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Partenza: Va Bene
8/22/2005 9:40:00 PM
Bruno Cardile assesses the Serie A landscape on the eve of the new season….
“Tick tic tick toc. Nanana nanananah. Watcha waiting watcha you waiting for”!! Does this song by Gwen Stefani ring a bell? Well, this week TIM Serie A 2005/2006 season will resume full force. Rehab and the withdrawal period are over and now it is time to indulge in the perfect drug (pardon the pun and the borrowing of the phrase from the Nine inch Nails song. Yes. I understand drugs are horrid and ruin people’s lives, but to many, soccer is life and a passion which many psychologists, anthropologists and sociologists would classify as an addiction. Any input ladies and gentleman?). Now we will indulge ourselves in the company of the widescreen in our sofas or at the stadium passionately cheering for our team.
Well the off season was a busy season transfer market wise. We saw team symbols leave and forge new bonds, surprise transfers and the common knowledge ones that were in the news for months. We saw a Roma banned from the transfer market, along with Genoa, Torino being banned from Serie A and Treviso and Ascoli entering the fold. All in all, a busy summer boardroom wise.
To begin with the transfers. Moggi of Juventus signaled his intentions to make sure the Scudetto stays in Turin by signing Vieria. This was a coup d’etat by many standards. Arsenal always stated they would never sell their prized procession and they rejected big offers from Real Madrid a couple of years back. Then Moggi visits London in a so called soccer conference and days later we get word that Vieria is off to Turin. Miccoli, Chiellini, Maresca came back, as Maresca was sold to Sevilla. Tacchinardi moved to Villareal. Ferrara retired and the Del Piero and Cassano saga still looms. Despite all the denials, Elkan stated that he wants Cassano and this could mean that Del Piero could leave. Despite all the so called money problems that Juve has, they did not sell any coveted jewels and believe me they have a lot. The team has lost a couple a games, but it is the preseason and the new purchases have shown their worth. Capello has defensive problems due to many injuries and Buffon is out for three months. However, Juve always find their man and they got a good goaltender in Abbiati.
Inter’s revolving door syndrome continued as Vieri left for AC Milan, Davids to Tottenham, Emre to Newcastle along with other players. They acquired Pizarro from Udinese, Cesar from Flamengo and acquired three players from Real Madrid: the long awaited arrival of Solari, Samuel to reinforce the defense and Figo. Yes, Inter have a new team, but as of late they are red hot and have won two trophies (actually they won more, but they are not important) in the span of four months. Inter seems to be finally gelling as a team and Moratti’s suffering could soon end. The new players fit in Mancini’s 4-4-2 system and the acquisition of Figo is a good purchase. Moreover, all three purchases from Real Madrid were good as Inter could be the team in which they could vindicate them-selves. Now there are problems for a stacked team like this could have dissention in the ranks and they are still short of a striker (yes pundits say this, but they have a lot of reserve strikers; does Cruz ring a bell. He seems to be a super sub and always scores against Juve). However, with a stacked team Mancini can rotate players and can have replacements if injuries occur. However, this is Inter and there are many reasons to be skeptical. I can write a list like: they waste money, they buy a new team, Moratti knows nothing, they are not united etc etc. So we will play St. Thomas as the saying goes in Italian: se non vedo, non ci credo. If I do not see it, I will not believe it. Faith is a good thing, but it never brought Scudetto’s to Inter. The proof will be in the pudding at the end of the season. If Inter fix the defensive woes of last year and Toldo returns to his former self, then the Scudetto COULD go to Inter. Am I an Inter lover as many in the forums accuse me? No, but I respect the organization and who wouldn’t. Moratti is a sweet guy (he has been generous to the club and I know many Juve fans who would love to see Moggi splash the cash more often) and I do feel for Inter fans as they have been so close. The past shows evidence against success, but remember every year is tabula rasa (a clean slate). If they worry about the present then they CAN win. Look at England. Chelsea is finally beating Arsenal in the Premier League. Mancini is about the same age as Mourihno. Plus he is considered to be one of the best youth coaches out there and I believe it. He can put one thing in his resume that many cannot write down: he is winning with Inter Milan. How many other coaches can say that? Not even Capello or Lippi can mention it. Even if Moratti shows him the door, he will have many suitors. Plus he is like Capello. Where-ever he goes he wins. Remember Fiorentina and Lazio?
AC Milan seems to have put a year of misery behind them to prepare for the new season. There have been many articles written on Ancelotti’s departure, but he and Berlusconi have denied this. Moreover, who could replace him? Would any other coach do better? I have my list of candidates, but to fire a coach brings chaos to a team, so the best solution for Milan is to sit and wait. Milan last year walked the boulevard of broken dreams (pardon the pun and the song title from Green Day) and learnt how loss felt and the insults that came with it (I will spare the words). Pancaro, Brocchi, Tommason departed Milan and Vieri made an unexpected U-turn to Milan. At first I was surprised, but Milan needed a striker and I actually thought that he would be used as bait to lure Gilardino to Milan, as at that time the deal was falling through and the Swiss group was not willing to sell him. In addition, Chelsea, Inter and Juve were in the hunt to sign him. However, the Swiss deal did not happen and since Parma needed the money and along with Berlusconi’s negotiating methods (yes he can negotiate. Does anybody remember the article how he wooed the Prime Minister to convince the Finns to give up the notion to base the EU headquarters on food safety and quality in Finland) Gilardino was Milan bound. Vieri stayed and with an Inzaghi, Sheva, Gilardini and Vieri attack, Milan could be on top of the world again. Midfield wise with the additions of a young Bloudek, Vogel and Jamkulovski, They have talent to win the ball and make any defense tremble. They sold Abbiati and I think it is a big mistake for if he performs well at Juve and Dida makes mistakes, Kalac and Eleftheropoulos are not exactly the best back ups (Kalac could do well though). Anyhow, Milan has the team and with a balanced rotation system, the appropriate usage of defensive tactics Milan could rise again.
As for the other teams that need mentioning. Palermo made great strides in the transfer market to acquire Makinwa and Caracciolo while keeping the mostly the same team as last year. They may miss Toni as their other forwards are very young, but Palermo is a young squad for a reason. Del Nieri, likes to develop a team and if given time, in five years the corso (downtown) of Palermo could erupt (pardon again the pun as Etna erupting is spectacular and dangerous at the same tine) in Scudetto celebrations. Fiorentina has acquired Toni due to the departures of Miccoli and Maresca and have solidified the defense with Pancaro, the midfield with Brocchi and the goaltending with Frey. Moreover, Prandelli is the new coach and he is one of the best youth coaches out there and given time, Fiorentina could achieve great things and we could see Viola covering the Scudetto trophy. Sampdoria, Udinese have made wise and minor changes to their squads, but in their preseason games they look sharp and with Cosmi coaching Udinese and Novellino staying as the coach and Bonanzoli adding a new dimension to the forward line, Sampdoria could attain the CL spot they missed last year. However, I expect them to be competitive in the UEFA Cup competition. Reggina has new goaltending and a young squad. However, with Bonanzoli’s departure and a young Bianchi filling in the shoes, goals could be hard to come by unless if Foti is successful in bringing back Ganci. Mozart going to Moscow there will be less midfield flare, but as mentioned, Reggina has a young squad and is capable of an UEFA Cup position. Lecce has added a couple of new players but the new coach which has no Serie A experience will be the ultimate purchase. Will he succeed or be a flop we will have to wait. Parma has a new owner in Lorenzo Sanz and the coaching staff and players coming to Parma is not clear cut and dry, but the money is there and the intention to win. Lorenzo has experience in winning and he could bring success to Parma. They have a young squad and the habit of creating stars. Would Lorenzo be forgiven in letting Gilardino go, we will see. Lazio is nearly the same as last year and the main goal is to survive and thrive in Serie A. The new coach has a lot of work to do.
Scandal wise, Serie A has blessed us with many this year. From Torino being banned due to a lack of funds, Messina being banned and reinstated (will they be competitive after more departures than purchases and be a force in Europe remains to be seen), to Genoa bribing their way to Serie A in which I do not understand as they has a great squad and were safe for promotion has tantalized our visual sense and out left and tight hemispheres of our brain. However, the Roma transfer ban was the highlight of the summer. To ban a team from the transfer market and punish them while they allowed Liverpool to participate is using double standards. I wrote an article on it hence, I will not repeat myself, but I the end justice was served. Taddei has convinced me, but so far Nonda and Kuffor have work to do. Totti seems to be playing soccer and not getting red carded and the Cassano saga continues. Will he stay or go? He will go as he is not the symbol of Roma and Spaletti has stripped him of the vice captain role. The new coach seems to have done well so far and if Roma can find consistency they could attain fourth place.
Livorno, Siena and Chievo remain mostly unchanged, but Chievo let Marchegiani go and has called it a day, as Siena has sold Taddei to Roma, but still have Tudor (not for long as Chievo and Sampdoria want him badly) and Legrottaglie will aid in defense. Livorno has sold a couple of players and acquired a couple and their main goal should be salvation, but they have the squad to finish in mid table. Chievo will too focus on salvation as the glory days of a couple years back seems to elude them now. Treviso and Ascoli make their long awaited appearance back to Serie A. Will they be forces to be reckoned with? It is quite probable but it is nice to see new faces in Serie A and for Mazzone to coach Ascoli again as he has had a storied relationship with them. Empoli return to Serie A after a year long absence and have the experience and a young vibrant team to stay for a while as they were unfairly punished a couple of years back.
All in all we have had a busy summer of transfers and gossip. It is time for the teams to walk the walk. A restful summer for the fans has ended. Now it is now the fans turn to light up the flares, sing the songs, paint the pictures and cheer for their squad in a gentlemanly manner. Well the Serie A plane is fueled up and is ready for take off. What kind of year will it be? Who knows, however it will be fun. All we now must do is fasten our seatbelts and be ready for ground control to tell the pilot “partenza va bene” and enjoy takeoff and the flight ahead. There will be turbulence. However, that is what makes Serie A unique. Enjoy the countdown to Serie A and may the best teams win.
Bruno Cardile
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