Maybe the time has arrived to lay-off Alessandro Del Piero.
The Juventus captain has been a much-maligned figure in recent times due to his pig-headed attitude of not agreeing with the general consensus that, at 33, he is over the hill and should call it a day.
In fact, he reminds me of Tom Cruise: much smaller in stature when you get up beside him but a massive self-regard of his own worth.
Having stood next to him on a few occasions I can certainly vouch for the former and after overtaking the legendary Gaetano ScireaâÂÂs club record of 552 appearances few can argue that he deserves to crow a little.
In fact, Alex is getting very good at knocking over records for the Old Lady, having taken his all-time goalscoring-tally with the Turin club to 233, following his brace in the dramatic 3-2 defeat to Palermo on Sunday evening.
However, all his good work was undone thanks, in part, to three wonderful goals by the hosts, two of which came from Amauri Carvalho de Oliveira, who could well be lining up alongside Del Piero next season.
Amauri: on fire and on course for Euro 2008 with Italy
It seems that the deal to sign the Brazilian is all but done with Juve president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli admitting as much when he it let slip after the game that the striker âÂÂcould have found another way to convince usâÂÂ.
In fact, the 27-year-old former Chievo player may even scupper Del BoyâÂÂs hopes of winning a place in the Italy squad for Euro 2008.
He has been in Italy since 2001 where he landed at Napoli for all of six games before touring the backwaters of Piacenza and Messina, and having already applied for citizenship under the five-year rule should have his new shiny Italian passport by the end of the month.
Having never won a Brazil cap, Azzurri boss Roberto Donadoni would then be free to call upon the straggled-haired frontman, much to the chagrin of the ever-vocal pro-Del Piero brigade.
