The Azzurrini (U21-20-19...) Thread (19 Viewers)
- Thread starter ReBeL
- Start date
These Italian youth teams were destroying everything on their way in the not so distant past.
What do you think is the reason for these failures to do good lately in the youth levels? You think that less attention is paid to the youth teams or it's simply lack of talent?
Even those Juve fans who don't support the Azzurri can't be happy if there is lack of good young players in the country, knowing how Juve are traditionally having at least 50% Italian players.
What do you think is the reason for these failures to do good lately in the youth levels? You think that less attention is paid to the youth teams or it's simply lack of talent?
Even those Juve fans who don't support the Azzurri can't be happy if there is lack of good young players in the country, knowing how Juve are traditionally having at least 50% Italian players.
Vito Mannone (Arsenal) - 22
Giuseppe Prestia (Chelsea) - 16
Jacopo Sala (Chelsea) - 18
Fabio Borini (Chelsea) - 19
Marcello Trotta (Fulham) - 17
Michele Fornasier (Man Utd) - 16
Alberto Massacci (Man Utd) - 17
Davide Petrucci (Man Utd) - 18
Federico Macheda (Man Utd) - 18
Fabio Zamblera (Newcastle) - 20
Mirko Ranieri (Spurs) - 18
Davide Ferrari (West Ham) - 18
Giuseppe Prestia (Chelsea) - 16
Jacopo Sala (Chelsea) - 18
Fabio Borini (Chelsea) - 19
Marcello Trotta (Fulham) - 17
Michele Fornasier (Man Utd) - 16
Alberto Massacci (Man Utd) - 17
Davide Petrucci (Man Utd) - 18
Federico Macheda (Man Utd) - 18
Fabio Zamblera (Newcastle) - 20
Mirko Ranieri (Spurs) - 18
Davide Ferrari (West Ham) - 18
I've said before, the U21's were but the others, no.
Biggest problems - not giving youth a chance, and now teams poaching players by offering them £5,000 a week before Italian teams can offer them a professional contract.
It does show though, the talent is there, but they don't get a chance. As such, they are coming up against players from other countries who have played first team football, just look at the squads.
Biggest problems - not giving youth a chance, and now teams poaching players by offering them £5,000 a week before Italian teams can offer them a professional contract.
It does show though, the talent is there, but they don't get a chance. As such, they are coming up against players from other countries who have played first team football, just look at the squads.
True. Especially after the u-21 era these guys are forgotten.
Compare the last German and Italian u-21 teams. Those were, together with England the best teams in the tournament and Italy could have even eliminated Germany. They weren't inferior.
But while 6 of the German u-21 kids made the German WC squad, and some, like Neuer, Ozil, Boateng and Khedira played a huge role in the team, and others like Beck, Aogo, Castro, Boenisch, Howedes, Ebert, Marin and Hummels are among the best players in the best German teams, most of the Italian u-21 stars are either reserves in their teams or they play for smaller teams.
Compare the last German and Italian u-21 teams. Those were, together with England the best teams in the tournament and Italy could have even eliminated Germany. They weren't inferior.
But while 6 of the German u-21 kids made the German WC squad, and some, like Neuer, Ozil, Boateng and Khedira played a huge role in the team, and others like Beck, Aogo, Castro, Boenisch, Howedes, Ebert, Marin and Hummels are among the best players in the best German teams, most of the Italian u-21 stars are either reserves in their teams or they play for smaller teams.
I noticed a link on TMW that says Juve have scouts over there, like everyone else I suppose, and they were two mentioned to looks out for from the Netherlands, along with Ricky Van Haaren and Rajiv Van la Parra.
Nelson Oliviera - who scored past Italy in the first game - from Rio Ave in Portugal was another, as well as Sergio Canales (well yeah), Borini also had a mention.
For England I would pick Delfouneso (Villa), Parrett (Spurs) and Clyne (Palace) as future internationals, but England's pool is so small that quite a few of theirs could in the future.
France and Spain have some really obvious candidates, I don't know Austria and Croatia at all.
Nelson Oliviera - who scored past Italy in the first game - from Rio Ave in Portugal was another, as well as Sergio Canales (well yeah), Borini also had a mention.
For England I would pick Delfouneso (Villa), Parrett (Spurs) and Clyne (Palace) as future internationals, but England's pool is so small that quite a few of theirs could in the future.
France and Spain have some really obvious candidates, I don't know Austria and Croatia at all.
You've hit the nail on the head, Alen.
I think the only player from Italy's U/21 team from Euro 2009 who went to SA was Marchisio, and he was played out of position as well all know. In an ideal world Motta, Giovinco, Balotelli etc would have been there as well.
Italy were pretty unlucky against Germany from memory. They had a decent team in that tournament. Giovinco, Balo and Acquafresca were all pretty good up front.
I think the only player from Italy's U/21 team from Euro 2009 who went to SA was Marchisio, and he was played out of position as well all know. In an ideal world Motta, Giovinco, Balotelli etc would have been there as well.
Italy were pretty unlucky against Germany from memory. They had a decent team in that tournament. Giovinco, Balo and Acquafresca were all pretty good up front.
Just as a comparison though, the last Italy team to win anything at youth level, U21's from 2004:
1 GK Marco Amelia
2 DF Cristian Zaccardo
3 DF Emiliano Moretti
4 DF Alessandro Gamberini
5 DF Daniele Bonera
6 MF Daniele De Rossi
7 MF Giampiero Pinzi
8 MF Angelo Palombo
9 FW Alberto Gilardino
10 MF Matteo Brighi
11 FW Giuseppe Sculli
12 GK Federico Agliardi
13 DF Andrea Barzagli
14 DF Cesare Bovo
15 MF Marco Donadel
16 DF Alessandro Potenza
17 MF Giondomenico Mesto
18 MF Alessandro Rosina
19 MF Simone Del Nero
20 FW Andrea Caracciolo
21 MF Gaetano D'Agostino
22 GK Carlo Zotti
One world class player, plus Gilardino and D'Agostino. The rest are just good, average, or poor.
1 GK Marco Amelia
2 DF Cristian Zaccardo
3 DF Emiliano Moretti
4 DF Alessandro Gamberini
5 DF Daniele Bonera
6 MF Daniele De Rossi
7 MF Giampiero Pinzi
8 MF Angelo Palombo
9 FW Alberto Gilardino
10 MF Matteo Brighi
11 FW Giuseppe Sculli
12 GK Federico Agliardi
13 DF Andrea Barzagli
14 DF Cesare Bovo
15 MF Marco Donadel
16 DF Alessandro Potenza
17 MF Giondomenico Mesto
18 MF Alessandro Rosina
19 MF Simone Del Nero
20 FW Andrea Caracciolo
21 MF Gaetano D'Agostino
22 GK Carlo Zotti
One world class player, plus Gilardino and D'Agostino. The rest are just good, average, or poor.
Yup.
And I don't know if you remember, but they were really great and superior. Had the luck the Serbs to get a red in the final, but they'd have won nonetheless because they were head and shoulders above the rest.
Still, if you look at the names, even though not many became WC players, you will see that all of them kinda made it and they all (with 1-2 exceptions) play regularly for their teams. That doesn't happen too often. Usually there are at least 7-8 players in these u-21 teams that completely disappear later. It wasn't the case with this Italian u-21 team.
Compare them with all the other teams and you'll see that:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_UEFA_European_Under-21_Football_Championship_squads
And I don't know if you remember, but they were really great and superior. Had the luck the Serbs to get a red in the final, but they'd have won nonetheless because they were head and shoulders above the rest.
Still, if you look at the names, even though not many became WC players, you will see that all of them kinda made it and they all (with 1-2 exceptions) play regularly for their teams. That doesn't happen too often. Usually there are at least 7-8 players in these u-21 teams that completely disappear later. It wasn't the case with this Italian u-21 team.
Compare them with all the other teams and you'll see that:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_UEFA_European_Under-21_Football_Championship_squads
On the other hand, this selection of players from 1996-97 qualifying finished behind England and Georgia in their group and didn't make the 1998 tournament:
GK Gianluigi Buffon
GK Matteo Sereni
DF Luigi Sartor
DF Francesco Coco
DF Joseph Oshadogan
DF Claudio Rivalta
DF Alessandro Pistone
DF Raffaele Longo
DF Ivan Franceschini
DF Duccio Innocenti
DF Emanuele Pesaresi
DF Paolo Foglio
MF Tomas Locatelli
MF Alessio Tacchinardi
MF Stefano Fiore
MF Roberto Baronio
MF Massimo Ambrosini
MF Roberto Goretti
MF Domenico Morfeo
MF Jonathan Bachini
MF Diego De Ascentis
FW Cristiano Lucarelli
FW Fabrizio Cammarata
FW Nicola Ventola
FW Marco Carparelli
FW Francesco Totti
FW Claudio Bellucci
GK Gianluigi Buffon
GK Matteo Sereni
DF Luigi Sartor
DF Francesco Coco
DF Joseph Oshadogan
DF Claudio Rivalta
DF Alessandro Pistone
DF Raffaele Longo
DF Ivan Franceschini
DF Duccio Innocenti
DF Emanuele Pesaresi
DF Paolo Foglio
MF Tomas Locatelli
MF Alessio Tacchinardi
MF Stefano Fiore
MF Roberto Baronio
MF Massimo Ambrosini
MF Roberto Goretti
MF Domenico Morfeo
MF Jonathan Bachini
MF Diego De Ascentis
FW Cristiano Lucarelli
FW Fabrizio Cammarata
FW Nicola Ventola
FW Marco Carparelli
FW Francesco Totti
FW Claudio Bellucci
An awful a lot of crap in there, but also 4 or 5 good. Just shows that sometimes teams have a bad batch.
In 1999 and 2000 the squad had Gattuso, Pirlo, C. Zanetti, Abbiati, Zambrotta, Ferrari, Ambrosini, Maresca, Coco and Perrotta, and won it in 2000. I can't see those days coming back until young players play earlier though, regardless of talent.
In 1999 and 2000 the squad had Gattuso, Pirlo, C. Zanetti, Abbiati, Zambrotta, Ferrari, Ambrosini, Maresca, Coco and Perrotta, and won it in 2000. I can't see those days coming back until young players play earlier though, regardless of talent.
