Buffon leads Azzurri mutiny Thursday 22 August, 2002
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Several Italy stars are beginning to lose patience with Coach Giovanni Trapattoni as his job is placed on the line.
The tactician held his position following the controversial 2002 World Cup exit to South Korea, but press and public pressure is growing on the veteran ahead of their opening Euro 2004 qualifier in Azerbaijan.
“I am optimistic as I saw the realisation that we cannot make a mistake from now on,” assured Trap. “We always pull through when it counts.”
There are suggestions he could be fired if the Azerbaijan match on September 7 is not a success.
“I am used to criticism after 30 years in this business. But as long as it is constructive and not pure spite I don’t mind.”
However, the Coach appears to be the only man in the Italy camp to maintain that the glass is half-full.
“I’m getting really worried now,” pointed out goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. “Yesterday’s 1-0 defeat to Slovenia was strange, very strange.”
“In other occasions we didn’t put in maximum effort or we were unfit. Not this time,” explained the Juventus man. “We now struggle to beat any old team.”
“Either we have taken a few steps back or the standard of world football has risen considerably in the last few years. But I certainly did not see any progress from the World Cup.”
The public criticism from his players comes just days after a spat with Christian Vieri, in which the hitman accused Trap of “inciting fear in the team” ahead of encounters with even meagre opposition.
Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has also added his voice to the growing mutiny within the Italy camp.
“We step onto the field with a ladylike attitude,” commented the former Glasgow Rangers star. “Yet our opponents go out there with the taste of blood in their mouths, ready for battle.”
“With all respect to South Korea and Slovenia, we cannot allow ourselves to be put under pressure by these teams.”
Gattuso also noted that the public image of the Azzurri in their home country is suffering with the current financial crisis.
“With all this coverage people are starting to hate us. It’s said that we play in the richest League in the world, that we earn easy money and drive posh cars. We must get back to basics.”
Even new boy Marco Di Vaio, controversially left at home during the 2002 tournament, was upset at the 1-0 friendly defeat to Slovenia.
“It didn’t go the way we had planned. Slovenia were more aggressive and determined from the starting whistle and it made everything so much more difficult.”
“But in any case,” added the Parma hitman, “it shouldn’t matter because Italy must be able to take these games by the scruff of the neck.”
Meanwhile, the aggression spread to the stands as play was stopped repeatedly for fireworks thrown at Buffon’s goal.
After the final whistle a riot broke out between different Slovenian supporters, said to be Olympia Lubjana and Maribor fans, and police made six arrests.
There was also damage to the Nereo Rocco Stadium and several cars parked outside the Trieste building.
Courtesy of football Italia
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Several Italy stars are beginning to lose patience with Coach Giovanni Trapattoni as his job is placed on the line.
The tactician held his position following the controversial 2002 World Cup exit to South Korea, but press and public pressure is growing on the veteran ahead of their opening Euro 2004 qualifier in Azerbaijan.
“I am optimistic as I saw the realisation that we cannot make a mistake from now on,” assured Trap. “We always pull through when it counts.”
There are suggestions he could be fired if the Azerbaijan match on September 7 is not a success.
“I am used to criticism after 30 years in this business. But as long as it is constructive and not pure spite I don’t mind.”
However, the Coach appears to be the only man in the Italy camp to maintain that the glass is half-full.
“I’m getting really worried now,” pointed out goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. “Yesterday’s 1-0 defeat to Slovenia was strange, very strange.”
“In other occasions we didn’t put in maximum effort or we were unfit. Not this time,” explained the Juventus man. “We now struggle to beat any old team.”
“Either we have taken a few steps back or the standard of world football has risen considerably in the last few years. But I certainly did not see any progress from the World Cup.”
The public criticism from his players comes just days after a spat with Christian Vieri, in which the hitman accused Trap of “inciting fear in the team” ahead of encounters with even meagre opposition.
Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has also added his voice to the growing mutiny within the Italy camp.
“We step onto the field with a ladylike attitude,” commented the former Glasgow Rangers star. “Yet our opponents go out there with the taste of blood in their mouths, ready for battle.”
“With all respect to South Korea and Slovenia, we cannot allow ourselves to be put under pressure by these teams.”
Gattuso also noted that the public image of the Azzurri in their home country is suffering with the current financial crisis.
“With all this coverage people are starting to hate us. It’s said that we play in the richest League in the world, that we earn easy money and drive posh cars. We must get back to basics.”
Even new boy Marco Di Vaio, controversially left at home during the 2002 tournament, was upset at the 1-0 friendly defeat to Slovenia.
“It didn’t go the way we had planned. Slovenia were more aggressive and determined from the starting whistle and it made everything so much more difficult.”
“But in any case,” added the Parma hitman, “it shouldn’t matter because Italy must be able to take these games by the scruff of the neck.”
Meanwhile, the aggression spread to the stands as play was stopped repeatedly for fireworks thrown at Buffon’s goal.
After the final whistle a riot broke out between different Slovenian supporters, said to be Olympia Lubjana and Maribor fans, and police made six arrests.
There was also damage to the Nereo Rocco Stadium and several cars parked outside the Trieste building.
Courtesy of football Italia
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