Italia: La Nazionale II

Manager of club and international, to me, seems like it would just result in an issue of biased player selections.

In my opinion it's unthinkabl, in Italy more than anywhere else in the world...

Imagine:

If he calls up the so called 'blocco Juve' he has only done so through bias; he should have called up the Blocco Parma!   

If he doesn't call up the Blocco Juve he's penalising the other teams by leaving the Juventini fresh for serie a.  

Juve in b, 20 points penalty and last three titles stripped and assigned instead to Poggibonisi...

It's impossible.

Ancelotti on the other hand, if he would accept that kind of setup (which I strongly doubt) could in principle work.

Antonio Conte reaches agreement with Italian federation to become new coach, according to Sky Italia.

It's the best choice for Italy on paper, but I don't understand further the choice made by Conte.
Leaving the Juve in his prime  as coach for managing a NT in decline .

but even if Italy was not in decline , I would never leave a club for  a National Team . I would do it only if I am at end of career as Capello
very strange decision by Conte imo

I reckon unless we have an equally successful run now with whatever maanger(s) we get, Conte will finish up by 2016/18 and end up coming back to Juve

If not, wtf is he doing leaving us for a short Italy contract, hardly coaching at all and managing a lot of the players he had at Juve anyway

Nevermind moaning about our budget, he's stuck with a shit generation of Italians

I think Conte wanted to aspire for an European top clubs with more chances to win CL, general thought by all ,he could wait a year , now he is bounded a NT for 2 years, and this collides also with his desire to coach the players daily , he will be "relegated" to 5 matches every year, the real reason because managing a club and a NT are 2 different things and you usually do it only when you are at end of career.
I don't see great advantages   in this choice for him, he sounds almost as a step back in his career and infact I don't know if he  will appreciate this job tbf .
Just hoping that he will not resign again , because the alternative is Guidolin , the man who with 38 points after 15 matchdays cries and trembles  towards journalists because " we need still 2 points to avoid the relegation " ..

^Its a delicate moment for the Italian NT tbh.Two consecutive world cups where they couldnt surpass the group stages is embarrassing for a historically successful NT like Italy.They need the best personnel available now and if Conte can create a sort of mini-revolution concerning youth or the way Italy play etc and ends up being in successful in it,it'd not only put Italian NT back on the map again(among the best NT's) but it could also help Italian football as a whole.
From Conte's perspective this might be a step back but if he himself is convinced he can change things around and help his nation regain its elite status again,then its a win-win for all involved.

Di Marzio wrote:Antonio Conte has communicated his first call-ups since he has been appointed as Italy coach. Azzurri will face Netherlands in a friendly on September 4th and Norway in Oslo on September 9th

Goalkeepers: Buffon, Padelli, Perin and Sirigu.
Defenders: Astori, Bonucci, Chiellini, De Sciglio, Paletta and Ranocchia
Midfielders: Candreva, Darmian, De Rossi, Florenzi, Giaccherini, Maggio, Marchisio, Parolo, Pasqual, Poli, Verratti.
Strikers: Destro, El Shaarawy, Giovinco, Immobile, Osvaldo and Zaza.

http://gianlucadimarzio.com/en/calciomercato/antonio-contes-first-call-ups-as-italy-coach-balotelli-is-out-the-full-list/

I must say.....
Happy to see Osvaldo, Ranocchia (obvs), and the Roma players and Poli.

But I must saay... Padelli, Paletta (ugh), Zaza, GIOVINCO<<<<< (biggest one imo), huuuuuuuge shocks.

Conte is sending a strong message by dropping Balotelli. He must absolutely prove himself at liverpool, I'm sure if he does well , he will be recalled (although personally I don't want to see him recalled)

Edit: wow didn't even notice giaccherini, disgusting choice.

Balo has plenty of time to reclaim his spot tbf

Some of the picks are odd but instead of moaning about them i'll leave it

2 group stage exits in a row... the 'stronger' line ups have been pathetic

Only I don't rate so much Zaza ? Enough surprised about his call up , personally I think Pellè ( is it correct snubbing him so much ? I have seen so much CFs , also scrubs , called in Nazionale, never him . Pellè has scored also with Saints recently in League Cup ) in deserved it more than him for example
Great goaal scored by Zaza today though

Italy producing Shit 10's, crap strikers generally.

Defence is declining majorly, CBs anyway. There is hope at full back

Basically, gotta rely on midfield. Tbh going back to some dirty, disgusting catenaccio would be > playing moderately attractive football a la Prandelli and getting no results whatsoever

Italy lack a vice-DDR, i can't think of anyone able to do the dirty work in midfield in case he's injured/suspended/whatever. Additionally none of the youngsters are looking they'll be able to emulate him in the future. Jorginho and Verratti's qualities aren't quite similar to his.

We didn't play so well since Argentina 1978

>>>> Fappening

Did the match go well? Were we dominating after scoring or did we park the bus?

Basically we dominated from beginning to end
Netherlands played iwith 10 men for 80 minutes thiough (Italy already won 2-0 anyway)

Yesterday very important victory of Italia under 21 against Serbia u 21. Decisive match for Euro qualification  and Olympic games qualification  .  Now it will be enough to win against Cyprus to get the qualification .
Yesterday we had to win , a tie meant elimination . Luckily Serbia didn't have some their important players as Markovic
Italy lost 0-2 , then remuntada and final 3-2.
Berardi played badly for the whole match  ( but tbf he played external in a 4-4-2   not exactly same thing than playing as winger, he is an offensive player ) but he scored the decisive goal benefiting of an awful mistake made by Serbian GK

this was the lineup

TALIA-SERBIA 3-2 (2-2)
ITALIA (4-2-4): Bardi; Zappacosta, Bianchetti, Antei, Biraghi; Sturaro, Crisetig; Longo (20′st Bernardeschi), Berardi (40′st Benassi), Batocchio (45′st Sabelli sv), Belotti. 12 Leali, 13 Rugani, 14 Cataldi, 18 Trotta). All.: Di Biagio.


I loved Di Biagio as player .
But he doesn't convince me as coach

Well, problem is that even winning the group doesn't give you a ticket for the U21 Euro yet - there are still two play-off matches awaiting and these can kick you out just before the finishing line. Qualifying for the U21 Euro is harder than all senior tournaments.  -_-'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_UEFA_European_Under-21_Championship_qualification

Zaza glad to see some youngin's out thurr

Why was Verratti still on the bench? I can see only one good reason - Contes love with Ciahccerini will ruin Verrattis hope of a starting place for italy.. like Prandellis stupidity did..

Well let's moan about Verratti not starting WHEN the results turn sour

Look at Prandelli, he chose like 9/10 players from the majority of any supporters ideal XI that turned out absolutely fantastic didn't it


Results are infinitely more important than trivial matters like who does and doesn't get picked so he can play whoever he wants if Italy keep defending properly as a Unit (Prandelli could never achieve this properly) and getting results.

And for the record I Marco will probably end up starting further down the line.

I think Verratti will start over florenzi

he loves giaccherini but I will not complain... look at how we're playing and look at these results ffs

I mean Zaza... who the hell expected this? conte is sensational

giaccherini delivering corners is the worst idea since Catholic church

I still remain skeptical about 3 men defense. Never worked for juve against big european clubs, it will be seen if it works against big european countries.

worked for netherlands and was good enough to get them to the finals if they did better in penalties

Back 3 is actually ideal in these cup competitions, in club football against teams absolutely stacked with class full backs AND wingers it's a different matter.

Not to mention a majority of the defence and MF will be of Juve players, and they've spent 3 years working in the system Conte wants to play so Italy are automatically one of the most gelled teams out there.

Some of the moves Italy pulled off last night were straight out of the Juve manual.