Friday 20 July
Corriere dello Sport
Totti to announce his retirement from the Nazionale today
Corriere dello Sport
Totti to announce his retirement from the Nazionale today
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Totti rejects to play for italy...again!! (2 Viewers)
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Totti ends Azzurri career
Friday 20 July, 2007
Francesco Totti will not return to the Nazionale after confirming that he will retire from international football.
The Roma captain has not appeared for Italy since the World Cup triumph in Germany last summer, stating that he could not play for both his club and the national team until his ankle had completely healed.
The No 10 had recently hinted he could end his sabbatical from international duty in September, but was only prepared to make himself available for Italy’s crucial matches, causing several irritated reactions.
“I will leave the Nazionale,” Totti announced in a Press conference at the Giallorossi’s Trigoria training complex.
“I don’t like the word end, but this is my decision and it was taken for several different reasons. I considered the various options for one year and I will not return in order to not create any problems for the group.
“I am sorry, but my health is what matters most to me,” concluded the 30-year-old forward.
His decision had already been revealed to the FIGC and Coach Roberto Donadoni, with Er Pupone’s decision highly expected after his latest hints.
“I can’t play both the Nazionale and Roma ties all the time, it would be impossible. I’ll evaluate the situation with [FIGC official] Gigi Riva and Donadoni,” he had told magazine ‘Dieci’.
Federal President Giancarlo Abete had asked Totti to make a decision one way or another within the next 15 days, as the Coach needed to know who would be available for the Euro 2008 qualifiers in the autumn.
“The FIGC has a certain schedule. Totti and Alessandro Nesta must tell us before the end of July what they intend to do about the Nazionale.”
Channel4
Friday 20 July, 2007
Francesco Totti will not return to the Nazionale after confirming that he will retire from international football.
The Roma captain has not appeared for Italy since the World Cup triumph in Germany last summer, stating that he could not play for both his club and the national team until his ankle had completely healed.
The No 10 had recently hinted he could end his sabbatical from international duty in September, but was only prepared to make himself available for Italy’s crucial matches, causing several irritated reactions.
“I will leave the Nazionale,” Totti announced in a Press conference at the Giallorossi’s Trigoria training complex.
“I don’t like the word end, but this is my decision and it was taken for several different reasons. I considered the various options for one year and I will not return in order to not create any problems for the group.
“I am sorry, but my health is what matters most to me,” concluded the 30-year-old forward.
His decision had already been revealed to the FIGC and Coach Roberto Donadoni, with Er Pupone’s decision highly expected after his latest hints.
“I can’t play both the Nazionale and Roma ties all the time, it would be impossible. I’ll evaluate the situation with [FIGC official] Gigi Riva and Donadoni,” he had told magazine ‘Dieci’.
Federal President Giancarlo Abete had asked Totti to make a decision one way or another within the next 15 days, as the Coach needed to know who would be available for the Euro 2008 qualifiers in the autumn.
“The FIGC has a certain schedule. Totti and Alessandro Nesta must tell us before the end of July what they intend to do about the Nazionale.”
Channel4
I will bet my house that Totti will backtrack his word once Euro Qualifiers are all finished and Italia qualifies for the Finals. That is so cheeky on the part of Totti. Having said, since it is like a fashion for players to announce retirement, only to comeback just b4 major tournament, he should have just called it a day straight after the WC, when he could have proclaimed that he was ending things on a high.
Whoever takes Italia to the Finals Euro will have huge job, if Italia qualifies that is. Could you imagine all the media drama? This will be nothing compared to that.
Andy Cole
:rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2:
I had a good laugh on that one. Thanks for the info.
Whoever takes Italia to the Finals Euro will have huge job, if Italia qualifies that is. Could you imagine all the media drama? This will be nothing compared to that.
Andy Cole
:rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2:
I had a good laugh on that one. Thanks for the info.
Swag,
You points in theory are valid, but however, if you look at the figures quite closely, I don't think Roma playing more matches in Domestic and Cup competition didnt quite have the effect one would expect to have.
Last season, Totti played 15 games in both Cup competition. This is a lot of games for any players standards, and I suspect those 9 CL games he played were both mentally and physically draining. I remember watching Totti nearly exhausted to death playing aginst Shaktar Donesk. But surprisngly, despite Roma going to CL's quarterfinal for the first ime, in god knows how many years, last season wasn't the most time Totti played in Europe. That honor belongs to 2000-1 season, when Roma got knocked out by Barca and Liverpool in 2nd Group stage of CL with 11 games. Only two season's back he played 7 games in Coppa which is 1 more than he played this year. Of course, it is true that Totti never played so much Coppa and Euro at the same time, but even the combine effect of such run of form by Roma means that, he played 3 more games by this than his "normal seasons" in recent years. That is 2 weeks of work for Totti. It is the domestic league game that had most significant effect since Totti normally plays mid 20s to 30 games a season, where he played 35 games this year. Given that he normally excused himself of International duty due to club "injuries" only to play for Roma next weekend, I can't see how not playing for Nazionale has made him injury free this year. The answer is simple, he has been incredible lucky with injuries this year, and despite all this rhetoric about metal plate on his ankle, in truth, he has never been healthy as this before.
I am totally unequivocal about this. Totti doesnt want to bother himself with all those preparations that goes behind before playing likes of Georgia, Scotland, Lithuania, and Faroes, because he feels he has achieved everything there is, and no need to prove himself at an international stage (though I will disagree with him on this). I can't believe playing additional 6 games will make him physically draining, since he is more than willing to do that for Roma for even those meaningless Coppa games. Can you imagine Ale playing 6 games in Coppa? Not a chance. If one asks whether Roma has the rights over Italia regarding Totti, I think there is a good case to argue. But Totti's excuse for personal reason is just not true, and totally disrespecting those teammates who gave all for the team over the years like Ale, Canna, Buffon, and Inzaghi.
You points in theory are valid, but however, if you look at the figures quite closely, I don't think Roma playing more matches in Domestic and Cup competition didnt quite have the effect one would expect to have.
Last season, Totti played 15 games in both Cup competition. This is a lot of games for any players standards, and I suspect those 9 CL games he played were both mentally and physically draining. I remember watching Totti nearly exhausted to death playing aginst Shaktar Donesk. But surprisngly, despite Roma going to CL's quarterfinal for the first ime, in god knows how many years, last season wasn't the most time Totti played in Europe. That honor belongs to 2000-1 season, when Roma got knocked out by Barca and Liverpool in 2nd Group stage of CL with 11 games. Only two season's back he played 7 games in Coppa which is 1 more than he played this year. Of course, it is true that Totti never played so much Coppa and Euro at the same time, but even the combine effect of such run of form by Roma means that, he played 3 more games by this than his "normal seasons" in recent years. That is 2 weeks of work for Totti. It is the domestic league game that had most significant effect since Totti normally plays mid 20s to 30 games a season, where he played 35 games this year. Given that he normally excused himself of International duty due to club "injuries" only to play for Roma next weekend, I can't see how not playing for Nazionale has made him injury free this year. The answer is simple, he has been incredible lucky with injuries this year, and despite all this rhetoric about metal plate on his ankle, in truth, he has never been healthy as this before.
I am totally unequivocal about this. Totti doesnt want to bother himself with all those preparations that goes behind before playing likes of Georgia, Scotland, Lithuania, and Faroes, because he feels he has achieved everything there is, and no need to prove himself at an international stage (though I will disagree with him on this). I can't believe playing additional 6 games will make him physically draining, since he is more than willing to do that for Roma for even those meaningless Coppa games. Can you imagine Ale playing 6 games in Coppa? Not a chance. If one asks whether Roma has the rights over Italia regarding Totti, I think there is a good case to argue. But Totti's excuse for personal reason is just not true, and totally disrespecting those teammates who gave all for the team over the years like Ale, Canna, Buffon, and Inzaghi.
