Donadoni Sacked

[Shaggy]

Yeah Totti and Nesta have definitely retired.

Also agree about Camoranesi. When he was introduced I committed the cardinal sin of saying "he's ****ing ****". When I do this the player normally goes on to score, and Camoranesi duly forced Casillas into that excellent save almost immediately. Never seen him play so well - he looked very purposeful.

[Neil Young]

Yeah Totti and Nesta have definitely retired.

Also agree about Camoranesi. When he was introduced I committed the cardinal sin of saying "he's ****ing ****". When I do this the player normally goes on to score, and Camoranesi duly forced Casillas into that excellent save almost immediately. Never seen him play so well - he looked very purposeful.

I did much the same although without the swearing because my son was watching it with me.

[BFG]

I really really hate Italian football, the only players from todays generation I respect highly are Del Piero, Maldini, Cannavaro and Buffon. They won the last world cup by boring everyone to death.

Bit harsh mate. Nesta, Zambrotta, Gattuso, Pirlo and Inzaghi have all been top pros and top players.

If it was your team that won a world cup by playing what other nations deemed defensive boring football would you give a ****? I wouldn't.

[Joe King]

Roberto Donadoni says he will not expect any compensation, if he is sacked as Italy coach.

The former Milan midfielder's future as Azzurri boss is in doubt following the world champions' quarter-final exit at Euro 2008.

The Italian Football Federation has already denied reports that a decision has been made, but president Giancarlo Abete is due to meet Donadoni in the coming days.

Donadoni only signed a new contract with Italy before the start of the European Championship, but there is a clause which allows the deal to be cancelled.

And, if Italy dispense with Donadoni, the coach has confirmed he waived the right to any compensation during the negotiations for his contract renewal.

"I said 'no' to the proposal that the president made me on the day of the renewal," Donadoni told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I'm not interested in the economic side of things. If I'm no longer the coach for him, I'll go without asking for anything."

Reports in the Italian media have claimed that 2006 World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi will replace Donadoni at the helm.

http://www.skysports.com/football/euro2008/story/0,23063,11966_3734818,00.html

[Rich]

Bit harsh mate. Nesta, Zambrotta, Gattuso, Pirlo and Inzaghi have all been top pros and top players.

If it was your team that won a world cup by playing what other nations deemed defensive boring football would you give a ****? I wouldn't.

I thought Zambrotta looked somewhat back to his best (or very good at least) in comparison to his performances with Barcelona last year; I'm thinking the Milan Doctors will work their age-defying magic on him....

[dww]

Barry Glendenning didn't like the Italians either!

He certainly didn't.

It's odd actually - I have really liked the tournament but it has contained three of the worst 90 minutes I have ever had the misfortune to see: Italy - Spain, Turkey - Craotia and worst of all France - Romania.

[Reece]

Lippi re-appointed as Italy coach

Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi has been re-appointed after Roberto Donadoni's contract was not extended.

Donadoni left after Italy went out of Euro 2008 when they lost to Spain on penalties in the quarter-final.

Lippi, 60, will be unveiled in Rome on Tuesday, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) said on its website.

He has been out of coaching since leading Italy to their World Cup triumph against France in Berlin.

Donadoni, 44, signed a new contract extension prior to Euro 2008 but one of the conditions of the deal was for the world champions to reach the last four.

The FIGC activated a 10-day get out clause that applied to both Donadoni and the Italian Football Federation after they lost to Spain.

Donadoni, a former AC Milan player, succeeded Lippi in 2006 but the FIGC said his tenure had "run to its natural expiry date".


"President Giancarlo Abete on Wednesday met with national coach Roberto Donadoni in the FIGC headquarters," read a brief statement on the FIGC website.

"In the course of the meeting, as already announced, they reviewed the work carried out in the last two years and how the European Championships had panned out.

"While confirming to Donadoni sincere personal admiration and appreciation for the reliability and skilled professional work which marked his time at the helm of the national side, president Abete also communicated to the coach the FIGC's decision not to renew the contract."


The Azzurri were largely uninspiring at Euro 2008 yet did manage to qualify from the so-called 'Group of Death' which contained France, Holland and Romania.

A 3-0 defeat to the Dutch in the opening Group C game was followed by a goalless draw with Romania.

They squeezed through to the quarter-final stage after beating Les Bleus 2-0 but then lost on penalties to Spain and Donadoni paid the price.

The former Lecco and Livorno boss, who guided Italy to 13 wins, five draws and five losses, said he was pleased with what he had achieved as national coach.

"I'm sorry that a penalty kick has decided this situation," he told ANSA news agency.

"Over these last two years, my Italy also did something positive, and one last game can't erase that."

He added: "I don't have the foggiest idea what I will do in the future. I've got to digest this and then start anew."

Angelo Peruzzi, Italy's third goalkeeper at the World Cup, is likely to be named an assistant coach by Lippi, and former Italy defender Ciro Ferrara could also rejoin the staff.

[Sarb]

Lippi can't help those bunch of OAP's On and how on earth Pirlo gets called the best playmaker in the world is beyond me. Nowhere near

[Neil Young]

[Pleat]Is Donadini staying on though?[/Pleat]