength ahead of individual talent.

Apart from Balotelli, supposedly the brightest young talent around; and we mean 'young' – not man-boys in their mid-20s – were all picked for this competition.

Domenico Criscito was the only player in his early 20s to see a significant game time but when things started to go off the rails he was first to be substituted, with the creaky Gianluca Zambrotta switching to left-back.

Leonardo Bonucci was never going to oust Fabio Cannavaro despite the fact that the captain’s failings had been evident all season long.

Lippi had high hopes for Claudio Marchisio but the Juventus midfielder was no Marco Tardelli – and after that it was a mixture of the old and mediocre to carry fading hopes of making the knock-out round.

It is, as they say, an end of an era - so at least there is something positive to come out of the whole sorry affair – but new coach Cesare Prandelli must make do with what is available on the domestic front.

There is little chance of getting much help from the top clubs and especially from Inter and AC Milan, who seemingly have no interest in cultivating local talent who can make the step up to the big time so it will be back to trawling the likes of Udinese, Fiorentina and the rest of the provinces for future internationals.

The knock-on effects of this World Cup debacle are set to be felt through the upcoming Euro 2012 qualifying maze where the likes of Northern Ireland, Estonia and Faroe Islands not to mention Serbia and Slovenia will be looking to cause a shock.

The Dark Ages have well and truly descended and we know that the Age of Enlightenment is a long way off when Cassano is once again being hailed as the country’s Renaissance Man.

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Time for Lippi to make tough decisions

Richard Whittle — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 10:22:00 GMT

What a difference a couple of days make - and from the quiet confidence that Italy would progress from what has to be the most modest of groups at this World Cup, it is now a case of do-or-die against Slovakia on Thursday.

After being caught cold by workmanlike New Zealand, who in all honesty only did what was expected of them, the Italian players were not willing to step outside their comfort zone when they trooped back to the dressing room.

Having been informed that there would be no warming shower for at least 20 minutes following a technical fault in the heater, the players had plenty of time to contemplate what had been the most inept Azzurri performance at a World Cup since the 1-1 draw with Cameroon in ‘82.

Unlike in Spain, there seems little hope that the side will go on to ultimate glory considering that Marcello Lippi has shown all but his full hand in the first two games – to produce 1-1 draws in both.

The game against Paraguay had at least positives in the making, especially in the way the team reacted to going a goal down and in the manner in which they drove forward with purpose; first in search of the equaliser and then the winner, even if it was ultimately never to arrive.

The same eleven out-field players started yesterday and it seemed that the coach had at least settled on a formation capable of taking down the 78th ranked team in the world.

However, it was plain to see that confusion was still the order of the day in Lippi’s thinking on personnel for the job.

Having spent the first-half screaming at Simone Pepe to get to the by-line and whip in crosses, the best player against Paraguay became the fall guy for the team’s complete failings to even get the ball out wide - and was substituted at the break.

What Lippi sees in Claudio Marchisio is anyone’s guess: he cannot beat a man down the left flank – he isn’t even left-footed – and he cannot add invention behind the strikers but these are the two positions he has found himself in the last two games, but why?

The Juventus man’s strengths lie in his work-rate and the ability to make telling runs into the opposition area – a poorer version of Marco Tardelli – but that is Daniele De Rossi’s role so basically it is wasting a body on the pitch.

Another player who may as well have been sitting on the bench was of course Alberto Gilardino who cannot out-fox even the most run-of-the-mill defenders never-mind muscle them off the ball.

The Fiorentina man may not be expected to win the physical battles, but quick-movement and ability to turn defenders would help at least to create confusion in opposition minds – both of these aspects were missing so once again why continue with someone whose failings are there to see?

If he cannot play with his back to goal then hand the task to Giampaolo Pazzini who plainly can.

Lippi must consider a revamp for the match against Slovakia but one under-performer who will remain untouchable is of course Fabio Cannavaro.

The captain has been caught out in the last two games and okay, Shane Smeltz may have been offside but where was the man who used to be the world’s best defender? – On the seat of his pants.

Four years ago the opposition could not get anywhere near the area without running into the Azzurri leader, but yesterday an 18-year-old reserve skipped past him to almost score the winner.

Lippi has selected a squad that would probably be there at the death if the World Cup was played over a nine-month season, but with each of the three group games becoming mini-finals the team needs to be primed as if it was the run-in to the end of a campaign.

Time is running out and the coach needs to make some clear and tough decisions – and if not then Italy could end up like France in 2002: handing over their crown in the lamest manner possible.

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Watching the Cup with the Europeans

Jarek Zaba — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 11:49:00 GMT

It was just a few weeks ago that I felt we’d officially crossed the line into the ‘World Cup Zone’.

By this, I mean the period of the year in which if you don’t hear the words ‘World Cup’, or a variation thereof, over the course of a day, you either live an admirably sheltered life or you come from one of those weird countries where they pretend it’s not happening, like Scotland.

Admittedly, we entered into the ‘pre-game’ a long time ago. It feels like it was at least 18 months ago that Ian Wright and his fellow Cockney tabloid harbingers of doom were imparting on us sage wisdom along the lines of "If Rooney plays, we’ve got a chance for sure" and "If you don’t think England are gonna win it, what the hell you watching for?!"

For me, the first signs we were entering into 'WCZ' proper was when Pepsi decided to unleash the improbably rapid voice of Thierry Henry – 'canwegetzepepsimax?' – in the latest attempt to ensure that the Loads Of Footballers Playing Football In An Usual Environment genre of advertising remained.

This has become a cornerstone of any major tournament since the Brazil boys of ‘98 larked about in an airport, with ‘hilarious consequences’.

But the final confirmation that the relentless ultra-marketing of the game we love had hit full throttle was when Carlsberg rolled out its full minute and a half of stomach turning In-ger-land jingoism, complete with all your favourite sporting icons (and that bloke from Kasabian) and probably the best cliche-ridden ‘inspirational’ team talk in the world –Sir Bobby would undoubtedly be proud to see his image exploited for such a noble cause...

Enough to make Clarkson mess his 20-year-old blue jeans...

The World Cup’s sudden saturation of the nation’s televised advertising made me realise that I still had a great deal of planning to do.

For once the tournament itself begins, I will be avoiding all talk of WAGs, the dulcet tones of Venables and the inevitable furore created by the ‘it’s political correctness gone mad’ brigade, as they pretend other people are repressing them by being offended by England shirts the flag of St George. Instead, I will be sampling firsthand how the greatest sporting tournament on Earth is enjoyed elsewhere across the globe.

Unfortunately, logistical and financial restrictions dictate that a trip to the Ivory Coast, Honduras or Japan just wasn’t possible, so instead I will be concentrating my efforts on Europe.

To be precise, I will be taking in, across their bars, cafes and public squares, at least one match of the respective national teams in Greece, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, France, Germany, Holland and most probably Spain and Portugal. Sorry Danes, if there are any of you reading – Denmark is just in too awkward a place on the map.

My method of transport will be an Interrail global monthly pass, my mission to simply to have an adventure and learn a few things while I’m at it. Granted when most people go travelling they go to learn a few things about culture, art and ‘themselves’, but frankly I’m more interested in learning about how the Serbs remember Savo Milosevic.

I’d like to know if any other countries beside ourselves have a media possessed with a bizarre compulsion to stick the boot into their national side at any given opportunity, and whether anyone outside of our country rates England’s chances in South Africa – or whether, as I suspect, they reply in a Pele-like manner to that line of questioning.

As far as backpacking plans go, this particular jaunt is generally met with one of two reactions when I share it among my peers. Those who like the game, or at least have an appreciation for the World Cup and its effect upon a country, generally give it the thumbs up, knowing full well that if I was ever destined to travel, I was probably destined to travel from bar to bar watching a bunch of millionaires kick a ball around.

It's unlikely we'll see scenes like these in Trafalgar Square...

Those who have nothing but disdain for football, however, and deplore its effect upon the TV schedule, tend to react with bemusement, perplexed at how something as arbitrary as a fixture list can dictate what otherwise would have been a lovely month in Europe.

Frankly, I’m thankful for the fixture list – it has essentially done all the planning for me. Up to a week beforehand, I will still have no idea where I shall be spending 2nd July onwards – I will just be getting on the train towards whichever countries are left in it. Essentially, it is glory hunting on its most literal terms - a leech upon other nations’ success, hoping to suck on all the joy of quarter and semi final victories almost as if they were England’s.

Don’t think I’ve forgotten little old England however. In my head I’ve already calculated a series of scenarios ranging from the ‘Complete Catastrophe’ worst case scenario - losing my passport and wallet on the first day or getting arrested for not bribing a Serbian bobby - all the way to what I call the ‘Icing on the Cake’ scenario. This would involve each and every team I go and watch winning their games in style, creating a carnival mood wherever I tread.

In between those extremes, I’ve considered a series of events which would essentially satisfy most of my desires – an entertaining incident-packed tournament, friendly and passionate natives and table-topping success for my fantasy football side, David Cameroon.

But the vast unpredictability of it all only entices me further. Considering I’ve barely done so much as cross the Channel without a parent or schoolteacher alongside me, I figured it makes sense to start my trip in the one country on my hitlist with an entirely different alphabet, mired in a savage economic crisis which has already turned violent and whose football fans have a reputation for nothing short of volatility.

To Thessaloniki, Greece it is then (on British Airways no less – my flight is currently outside of the strike period by about six hours). Should anyone reading be based in these cities (see full schedule below), or know some friendly football loving English speakers who are – or if you just know these countries well and wish to recommend the best places to watch World Cup matches - it would be grand to hear from you, as I seek to put together a network of continental contacts.

Not because I fear for my safety, more that I fear the ‘don’t quite know anyone at this party’ feeling...

So by all means get in touch, and not just if you are of tangible use to me. I’m happy to hear suggestions on things you’d like from this blog – photos or souvenirs you feel I should obtain, questions you want answered by the locals, any quirky challenges you want to set me.

'Who do you think you are kidding Mr Blatter...'

Full itinerary:

10th June - 12th June: Thessaloniki, Greece.
(GREECE v S Korea; 13:30, 12.6.10)

13th-14th: Belgrade, Serbia.
(SERBIA v Ghana; 16:00, 13.6.10)

14th-17th: Bratislava, Slovakia....
(SLOVAKIA v New Zealand; 13:30, 15.6.10)

17th-19th: Ljubljana, Slovenia.
(SLOVENIA v Usa; 16:00, 18.6.10)

19th-21st: Bologna, Italy.
(ITALY v New Zealand; 16:00, 20.6.10)

21st-22nd: Zurich, Switzerland.
(SWITZERLAND v Chile; 16:00, 21.6.10)

22nd-23rd: Strasbourg, France
(FRANCE v South Africa; 16:00, 22.6.10)

23rd-24th: Munich, Germany
(GERMANY v Ghana; 20:30, 23.6.10)

24th-29th: Amsterdam, Holland
(HOLLAND v Cameroon; 20:30, 24.6.10)

29th: Madrid, Spain (Unconfirmed)  Spain likely to play in 2nd Round at 20:30

2nd/3rd July: Remaining European Quarter Finalists

6th/7th July: Remaining European Semi Finalists

11th July: Remaining European Finalist

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Lippi's gamble on ageing 2006 heroes could prove risky

Richard Whittle — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:49:00 GMT

Unsurprisingly, Italy will be at their most prudent when defending their World title.

Marcello Lippi’s only act of extravagance was to keep the country waiting until late into the evening on the last day to reveal which players had been excluded from his final squad – it was certainly more enthralling than any episode of Big Brother.

In fact, that should be the end of the entertainment value for as long as the Azzurri remain in South Africa.

Four years ago, the party left for Germany with the Italian game in complete and utter chaos, but at least Lippi seemed clear-headed in his objective – his side would have to react to ever-changing circumstances.

Now, however, it would seem that there will be a catch-all method of approach where the team ethic of sacrifice over creativity will be to the fore.

Throughout the squad this doctrine is enshrined and especially when we look at those player who have been left out.

Marco Borriello can hold the ball up and bring players into the game but the AC Milan man has been edged out by Giampaolo Pazzini who possesses similar characteristics but will run himself into the ground.

A year ago, Giuseppe Rossi was the only good thing to come out of a disastrous Confederations’ Cup, but Lippi must have felt that Fabio Quagliarella would offer more of an impact coming off the bench - especially with his ability to produce a long-distance effort out of the blue.

There have been suggestions that the squad announcement was held back to gauge the extent of Mauro Camoranesi’s knee injury.

If that was the case then Andrea Cossu was only ever going to be in the running if his Juventus rival broke down despite being the most creative player available to play as trequartista.

You know that creativity will be in short supply when Claudio Marchisio has been handed the ‘Wesley Sneijder’ role in the centre of a trio in support of lone-striker Alberto Gilardino.

The Juventus midfielder has never been considered a player for such a pivotal responsibility – one who can turn adroitly and create space in the Francesco Totti or Alex Del Piero mould.

It is in the backline where Lippi feels more at home and Mattia Cassani fleet-footed sorties were no match for Christian Maggio’s action-man at right-back.

In fact, it is the defence that looks the most inventive area of the team: Al-Ahli-bound Fabio Cannavaro needs protection against pace so Leonardo Bonucci could well partner the captain in the centre with Giorgio Chiellini moving out to a left-back-***-central defensive position.

Lippi has certainly taken a gamble on his heroes from Berlin providing a fitting swansong and even with the youth of Marchisio and Bonucci the average age of the squad is a month older than four years ago – 28.9 years compared to 28.8 to Germany.

Worryingly, it is only a month younger than the squad that travelled to Germany in 1974, having reached the final in Mexico in ’70 – and we all know what happened then - the Azzurri caught the first plane home.

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