Italy out. What happens next?

Seaneh

Lippi's reign ends in disgrace.

His tactics and squad selection will, rightly so, be considered massive mistakes.

Older players will retires.

I don't expect to see Zambrotto, Gattuso, Cannavaro, Iaquinta, Pirlo, Camoranesi, Sanctis and maybe even Buffon to play again. some will retire from international football to avoide injuries for their clubs (Pirlo and Buffon maybe) and others just won't be picked again (Iaq etc).

Who do Italy have to replace those players?

Leonardo Bonucci, Montolivo, Pazzini, Quagliarella, Palombo, Bocchetti, De Rossi, Chiellini, Criscito, Maggio and Pepe will all be in future squads. Di Natale migth too, if he makes himself available to Prandelli.


Prandelli will (probably) bring Gamberini, Marchionni and Bonerra back into the team.

I reckon he will recall Cassano as well. I can see Marco Storari being brought in (even though he will be Juve's number 2 GK).

Prandelli's teams, if nothing else, play very fluid football, fiorentia had a bad season in the league but they were very good in Europe and played some lovely football. they never gave into the temptation to play long balls to Gila and I reckon he will play in a similar fashion with his Italian teams.


However Prandelli's first few games go, everyone will just be happy he isn't Lippi.

Pauleta

The refusal to call up Cassano is pure crazy. I think football associations should have more balls and sack managers that are not calling up the right players. This also applies to Totti saying he will play and Lippi excluding him for some bizarre reason and Del Piero was dropped from the team during the time he was putting together some of the best form of his career.

Necronomicon

Pauleta wrote: »

The refusal to call up Cassano is pure crazy. I think football associations should have more balls and sack managers that are not calling up the right players. This also applies to Totti saying he will play and Lippi excluding him for some bizarre reason and Del Piero was dropped from the team during the time he was putting together some of the best form of his career.

:eek:

You have got to be kidding. If associations pulled rank on managers it would be an absolute farce.

3hn2givr7mx1sc

Pauleta wrote: »

The refusal to call up Cassano is pure crazy. I think football associations should have more balls and sack managers that are not calling up the right players. This also applies to Totti saying he will play and Lippi excluding him for some bizarre reason and Del Piero was dropped from the team during the time he was putting together some of the best form of his career.

Do you think that owners of clubs should be allowed to pick the starting 11 also?

RichTea

Bitterly disappointed. Lippi paid for his loyalty to Cannavaro, who is a shadow of his former self.

Lippi's insistence on not bringing a 'fantasista' such as Totti, Balotelli, Del Piero or Cassano was fatal. They could have won at least two of the group stage matches with any of the players above starting.

The future is not entirely bleak for the Azzurri. Prandelli is a terrific manager. I expect to see further opportunities given to Giuseppe Rossi, Fabio Quagliarella and others at the expense of some of the older squad members.

Buffon has many more years in him, so hopefully he will not spring a surprise international retirement on us now. Marchetti is a talented goalkeeper but he conceded 4 goals from only 6 shots on target against him.

This post is very rushed. I have to go to work. And I'm sad!

MR NINE

Hopefully Giovinco will become the next big thing. Aquilani is another player you didn't mention who can hopefully put his injury problems behind him and fulfill his potential

dfx-

Did Lippi do anything tactically different to the trillions of Italian managers before him?

Nothing really wrong or different with Italy and their play...it just didn't work as well as other years.

Peyton Manning

dfx- wrote: »

Did Lippi do anything tactically different to the trillions of Italian managers before him?

Nothing really wrong or different with Italy and their play...it just didn't work as well as other years.

I disagree with that completely. Italy have always used a trequartista, certainly for as long as I've been able to watch football. But this was their first World Cup without one. Lippi didn't call up any player who could play that position (Di Natale is probably the closest they have but obviously nowhere near the likes of Totti, Del Piero, Baggio etc.) so they've changed their system dramatically to make up for it. And it's failed. Big time. They tried a 3 man midfield but didn't have the personnel for it - Pirlo's injury was a big part of this.

MisterAnarchy

dfx- wrote: »

Nothing really wrong or different with Italy and their play...it just didn't work as well as other years.

And most importantly Lady Luck deserted them .
They were absolutely poxed to win the last World Cup ,would have lost to Australia but for a dodgy referee.

MUSEIST

The next step?

They get a plane home i presume

steelcityblues

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

And most importantly Lady Luck deserted them .
They were absolutely poxed to win the last World Cup ,would have lost to Australia but for a dodgy referee.

It should have gone to extra-time at least, but you could argue Australia weren't doing well enough with the man advantage.

Didn't think they were the greatest ever champions by any means four years ago!

Pinturicchio

baz2009 wrote: »

Do you think that owners of clubs should be allowed to pick the starting 11 also?

Some of them do.

redout

Buffon - seriously ?

The chap easily has 6 - 8 years left in him the way the top players last in Italy.

Could easily go another World Cup as Italian No.1

Sure James is England No.1 @ 39 in the World Cup

KELTICKNIGHTT

why in last few games does italy always leave it too last 20 mins too win or draw a game ??

Turtyturd

KELTICKNIGHTT wrote: »

why in last few games does italy always leave it too last 20 mins too win or draw a game ??

They lost.

Pauleta

Necronomicon wrote: »

:eek:

You have got to be kidding. If associations pulled rank on managers it would be an absolute farce.

I used to be of this opinion until this world cup when we had players like Totti, Cassano, Zanetti, Benzema, Cambiasso, Riquelme and a lot of other players left out of squads just because the managers didnt get on with them. There are too many managers sabotaging their countries World Cup because they are so stuck up their arse to achieve the greater good.

KELTICKNIGHTT

in other games ,they just manage too scrap by,didnt work this time,same as france

Seaneh

redout wrote: »

Buffon - seriously ?

The chap easily has 6 - 8 years left in him the way the top players last in Italy.

Could easily go another World Cup as Italian No.1

Sure James is England No.1 @ 39 in the World Cup

He's been injured a LOT in the last two seasons, I could seem him quiting the Azzurri to prolong his club career.

Raskolnikov

Seaneh wrote: »

I don't expect to see Zambrotto, Gattuso, Cannavaro, Iaquinta, Pirlo, Camoranesi, Sanctis and maybe even Buffon to play again. some will retire from international football to avoide injuries for their clubs (Pirlo and Buffon maybe) and others just won't be picked again (Iaq etc).

Who do Italy have to replace those players?

Leonardo Bonucci, Montolivo, Pazzini, Quagliarella, Palombo, Bocchetti, De Rossi, Chiellini, Criscito, Maggio and Pepe will all be in future squads. Di Natale migth too, if he makes himself available to Prandelli.

Other than De Rossi, none of the players in the second list look like they'll even come close to the quality of the players on the first list.

I think that the solution lies with players that Lippi barely even considered. I think that Davide Santon should have been taken along for one. Yes, he's young, but he's the real deal and unlike most of the Italian players this season, he's a winner. I would have taken Giuseppe Rossi at Villareal. He's not prolific, but he is twice the footballer than the likes of Quagliarella or Pazzini, and can link play up. I would have taken Mario Balotelli along. Yes, he's a complete lunatic, but he's one of the few lightning quick and dangerous players that Italy have. He's also vital to have as a plan B. Like I've said a few times now and although it's probably too late, Ambrosini should have been taken, especially with Gattuso embarassing himself these days.

Italy really need a younger coach, as the game has moved on from the likes of Capello and Lippi. You can't just simply turn up, pass the ball around and expect other teams to stand off from you.

NTMK

Raskolnikov wrote: »

I would have taken Mario Balotelli along. Yes, he's a complete lunatic, but he's one of the few lightning quick and dangerous players that Italy have. He's also vital to have as a plan B.

i dont think i would have brought as he is way to arrogant and childish. a fantastic talent yes but in a competition where the team needs to be together id rather bring a player with half his ability if he got along with the team than balotelli

RichTea

http://worldcupdailyblog.com/2010/06/25/the-ellis-park-post-mortem/

I just finished a piece having finally gotten some thoughts together. Looks at failings and a little of the future under Cesare Prandelli.

Le King

Pirlo was a massive headache for Lippi. Iaquinta has never been prolific for Italy. Lippi made a huge mistake in leaving out all of Totti, Balotelli and Cassano. Rossi should of gone, he's far better than Pazzini and he's something different to the current crop.

Di Natale and Quagliarella should of started with a central striker, it seemed to be the only thing that worked for Italy. Pepe made the whole team unbalanced.

Also 4-42 against NZ Lippi? Bad choice.

pickarooney

If he didn't want to bring firecracker Cassano, he could have done worse than call up Miccoli. Who knows if Giovinco will ever make the grade - maybe next season will tell.

jv2000

Italy were so disappointing yesterday but to be honest their performance against New Zealand was probably worse. It does beg the question though.... were Italy that bad when we played them twice in qualifying? Honestly I think Ireland showed them too much respect. Trap could have been more aggressive and really gone for it in both matches. But that is easy to say now :rolleyes:

steelcityblues

If we had a coach who encouraged positive football, I believe we would have won the group.

Because of his past achievements, and to an extent the Henry incident, Trappatoni has gotten a light ride from our sports media so far.

LuckyLloyd

Italy:

2010 WC: Failure

2008 EC: Quarter Final exit to eventual winners in hard fought encounter

2006 WC: Champions

2004 EC: Failure

2002 WC: Controversial second round exit to hosts

2000 EC: Runners Up after classic ET final defeat

1998 WC: Hard fought Quarter Final Defeat on penalties to hosts and eventual winners

1996 EC: Failure

1994 WC: Runners Up after losing on penalties

1992 EC: Failure to Qualify!!!!!

1990 WC: Semi Final Exit on penalties and destruction of England in 3rd place play off

1988 EC: Disappointing Semi Final defeat

1986 WC: Disappointing Second Round defeat

1984 EC: Failure to Qualify!!!!

1982 WC: Champions

---

The story of Italian football is one of peaks and troughs - a true emotional roller coaster. As such, I find the apocalyptic reactions after an exit like this to be consistently hilarious. When Italy got eliminated in the group stages in 2004 there was despair in Italy, and media over here and in the UK chortled at the "demise" of Italian football. Result? They march to victory in Germany two years later.

In the same way, just as people were ready to pronounce Italian club football DOA as Utd strolled past Milan in the Champions league in early March, Inter Milan put Barcelona to the sword on the way to the treble.

The point? I have no doubt that Italy will be back in a big way within four years. It may not seem clear right now of course in terms of who the players and coach will be at that point. But more talent will come through. It always has.