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Lippi v. Hiddink

June 26th, 2006 | By: Jay | 55 Comments »

Sounds like Marcello Lippi is getting a little edgy. The New York Times ran this article yesterday and Lippi clearly trying to counter Hiddink through the press.

Here’s an interesting line:
”He’s a great trainer, but he’s very cunning,” Lippi said. ”He prepares his players in every aspect, mentally and physically. I’ve never faced him, but it’s clear my players want revenge.”

On the positive side, you know the men in blue won’t be overlooking this match. On the down side, you have to wonder a little bit if Hiddink isn’t already in their heads.

At the end of the day, I think Italy will have too much talent not to get past the Socceroos. (That will come as a big shock on the Italy blog. Hah.) Combine that fact with the ongoing news that Harry Kewell’s groin strain is still bugging him, making him questionable for today’s match, and its too much for Australia to overcome. I’ll go out on a short limb and predict a 2-1 result.

Forza Azzurri!

Tags: Australia, Azzurri, Italy

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 55 comments.

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By marco | June 26th, 2006 at 7:32 pm

This is an embarrassing win, even I, an Italian will acknowledge that. The Aussies have done well and it is better to lose controversially than convincingly. Hope to see the Aussies when they have more experience in 4 years….when technique, fitness and guile is perfected as in our case. Forza Italia!

Posted from Australia

By Lisa | June 26th, 2006 at 7:33 pm

Muddia Beduddia

“Now, can all the Aussie bitches go shutty shutty. ”

God this sh*ts me. Hello? The harshest comments against Italy here have been from AMERICA - your own country - not Australia.

Moron.

Posted from Australia

By Christian | June 26th, 2006 at 7:34 pm

Not really a foul anywhere on the pitch - the Italian player was a good step away before reaching the _already down_ Australian player. An obstruction, sure, but to me it also looked like the Italian player could just have easily stepped over him. That is, if he’d wanted to.. you know, play properly and not take a dive.

Posted from Australia

By simon | June 26th, 2006 at 7:38 pm

italy fans… I have one request to make. When your team wins this cup ahich i think they will definitely do, please go ahead and tell all your players to do an audition with some good hollywood film - making firm…. You have got the consummate acting skills, and the timing it takes to make oscar winning actors….!! Thank you. And all the best. HOW DID YOU FIX THE REFEREE. HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO DO IT EVERY TIME…!!

Posted from India

By BILLY | June 26th, 2006 at 7:41 pm

ITALY DID NOT DESERVE TO WIN. IN MY VIEW THEY ARE A BUNCH OF ACTORS/PANSIES WHO WERE OUTCLASSED FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE MATCH. ALL ITALIANS SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES TODAY. AUSTRALIA WERE ROBBED. ALL ITALIANS ARE DISGRACED. GO AND SUCK ON YOUR OWN BIG TOE. AND THEN PROCEED TO GET ABSOLUTELY MAGGOT, PREFERABLY UNTIL YOU LOSE ALL BRAIN CELLS. MAY I SUGGEST PURPLE LIPPERS AS A GREAT START TO YOUR ULTIMATE DESTRUCTION. DEFINITELY AUSTRALIA MAY LAY CLAIM NOW TO BE THE NATIONAL TEAM OF ALL AUSTRALIANS, HAVE THE SURPASSED THE WALLABIES? PERHAPS NOT. BUT ONE THING IS FOR SURE, THE ITALIAN TEAM IS QUITE SIMPLY A BUNCH OF WANKERS WHO DID NOT DESERVE TO WIN THE MATCH. GO HOME AND SUCK ON YOUR LITTLE TOE. ITALY ARE A BUNCH OF ACADEMY AWARD WINNING GIMPS. I AM VERY ANGRY. THIS IS NOT FAIR. THIS IS GREAT TO SHARE THIS WITH THE PUBLIC OF THIS COUNTRY. I WILL BE BACK AT 4AM TO BRING YOU UPDATES OF THE OTHER ROUND OF 16 MATCHES. BUT FOR NOW FROM GERMANY 2006 THE WORLD CUP OF FOOTBALL I AM ANDREW ORSATI. GOOD BYE FOR NOW.

Posted from Australia

By simon | June 26th, 2006 at 7:41 pm

Even the Italy-haters at ESPN acknowledged it was a foul worthy of a penalty kick. If Wynalda agrees with the ref on something that goes Italy’s way, it must be.

Now, can all the Aussie bitches go shutty shutty.

Posted from United States United States

SHARPEN YOUR EARS MATE. I THINK THEY HAVE A LOT OF WAX. LISTEN AGAIN TOMORROW.

Posted from India

By marco | June 26th, 2006 at 7:44 pm

well the penaly was not one but the red card was not one either … overall italy had many more better chances … italys defence is again the best in the world and toin is just so unlucky .. and wat was with taking toni off and not iaquinat whos no good

Posted from Australia

By Adam | June 26th, 2006 at 7:44 pm

Thoughts on the match…

Del Piero played fine (but far from exceptional) and I would’ve liked to see Gattuso play that ball accurately to him in the second half…it would’ve been DP vs. Schwarzer one on one.

Why was Iaquinta in the game? This was a huge blunder by Lippi. He has the ball fall right in his lap in front of goal and weakly “passes” the ball right back to Schwarzer.

Another issue I have with Iaquinta coming on is that it looked as though the game might be heading for penalties…and of the eight players Lippi had practice PK’s yesterday, only TWO were on the field at the end of the match. Inzaghi should have been Gilardino’s sub…or even Barzagli. The Barzagli substitution was a good move to shore up the defense. Now everyone has seen the pitch except for Oddo and the two reserve keepers.

Totti’s PK was perfectly placed, brilliantly struck, and he didn’t look the least bit nervous as he set up to take the spot kick. Bravo, Francesco.

The penalty was a good call because the Aussie defender slid and put his whole body in Grosso’s path…AND the defender was the last man to beat. Grosso sold the penalty well, as he could have jumped over the player on the ground, but it was still a good call on a stupid play by the defender.

The Materazzi red card was a mistake by the referee, but the one good thing about it is that he will not be in the next match to make the kind of crucial error we’ve come to expect of him. Hopefully Nesta will be ready. We need him and Cannavaro back there. If not, at least Barzagli is a better option than Materazzi.

Zambrotta’s yellow card for delaying the game was a stupid move on his part. A careless and unnecessary play. He, Grosso, and Gattuso all picked up yellows. That could spell trouble if any of them get another in the next round (if Italy moves on the semifinals, which is me getting too far ahead of myself). In the next match, I would like to see Oddo start in place of Grosso, partly due to the yellow card and partly because Massimo should be on the field in the event of a PK shootout…and it would be better to save substitutions for midfield and the attack.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I nearly had a heart attack watching the game, and even after it ended I was pacing up and down the house full of adrenaline.

Forza Italia!

Posted from United States

By BILLY | June 26th, 2006 at 7:49 pm

PS - MUDDIA BEDUDIA - WHAT SORT OF A CRAP NAME IS THAT? YOU SOUND LIKE THE WANKER OF ALL WANKERS. GO HOME AND KNOCK ONE OFF AND THEN YOU MIGHT REALISE THAT AUSTRALIA WERE THE DESERVED WINNERS. IF YOU WERE STANDING HERE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME NOW, LET’S JUST SAY YOU WOULD BE ON THE GROUND (UNCONCIOUS) WITHIN SEVERAL SECONDS. AND THEN YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF WITHOUT SEVERAL OF YOUR FRONT TEETH. HAVING SAID THAT, BY THE SOUND OF YOUR NAME, YOU PROBABLY DON’T HAVE ANY FRONT TEETH. I CAN GIVE YOU THE NUMBER OF A GOOD DENTIST IF YOU WOULD LIKE. OR I CAN SUGGEST A GOOD, STRONG ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE THAT WILL DROWN YOUR SORROWS AT BEING AN UGLY MAN WITH AN UGLY NAME. NOW, SILENCE YOURSELF. AND THEN PROCEED TO GET MAGGOT WHILE FANTASISING ABOUT YOURSELF HAVING INTIMATE RELATIONS WITH A WILD GOAT. BUT THAT WOULDN’T BE ANYTHING UNUSUAL WOULD IT, GIVEN YOUR NAME.

Posted from Australia

By Bushpig | June 26th, 2006 at 7:49 pm

Qantas flight 94 departing in 5 minutes, next stop Sydney.
Good bye Australia.
Forza Italia, you deserved to win.

Posted from United Kingdom

By William | June 26th, 2006 at 7:49 pm

Not a fair and honourable way to win.

But as they say: “A win is a win”.

Australia is likely to be beaten somewhere along the world cup journey, it’s just that to exit in such a fashion is quite demoralising.

Posted from Australia

By Angelo Abruzzese | June 26th, 2006 at 7:55 pm

Well I predicted a 0-0 draw with Italy winning on PK’s.

All that realy happened is we saved ourselves the 30 minutes of overtime and 9 other kicks.

Forza Italia, we played a man down and weathered the storm.

Good match from the Australians but they failed to take advantage of a man leand and in the end why did Italy have a Man in the Box with only a few seconds left in the first place?

The play was a perfect oportunity to extract a pk and that is what happened.

Posted from United States

By Bushpig | June 26th, 2006 at 7:55 pm

Australia, impressive but you are not a jedy yet

Posted from United Kingdom

By steve | June 26th, 2006 at 8:17 pm

VERGOGNIA ITALIANI, FATE PENA

By BILLY | June 26th, 2006 at 8:24 pm

bushpig you are not a man. you are a bushpig. half bush half pig. in fact i wouldn’t be surprised if you resembled a pig in terms of your facial appearance. your comments are complete rubbish. first of all you do not know how to spell. it’s “jedi” you retard, not “jedy”. go back to school. seconldy, italy deserved to win? if you honestly believe that then you should be ashamed of yourself. in fact i can’t believe that the first thing you do following your victory is go to this stupid website. i am only here to vent my frustration and you have proved a most valuable target. i only wish i could see your face, but then the downside of that is i might start to feel sorry for you. because i know that it is highly likely that you are an ugly ugly man who only finds satisfaction in watching your italian pretty boys kick a ball around. in fact, if you really believe italy deserved to win, then i will pray tonight that you will tear your anterior cruciate ligament at some stage in the next year, in both knees. now go to bed loser. and get a life.
Love Billy

Posted from Australia

By Julia | June 26th, 2006 at 8:25 pm

@ Billy
calm down

ps the love Billy was pretty funny.

Posted from Australia

By Angelo Abruzzese | June 26th, 2006 at 8:36 pm

Oh my, if this was England that had lost would we be seeing burning Flag, Buildings coming down perhaps? Or more stands on fire with Italian fans dying in the flames?

Take a deep breath and remember it is a game!

Posted from United States

By steve | June 26th, 2006 at 10:04 pm

Way to go billy, Italy as usual has shown the world how pity they are

By FORZA AZZURRI111 | June 26th, 2006 at 10:39 pm

Italy deserved to win just as much as Australia did, infact italy had more shots on goal, and that is more important then possesion, when italy had chances they made better use of them then australia, the socceroos could not break italy’s defense, and not many teams can, keep in mind we were 1 man down and without Nesta, now you think that refereeing discision was bad? lol look at what italy has had to put up with, and this was last world cup, same round and again, against hiddink: smallurl.co.uk/?221

Posted from Australia

By sunday | June 27th, 2006 at 2:11 am

BILLY - How brave of you to rant on Muddia Bedudia from behind a screen with your cowardly fingers pounding on a keyboard. Keep your racist ignorant comments off this blog and stick to intelligent soccer talk.

by the way, nice to know you like watching our “pretty boys kick a ball around”

Posted from Canada

By Jono | June 27th, 2006 at 6:56 am

BILLY calm down little fella, I first read your post and thought, wow bushpig must have said something real nasty, but he didn’t, he just stated his opinion.

Take your finge rout of your ass, and accept your loss today!

It’s sad Aussie went out because of a bad call, but Italy was closer when it came to chances.

Now remember take your finger out of your ass before you start crying at this comment, that states an opinion!

By marco | June 27th, 2006 at 7:55 am

Message from Totti to the Roos and Hiddink:

Suck thumb kiddie roos, watch the beautiful people play the beautiful game, Forza Italia!

Posted from Australia

By raffaello | June 27th, 2006 at 2:49 pm

billy, you obviosly have the wrong site, ‘ small d**ked neanderthols’ can be found on google, go look it up you ignorant git. This is a football blog. The penalty was a bit harsh but you can’t make that mistake as a defender. As australia were not able to capitalise against 10 man italy then someone has to win. Tough luck see you in 4 years

Posted from Austria