Looks like The Don won’t be signing his contract just yet.

Roberto Donadoni managed the Italy squad all the way into Swiss Austria and is quite proud of his accomplishment. He’s positive that what he has done already is enough to guarantee him a lengthier contract. However, someone should tell him he did it with [...]

Azzurri – Faroe Islands
In honor of not having to care about the outcome of an eventual Azzurri victory, I’m not writing a preview. The scoreline will be heavily favored toward the champs and it will probably be over by the time everyone gets in position for the opening whistle. Wish all the luck in the [...]

A Win Is A Win Is A Win Is A Win
They’re through, and that is all that matters. Finito. Done. Hell, they can lose against the Faroe Islands at home and still make the trek north next summer for some fine ass chocolates and cuckoo clocks. And the savior of the day? None other [...]

Scozia – Italia
The time has come. One game which means nearly everything. And yes, we’re looking past the international juggernaut that is the Faroe Islands. Basically, take points, and the Azzurri go through to Austria & Switzerland. Lose and it’s time for some meaningless friendlies until World Cup Qualifying starts (don’t even get me started [...]

First let’s get this out of the way:

Azzurri boss Roberto Donadoni is already looking forward to Italy’s Euro 2008 qualifier with Scotland and knows that failure is not an option.
“It is just like the World Cup Final and a whole year’s work will come down to 90 minutes,” the ex-Livorno tactician admitted.”

Three Painfully Viewed Points
A lesson in controlling boooooooorreeeedoooooom. This was worse than watching the France game, because at least with that game you knew by the 12th minute it was going to be a nil-nil draw and you could channel surf. Against Georgia the Azzurri were so supremely talented it was hard to take your [...]

One of my all-time all-times. An excuse for a soundtrack.
ray charles georgiaUploaded by oublierleracismeskyblog
So, this game’s theme is out with the old and in with the not as old, but still fairly old. Alessandro Del Piero and Not-So-Super Pippo have been dropped in favor of anyone who possibly has a prayer of creating their own [...]

Ukraine 1 – Boys in Blue 2
3 points is a nice consolation, but nobody’s kidding themselves here, the Azzurri got out-played. Period. Luckily a few moments of class can make up for that and the boys get to head home 2nd place in Group B, behind surprise leaders Scotland.
I’m so tired of writing about the [...]

Completely avoiding the mediocre boredom that was Saturday’s game, the Azzurri get a fresh start against an opponent looking to leap frog into a qualification spot in the Group B standings, which currently look like this:
Group B
France 19pts (8GP)
Scotland 18pts (8GP)
Italia 17pts (8GP)
Ukraine 15pts (7GP)
Scotland I’m not so worried about. France should beat them relatively [...]

(Warning: I’m getting up on a soapbox and ranting for a minute in something that should probably be released in multiple volumes, but damnit, it needs to be said)
Alright, I’ve been saying this ever since Roberto Donadoni was hired last summer roughly 24 hours after Marcelo Lippi stepped down (well, at least to myself before [...]