Roberto Baggio set to quit (1 Viewer)

[dreamer]

Another great player to retire..

Monday, 29 December 2003

By Nadia Carminati
Roberto Baggio is to announce that next year will be his last in the game.

The Divine Ponytail made the confession during an exclusive interview with Brescia's local television station Teletutto.

Although the full details will not emerge until the programme is screened on Monday night, Baggio has decided to quit playing football at the end of the season.

"This is the idea I have today and I think it will definitely be the case," he said. "Unless there are incredible changes that can only happen with real difficulty.

"My career has been blighted by injuries that, in all these years, have affected my running. An unbalanced running style gives me still more troubles that, at my age, are difficult to overcome.

"It's too soon to say what I will do. I have to develop the habit not to think about running around on pitches.

"Then I'll find something good to do, something that could give other value to my life."

The breaking news has obviously provoked a lot of reaction in Italy with the country's public divided in their affection for the former Azzurri international.

A career spanning 22 years has had some major highs, and could still score 200 goals in Serie A.

Baggio is still having knee problems and this is thought to be the major reason why the forward, who is 37 in February, is set to quit.

http://skysports.planetfootball.com/Article.asp?id=179074

 

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[mate]

I posted the sad new also in the Baggio tribute trade...

http://www.juventuz.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=297494#post297494

It's so bad but I expected it, cause all those years spended with the knees in such bad conditions caused him other problems, especially backpian and also if he reoperated the knee this summer and it looks to go better all those conseguence and problems still there :down:

 

[Zizou]

It was very much expected as he had said so before the start of the season.

Well it's better if he quits now while still doing well.

It's better to burn out than to fade away.

 

[sallyinzaghi]

i agree totally.
goodbye divine ponytail

 

[mate]

Of course!
Looks like in the interview, that will be schowed tonight he confessed that not only he feels pain playing but also walking and driving his car so I totaly agree that it's time 4 him to say stop.
I just hope that maybe later when the spring start (winter is the worst period 4 who has those pain) he will make it to play again and to score those 4 goals missing to 200

 

[Zizou]

Yeah he will make it as he deserves it. Hopefully his 200th goal won't be a penalty but one of his wonder goals.

It's sad seeing the idol of when I was a kid and the person who inspired my dog's name leaving football forever.

 

[mate]

Yes it's so sad...
But 4 him soccer have always been fun and fantasy and probably with all the physycal problem he has he do not enjoy it anymore so I think that this is the right decision... he gave already so mutch to soccer... Certainly I will not see how the Italian serie A will be from now on whitout the simble, the player who everybody in Italy identify with the world soccer...
Baggio means so mutch 4 Italy, and his fame goaes way ahead than sport so he can do everything he wants now, but IMO he will have a tranquil life from now on and we will have not so many news about him :down:

 

[Zizou]

The last time so much news was devoted to a player who was retiring, it was for Baresi.

Well I hope Trapattoni keeps his promise, of playing one last match for Baggio with the NT; he deserves it.

 

[KB824]

This has upset me to the point where words can't even do justice to it.

I hope he plays one more time with the NT, and that RAI televises his final match to all of Italy and its overseas subscribers(like me)

 

[Juventino]

I really hope he makes it to 200 Goals...
Just hope it's not against Juve!

I would love the idea of him playing a last N.T. match so he can
take a real goodbye! :down:

hope that game will be against Sweden or England...
Sweden cause then they will show it here for 110%
England cause they gonna show it here for 99.9% (even before Sven Goran became their coach they were England Wanna Bees (which is rather PATHETIC))...

anyway... it's sad but I had been expecting that this would be the last
year for him!

Wish him all the best!

 

[Kaiser Franco]

Farewell Little Buddha, and thank you for giving us all those moments of joy and delight, notably with the Nazionale. This is perhaps what distinguishes you from other players : you are not a one team or a one city player. You are the player of all italians, and ultimately of all those who love the Beautiful Game.

(btw : those 196 goals are serie A goals only : on the whole he has scored more than 300)

 

[mate]

++ [ originally posted by USA Juventini ] ++
This has upset me to the point where words can't even do justice to it.

I hope he plays one more time with the NT, and that RAI televises his final match to all of Italy and its overseas subscribers(like me)

I don't think Roby cares about a last match with the NT... remember that when Trap said this he answered: "Will be fun if before there will be the "Trapattoni good by match", he is still pissed with Trap (and he is right to be it) 4 the WC so IMO he will never accept it if Trap will be on the bench...

What peaple and media are starting to pusch 4 is 4 Roby to join the Olimpic NT as an overquota so he can take ouers national flag in Athen 4 the olimpic games... Don't know yet if himself and Gentile like the idea but why not? Probably if he will be the only star he will not care but maybe also Ronaldo will do that, will be nice if most of the countrys will take their simble-player to Athens, it will gave a lot of importance to the olimpic games and will be a nice "good by" 4 ouer best player ever...

 

[mate]

++ [ originally posted by Kaiser Franco ] ++
Farewell Little Buddha, and thank you for giving us all those moments of joy and delight, notably with the Nazionale. This is perhaps what distinguishes you from other players : you are not a one team or a one city player. You are the player of all italians, and ultimately of all those who love the Beautiful Game.

(btw : those 196 goals are serie A goals only : on the whole he has scored more than 300)

Nice message :thumb:
Yes carear goals are 309 and this the tirdh score ever 4 an Italian, first after war.
Let's hope he will recover and score those 4 missing to 200 in serie A!

 

[KB824]

One of our Flag bearers of Italian football is leaving us, and the sport in Italy will never be the same again.

Roby, I am very lucky and fortunate to have seen you play for Italia in the '94WC when you came to the US, and I will never, ever forget it. Thank you, for everything that you have done for football, and just as importantly, for Italians all over the world. We can never repay you for what you've done, for lifting our spirits, for helping us be proud of who we are.

And thank you for gracing us with your incomparable presence here at Juventus, even though your time here was ever so short.

You will be greatly missed, never to be replaced.:down:

Two of the greatest of all-time. Baresi and Baggio

 

[KB824]

I had to put this one in, too.


Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[Slagathor]

Well, all good things must come to an end.

Thanks for the memories, Roberto!

 

[KB824]

++ [ originally posted by mate ] ++


I don't think Roby cares about a last match with the NT... remember that when Trap said this he answered: "Will be fun if before there will be the "Trapattoni good by match", he is still pissed with Trap (and he is right to be it) 4 the WC so IMO he will never accept it if Trap will be on the bench...

What peaple and media are starting to pusch 4 is 4 Roby to join the Olimpic NT as an overquota so he can take ouers national flag in Athen 4 the olimpic games... Don't know yet if himself and Gentile like the idea but why not? Probably if he will be the only star he will not care but maybe also Ronaldo will do that, will be nice if most of the countrys will take their simble-player to Athens, it will gave a lot of importance to the olimpic games and will be a nice "good by" 4 ouer best player ever...

Now, I would love to see that happen. Roby on the olympic team and carrying the flag for Italy.

Like I said earlier, I hope that RAI will televise his last Serie A Match so that I can see it. His influence on people is far reaching.

 

[Zlatan]

Well I never was a big fan of Baggio (not that I disliked him, it's just that I didnt care one way or the other), but ti is sad for Italian football, as he was one of the GOATs, and IMO DP will never match up to him, at least in the Azurri shirt.

 

[Zizou]

I don't know if he will be chosen for the Olympic team. As of late, the policy was to take the players that brought the team to that spot in the first place. If Baggio had to be taken, that would mean that a player would have to be sacrificed for him.

Personally I'd love that to happen.

 

[mate]

No clue if Roby likes the idea and if Gentile will be agree, but if also others teams will take some big stars as overquota I will love it too!
Presently not many peaple cares of soccer during the Olimpic, if Roby, Ronaldo (few days ago he said he will like to to that) and other "simbles" will be there everybody will stick at the TV.