Decade in Review: Euro 2000

agreed 2002 was a monster team, too bad we had a lousy coach who couldn’t make it work properly. Even though we were safted in the korea/croatia matches, I still think the team was capable of easy victories in those matches.

Anyway, I am really looking forward to the 2012 team. I think that one will be a monster of a team. Especially if some of the players I am thinking of are present.

the 2002 team would have been even stronger if Baggio was there. I could see it now, Baggio and totti playing behind Vieri, what a disaster. Or How about this

Baggio – Totti – Del Piero
Vieri

(I think I just blacked out at the uberness of that strike force) If only the trap was a good coach and knew what he was doing.

Arrrrgghhhhhh!!!

This is a game I will never forget, for obvious, painful reasons.

1) We were up 1-0, this result should have been a certainty given the Italian pedigree and how well our Defence and Keeper were playing
2) We should have been up at least 3 if ADP could bury sitters
3) Where did all the extra time come from??? Someone tell me please
4) I think it was Totti (maybe ADP) who had the ball deep in the French zone, and went offside, when the clock could have been killed..resulting in…..
5)…Barthez booms a perfect ball, Wilthord eventually takes it, beats Nesta..NESTA!! and then beats Toldo with a save he couldve made in his sleep

But the thing that pissed me off most, was the fact that the idiot people watching the game at the Cafe I was at were celebrating early, throwing streamers and confetti. I remember yelling at people to shut up and wait til it was official. Lo and behold Wilthord scores and the rest, as they say, is history. When that ball went past Toldo, I knew it was over, there was no way we were coming back from that.

Posted from  Canada

Don’t forget the misses by Del Boy that would have sealed the game. Didn’t forgive him until his goal against Germany in the WC semi’s to put THAT game away!

In a Del Piero biography RAI did they interviewed Thuram who said he was planning on deliberately fouling ADP in the box on the first chance he had, resulting in a penalty and probably Thuram being sent off. But at the last second, he changed his mind.

Wow, alessio thats interesting, i never heard about that, would have pretty much guaranteed victory at that point as either totti or adp would have taken it, and they rarely miss

Posted from  Canada

Yeah I remember watching that too. Thuram thought he would definitely score so he was going to take him down so he had a chance of missing the penalty. Unfortunately he decided not too.

I still haven’t forgiven Del Piero for that.

And whoever called Trap a poor manager, please, stop watching football.

To re-iterate:

Trappatoni:

* Italy Juventus:
o Italian League: 1976-77, 1977-78, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1983-84, 1985-86
o Italian Cup: 1978-79, 1982-83
o European Cup: 1984-85
o UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup: 1984
o UEFA Cup: 1977, 1993
o European Super Cup: 1984
o Intercontinental Cup: 1985

* Italy Internazionale:
o Italian League: 1988-89
o UEFA Cup: 1991

* Germany Bayern Munich:
o German League: 1996-97
o German Cup: 1997-98

* Portugal S.L. Benfica:
o Portuguese League: 2004-05

* Austria FC Red Bull Salzburg:
o Austrian League: 2006-07

You:

I think I made my point.

Pepe, on the club level trap was good. On the national level he was poor. I hope you understand that club football and national football are two different animals.

On the national level he sucked, and I think he’s gotten worse with old age. A little bit senile, methinks.

lol agreed.

in other news, Pirlo looked pretty good, zambrotta was HORRENDOUS! Really, I know lippi was at the match today, there’s no denying it. if he continues to go with this guy we aren’t going anywhere fast. The thing with zambrotta, I know he is trying, I know he pushes himself, but he has these complete mental lapses and does something dumb, like give the ball away in front of the net. When he first started he was solid as a rock, then as the years passed he would make 1 or 2 mistakes a game, understandable. But now, he is just a constant error making machine. He doesn’t have the legs he once did, his skill is questionable, but his mental lapses are what is going to kill us. With him partnered up along side Cannavaro, Chiellini, and Grosso – three well know gaffe machines of recent, I am scared to see what the result can be.

I dunt kno wat u guys r talkin bout, zambrotta is doin pretty well at milan considerin he’s playin game in and game out, he gets up well and also has great experience in defence and it showss. i think he is stil one of the best fullbacks today even if he is lackin a lil in pace

i don’t know about most disappointing…the korea game in the 02 WC was pretty shit

Zambrotta has been very poor. His speed is gone as well. Backup in S. Africa at the most. ONLY in case of emergency.

Trap sucked for Italy. SUCKED! I will never ever forgive hi for not taking Baggio to the WC in 2002.

we were flat out cheated in south korea. That was an outrage!

Posted from  Australia

ya south korea was bull, first against italy then against spain the referee gifted the koreans the wins, absolute bull!

Sampdoria President says:“I have never spoken with Lippi. I have never allowed myself to speak about Cassano. Maybe one day this story will come out, and it will be a very very ugly story,” he concluded. You guys, what would be the very very ugly story? hmmmmmmmmm!!

Trappatoni mmmwwaahhhhhh i love this man, at least he is better than Lippi

Balotelli again today improved inter. This kid is making a name for himself and should be sent to south africa over the likes of very regular players who when faced with what inter was faced with today, on the brink of elimination, would have shrivelled under the pressure.

@ xyz, you say trap is better than lippi in terms of managing the italian national team, that is perhaps one of the dumbest things i have ever read in my life, lets see, trap with italy in 02 lost out to korea in 04 didn’t make it out of the group stage, lippi takes over….hmm world cup victory.
I don’t understand why personal vendettas and vindication for cassano is necessary, after all did you hear the quote he gave at the weekend after being whistled by some fans, and you turn a blind eye, but when lippi tells the fans to go f*ck themselves after they whistled at his players you bash lippi left and right

I am starting to agree with you on Balotelli

balotelli’s good, but i reckon he needs another couple of years to get his game right. i’ve seen him play fantastic sometimes and shit on other occasions, plus he’s never been too great for the azzurini.
He spent a whole game kicking close range free kicks off target, in the recent campaign for the youngsters.

Posted from  Australia

ya i agree with tony, screw cassanooo, stupidd headcasee, y cant he just keep his mouth shuttt

1. Cassano: Crucify cassano for telling the fans how it is, when Roma fans have dealt with 15 years of totti telling them to fuck off every six months or Gattuso ripping off the Milan armband and throwing it on the floor in a fit of rage. Why hold a double standard people? At the moment Cassano is needed on the national team. We have not ONE player capable of dribbling the ball, let alone creating opportunities, and opening up space. Cassano is that man, and should rightly be on the national team. Even DeRossi is retracting what he said last month. I for one am sick of looking at Pepe.

2. Balotelli: Watch this guy play. On a team STACKED with talent he is looking like the most skilled player out there. Give him a year. If he continues to improve, continues to play the team game, and continues to behave which he has been as of late, there is no reason to leave him at home and every reason for him to be in south africa. He is by far and away the best italian player to come out of the wood work in years and years. So much promise, it can only help us if he goes to South Africa. Even the british commentators today were discussing how bloody difficult dynamo was finding it to contain him.

3. Giovinco: someone get this guy a strength coach. With all the technology out there why isn’t juventus investing in getting him bulked up? If he bulks up a bit, sure he might lose a big of speed, but he’ll be more prepared to play in high tempo games.

I’ve said it before I’ll say it again, book me for 2012, I see some really great things down the pipeline, it’s a pitty we may need to fall apart in South Africa to see this new look Azzurri of the next 10 years.

4. One last little question to Lippi and his supporters: If you’re not in the mood to integrate youth at the rb position, why don’t you select Oddo over Zambrotta? For me the guy is defensively sound, creates better chances up front, and has pace – all of which Zambro completely lacks.

marco cause alot of the times oddo’s cross ends up into orbit, dunt get me wrong he’s a solid player. But i’d take zambro over oddo any day at milan or the azzurri.

I have to agree, oddo’s crosses are horrible and also he’s prone to more defensive lapses than zambrotta, having said that, at the end of the world cup, starting euro qualifiers santon should immediately be starting right back, maybe with zambrotta on the bench as he’s a fantastic utility player and can mentor santon aswell.

Posted from  Canada

I reckon Santon is on his way out of inter in January.