I'm a big fan of Italian Football, as my presence on this board and many years of armchair punditry testify to.
However, the recent match fixing scandal/world cup has brought to light the more unsavoury aspects of Italian football.
During the world cup many Italian players, with a few shining exceptions were seen conning the referee. Grosso and Materazzi spring immediately to mind. In my mind the actions of these players legitimises in other players minds that such cheating wins games and thus it exports it throughout the game as a whole.
Italian players have also been exhibiting a great lack of discipline in recent years - the mind casts back to De Rossi's elbow vs. the USA and Totti's spitting shame vs. Denmark in Euro2004.
The fact that all of these things, and the actions of a racist minority of fans, seems to be part and parcel of the Italian game can only be seen as a bad thing. They need to be wiped out in order to improve the image of Italian football in the eyes of other nations.
There is a great shame hanging over italian football but i dont think most of the problems you mention are berift in other european countries. The treatment of english black players against spain in the bernabeu [sp?] was appalling - certainly the equal of problems reported in italy. Real madrid and their dodgy financial dealings are as dirty as juve or milan. And all footballers are dirty cheating so and so's...i dont think italians are alone in that
"Why do you take my statements with a papal seriousness?" "I don't want the virgin olive oil..."
There are all sorts of problems at the moment with football world-wide,not just in Italy. Italy's have just been more highlighted. The 4 clubs found guilty have been punished and now we can all move on.All the politics are threatening to take wawy from the great exploits on the pitch,which is a shame!
they didn't cheat in the world cup. the referees were poor in many matches as well. and Italia was a victim of it. Materazzi got a doubtful red card in the last 16 round. Italia was close to be kicked out. France was awarded a diving penalty from Malouda. behind 0-1 in the final is a very danger situation that was given by referee. Also, many wrong offside foul was in the tournement for Italia as well. and the referees were poor in the whole tournement. No Lucky and No Cheat for Italia World Cup Champion.
In England, the playes always have good methods to avoid fail in medical test. They got the news of the date of medical test. so they can avoid fail in the test.
In Spain, the racism problem is very serious. Like how they treat Eto'o. It is the disgrace of the world and human.
and now Moggi has been eliminated and many official of the match-fixing have been banned. also Juventus is in Serie B now. The Italian football should be clean now.
Its easy to say Italian football is a disgrace while its top of the headlines. But at least its been found out and the authorities are taking action.
Elsewhere all appears rosy but I can assure you that where there are millions of pounds, euros flying about there will be people trying to cheat their way to get it.
You have to hope it comes out in the same way as it has done in Italy.
And as for Grosso and Materazzi conning the ref, well they must have been the only matches our good friend has ever watched cos I dont think I've ever seen a pro footie match, anywhere in the world where players havent tried to con the ref..
This is now a good chance for italian football to clean up its act, whether it will or not is another matter but it has been given a chance! Clubs like palermo, roma and chievo now have the chance to go on and gain respect and more money so they can build their squads! However, serie a now has to be considered the 3rd best laegue after the sapnish and premier leagues! However i may be proven wrong at the end of this season. But i certainly do look forward as to 1 how well the three teams do in serie b and secondly how the so called smaller teams grab their chance to gain decent positions!
Obviously Italian football is an abomination, though it was an impressive achievement of their national team to win the World Cup without a single decent attacking player.
What I find surprising is this sudden fixation with diving. You'd expect the English to bleating on about it (especially Shearer, booked for diving in his last England game...), but even FIFA keep banging on about it. Why now? Diving has been an integral part of the game since I started watching football in the 70s. Rod Marsh, Franny Lee were terrific though struggled in comparison with the Italian technicians. 1990 was a fiesta of diving, with Lineker's majestic performance winning 2 penalties against Cameroon. Stoickkov stole the show in 1994. The one against Germany in 1994 (for the equaliser) was a work of art. And Michael Owen's dives against Argentina in both 98 and 02. And of course there were hundreds of others. You cheer when your boy gets away with (or rather kid yourself he "felt a touch and had to go down") and cry "cheat" when the opponent does it. So what?
Good points made...ive never seen such blatant diving than Michael Owen's Actually, i dont know why i rolled my eyes at it...its just part of the game now as sledging is in cricket
"Why do you take my statements with a papal seriousness?" "I don't want the virgin olive oil..."
The Italians should follow England`s approach to this,for instance before the Portugal game David Cheese Beckham addressed the fans "we must realise that to insult players purely because of their skin colour or religion is unacceptable,thank you,now all together ROOOL BREETANNYA" Later fans gathered to make nazi salutes and sing songs about "RAF shooting down"
To be fair, it wasn't all of them. The media picked on the arm-waving brigade who thought it a good idea to taunt the Polizei.
('Actually, Mein Herr, ve do zink ve are, as you quaintly put it, 'ard enough, and ve vill, zerefore, 'ave a go. You like ze sound my baton makes ven it hits your head, ja?')
Originally posted by newcafan: However, serie a now has to be considered the 3rd best laegue after the sapnish and premier leagues!
Ive never understood why there is such debate about 'which league is best'...after all, it doesnt matter in the slightest. I thought the debate only began because sky kept proclaiming the Premiership as the 'best league in the world' so they could fleece more people of more money
The English national team cheated as much as any other in the WC
"Why do you take my statements with a papal seriousness?" "I don't want the virgin olive oil..."
Originally posted by newcafan: However, serie a now has to be considered the 3rd best laegue after the sapnish and premier Teagues!
Ive never understood why there is such debate about 'which league is best'...after all, it doesnt matter in the slightest. I thought the debate only began because sky kept proclaiming the Premiership as the 'best league in the world' so they could fleece more people of more money
The English national team cheated as much as any other in the WC
The Italians spoke for many years about having "Il Campionato più bello del mondo".
In recent times, they have altered this to "Il campionato più difficile del mondo".
I think they now dream (unrealistically) of having "Il campionato più pulito del mondo"
Originally posted by ®osa: Totti was provoked into spitting therefore it's ok...according to the Zidane brigade.
The best players are most easily provoked? The players with the worst tempers and shortest fuse play in Italy? The implications of that statement are endless...
"Why do you take my statements with a papal seriousness?" "I don't want the virgin olive oil..."
The reason it was corrupt is pure and simple..money. People will do anything to make sure their interests make mroe money. If that involves fixing games so be it. The italians got caught and it came to light and everyone grumbled 'bluddy italians, im glad that doesnt happen here...'
Like germany for instance, or grobbelars bunging. Lets face it peeps when its millions at stake corruption is everywhere
Originally posted by JuveBoy: The reason it was corrupt is pure and simple..money. People will do anything to make sure their interests make mroe money. If that involves fixing games so be it. The italians got caught and it came to light and everyone grumbled 'bluddy italians, im glad that doesnt happen here...'
Like germany for instance, or grobbelars bunging. Lets face it peeps when its millions at stake corruption is everywhere
Not on this scale. Other countries have controls in place to avoid things like calciopoli.
What is quite ironic is that Materazzi received a more severe penalty than Zidane!! Zidane's banning of three games is meaningless to him whereas Materazzi will miss two games. If anybody including the Fifa muppets believe that footballers are quiet choir boys while they are out there they are living in cloud cuckooland! Zidane should have had his award taken away from him.
Actually, i dont know why i rolled my eyes at it...its just part of the game now as sledging is in cricket
