SSSSOO... Italy didn't make it into the World Cup... in Russia 2018...

[Rot]

I've been reading the fallout of this... and it seems...

There be a lot of pissed off people around in Italy...

xROTx

PS. Sweden defended like their lives depended on it... Nothing wrong with that...

A Boring... but captivating match due to the stakes at risk for a proud footballing country like Italy...

 

[evil wasabi]

I've been reading the fallout of this... and it seems...

There be a lot of pissed off people around in Italy...

xROTx

PS. Sweden defended like their lives depended on it... Nothing wrong with that...

A Boring... but captivating match due to the stakes at risk for a proud footballing country like Italy...

Italy should never have been in that position, to desperately need a playoff win.

 

[evil wasabi]

Take it a step further:

Italy always does badly when AC Milan struggles. Juventus is the worst force in Calcio, and the sooner FIGC ban them forever from Serie A, the sooner Italy will return to winning.

 

[Rot]

Italy should never have been in that position, to desperately need a playoff win.

I agree...

I was listening to the Radio... and one Italian Sports commentator was suggesting that something like this needed to happen so they could "Rebuild" the whole Structure... of Italian Football...

From their FA... to how they promote youngsters... etc etc...

xROTx

PS. I would have liked the Italians to be there instead of Sweden... but the fact is they just didn't play well enough over the entire campaign...

Still... I'll miss the Italian Azzurri in Russia...

 

[lithy]

USA v Italy in the NIT Cup.

 

[Thierry Henry]

I wonder what type of amount it is they missed out on in potential revenue by not qualifying.

 

[Rot]

I wonder what type of amount it is they missed out on in potential revenue by not qualifying.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41977785

It's estimated the national team will miss out on 100m euros in potential revenue by failing to qualify for the World Cup. Bonuses from sponsors, TV and prize money will go untapped. The FIGC's bargaining position with Puma and other sponsors will be weakened when they next sit round the negotiating table.

The television rights for the World Cup have lost half their value in Italy. The number of consumers buying TVs - up 4% during Euro 2016 - will remain where it was either side of that competition.

The boost World Cup participation would have had on the economy won't be felt. As La Repubblica notes, GDP increased by 1% when Italy last won the competition in 2006, which seems a negligible figure but amounts to around 16bn euros.

It's in there....

xROTx

 

[GutsDozer]

In Soviet Russia, World Cup wins you.

 

[Morden]

Sweden defended like their lives depended on it...

Because it did. I didn't see the match, but I heard my neighbours yelling their heads off. It's an interesting turn of events, but we all know Sweden is not going to take it all the way home.

 

[Takumaji]

I agree...

I was listening to the Radio... and one Italian Sports commentator was suggesting that something like this needed to happen so they could "Rebuild" the whole Structure... of Italian Football...

I've read about that in a sports paper over here as well. The situation reminds me of the days between 1998 and 2004 when the German team went through a change in paradigm, the old style wasn't good enough anymore for the new times of athletic footie but the change was a long and tough road... and there we are now.

I think Italy would profit from rebuilding their structures, at least in theory. In practise, things in Italy always are wayyyyyy more difficult than they seem.

 

[evil wasabi]

I've read about that in a sports paper over here as well. The situation reminds me of the days between 1998 and 2004 when the German team went through a change in paradigm, the old style wasn't good enough anymore for the new times of athletic footie but the change was a long and tough road... and there we are now.

I think Italy would profit from rebuilding their structures, at least in theory. In practise, things in Italy always are wayyyyyy more difficult than they seem.

In theory is right, because Calcio has always been No Country For Young Men. Veteran players, spurred by Italian machismo and espresso refuse to take a mentor role with the youth, instead stifling their talent. Look no further than Roma, where Totti gave no quarter to young strikers like Destro, Borini, etc. and in protecting his legacy he ran Luis Enrique out of the Olimpico. Of course Totti is a legend and the greatest Italian player of the modern age, but business is business. When business is no longer business, ships run ashore.

 

[evil wasabi]

I think we should also explore the Juventus business model of purchasing rights to every young player. The result is that Juventus can pick and choose the best prospects and arm twist any of the other 19 teams into submission on the transfer rights. How is this possible? Never in Spain would this be allowed. But Juventus gets every young player for a song, and then they distribute the talent as they wish.

Imagine a game where you can tweak the stats through the bios. You will crush the game every time,

But you won’t be very good.

And this is the backbone of the Italian team for the past 7 years. Problem spotted. Solution: annihilation.

 

[JoeAwesome]

In theory is right, because Calcio has always been No Country For Young Men. Veteran players, spurred by Italian machismo and espresso refuse to take a mentor role with the youth, instead stifling their talent. Look no further than Roma, where Totti gave no quarter to young strikers like Destro, Borini, etc. and in protecting his legacy he ran Luis Enrique out of the Olimpico. Of course Totti is a legend and the greatest Italian player of the modern age, but business is business. When business is no longer business, ships run ashore.

Nailed it. Every bit.

 

[Naika]

In theory is right, because Calcio has always been No Country For Young Men. Veteran players, spurred by Italian machismo and espresso refuse to take a mentor role with the youth, instead stifling their talent. Look no further than Roma, where Totti gave no quarter to young strikers like Destro, Borini, etc. and in protecting his legacy he ran Luis Enrique out of the Olimpico. Of course Totti is a legend and the greatest Italian player of the modern age, but business is business. When business is no longer business, ships run ashore.

I was not aware how bad it was. Dear god....your words on Italian machismo getting in the way of youth development sounds spot on. Nothing is more important than giving youth a fucking chance.

 

[Neodogg]

USA v Italy in the NIT Cup.

ha ha, I like it!

 

[Rot]

...and the INEVITABLE!!!!

xROTx

 

[evil wasabi]

Best coach for Italy as a whole, IMO, is Vincenzo Montella. He’s past expiration in milan, but he’s an exception mind.

 

[Takumaji]

In theory is right, because Calcio has always been No Country For Young Men. Veteran players, spurred by Italian machismo and espresso refuse to take a mentor role with the youth, instead stifling their talent. Look no further than Roma, where Totti gave no quarter to young strikers like Destro, Borini, etc. and in protecting his legacy he ran Luis Enrique out of the Olimpico. Of course Totti is a legend and the greatest Italian player of the modern age, but business is business. When business is no longer business, ships run ashore.

True dat with No Country For Young Men, they have lots of young talent but as you say, there's no connection between experienced older players and young folks because the older players refuse to accept their senior status and establish a bad example for up-and-coming young players.

Again, that's right the prob we had back in the late 90s, the old alpha males just couldn't accept stepping out of their circles and giving the new lads a helping hand. All of our national coaches supported the whole thing ("experience is invaluable") until Klinsmann and Löw came around and had the guts to break the habit. One of the few old and experienced players who always was very pro-younger players was Oliver Kahn, btw, specially during his days as captain of the national team.

 

[evil wasabi]

True dat with No Country For Young Men, they have lots of young talent but as you say, there's no connection between experienced older players and young folks because the older players can't accept their senior status and establish a bad example for up-and-coming young players.

Again, that's right the prob we had back in the late 90s, the old alpha males just couldn't accept stepping out of their circles and giving the new lads a helping hand. All of our national coaches supported the whole thing ("experience is invaluable") until Klinsmann and Löw came around and had the guts to break the habit. One of the few old and experienced players who always was very pro-younger players was Oliver Kahn, btw, specially during his days as captain of the national team.

Funny enough, one of the best German minds for football is Matthaus, who is from that archaicly well rounded ‘80s period.

 

[Takumaji]

Funny enough, one of the best German minds for football is Matthaus, who is from that archaicly well rounded ‘80s period.

Heh, oh man, Matthäus... he kinda fucked up when he brought his name into play when they were looking for a new national coach, then he had several affairs that went through the tabloids, etc. As the national coach sometimes gets rated as more important than the chancellour and president combined in our silly country, you have to lead the life of a saint if you wanna be one, and that's what Matthäus definitely can't do.

He's a typical child of his time. Being just 9 years older than me, I sort of know what makes him tick, all the more as he was born in Erlangen, our neighbour city, he's a Frankonian like me. His incredible footie instinct made him a superstar, he's one of those rare few who can literally "read" the other side and a game. I often wondered what would've happened if he had gotten the job instead of Löw...