Conference trucks::football;1

    This group has to be the toughest of the 4. I hope the Italians can
    come through. The Italy-Germany match is one that I'm particularly
    looking forward to. For what it's worth, here's my prediction....
    
    1. Italy
    2. Germany
    3. Russia
    4. Czech Republic
    
    Ray....

    Latest news for Italy is that Ferrara (Juventus) is almost certain to
    have to drop out of the squad through injury (that's what you get for
    fielding unfit players in semi-meaningless friendlies). he'll probably
    be replaced by either Paganin (Inter) or Nesta (Lazio), both uncapped.
    
    Likewise, Zola (Parma) and Chiesa (Sampdoria) are down with flu and
    will miss the final friendly against Hungary tomorrow.
    
    Dom

    Anyone want to predict how many times a striker falls over in
    the Italian penalty area whilst playing for Germany?
    
    Andrew

    Or vice versa?

    Yeah, I didn't exactly get what the insinuation was...I mean Casiraghi
    and Ravanelli are no better at staying on their feet than Klinsmann,
    eh? ;-)
    
    Dom

    Dom
    
    Insinuation is too long a word for me! I had just been reading the June
    issue of WSC where they had similar predictions on their wallchart -
    it\s too far to walk back out to the car but they were along the lines
    of "Gazza's first sending off", "gazza's first tears" etc
    
    nothing particularly against Klinnsmann he's just the only one i'd
    seen play in England.
    
    regards
    
    Andrew.D.Wicks

    The Czechs appear to have run into form just at the right time
    for Euro 96. Yesterday, they stuffed Bamber Bridge 9-1 in a friendly
    and showed those country boys what European Football was all about.
    
    Those Italians, Germans, etc. in the "Group of Death" had better
    watch out.
    
    Andy

    >The Czechs appear to have run into form just at the right time
    >for Euro 96. Yesterday, they stuffed Bamber Bridge 9-1 in a friendly
    >and showed those country boys what European Football was all about.
    
    At least Italy go into their friendly tomorrow against Stoke City youth
    team knowing what they've got to beat. Sacchi was reported as saying
    "...if we can get an early goal, anything is possible. The important
    thing is that we don't lose our heads and attack en masse, leaving
    ourselves exposed to Stoke's counterattack" ;-)
    
    Dom 

    Italy have left out both Ravanelli and Chiesa for tomorrow's game
    against Russia.
    
    Which means that the eleven players in the starting lineup come from
    just four clubs: Milan, Juventus, Parma and Lazio.
    
    Dom

    Well the Germans showed their strength even with key players missing!
    The keeper seemed to be having an action replay of the first goal as
    the second slid by him!
    
    What about that ref though - first half seemed to be "kick the most
    players and win a prize" with the ref happy to watch!
    
    
    
    				Stretch.

    He was an English ref, too, wasn't he?
    
    DOm

    Yep.. it was David Ellery.... 
    
    

    so what was the germany score?

    thanks

    
    Germany as usual look to be VERY fit but my goodness they DO like to
    moan...Since they've been in England they've moaned about the pitch at
    Macclesfield (which of course must have pleased the FA as vindication
    for not allowing Macclesfield up into the 3rd Division last year).
    Bundes Berti has been moaning about all the bookings saying quite
    naively 'especially Ellery as an English referee who is not alien to
    the physical game'...Berti he is not there representing the English
    game...he is a UEFA referee....
    
    Dezzz. 

    In fairness, Dezz, I thought Ellery was pretty inconsistent. He started
    the game by being very tolerant, and after an hour, decided that every
    foul was worth a booking. Incidentally, are bookings discounted for
    teams that reach the second stage of the competition?
    
    Dom

    
    Latest, about 25 mins
    
    Italy 1  Russia 1
    
    Dave...

    Please keep the updates coming.  
    
    Who scored for Italy?
    
    NAZZ

    
    It ended 2-1 to Italy, both goals coming from the somewhat
    controversial selection - Pierluigi Casiraghi.  For the record, Ilia
    Tsimbalar scored for the Russians.
    
    Ian

    brilliant match, best of the tournament so far. Maldini was a star, as 
    usual, Zola played well and Casiraghi took the goals very well. Ravanelli 
    doesn't look fit. The Russians played some great stuff but they play 
    Germany next so it doesn't look too good for them....
    
    Ray....

    Good game. Italys first was the result of an awful kick by the keeper
    straight to A.N.Italian(?) who with one touch laid it into the path of
    Casiraghi who slotted the ball into the corner - the keeper did not
    even move! Wonderful finish.
    
    The Russians then made good on some defensive errors by the Italians in
    their box to level the score.
    
    Italys second goal was superb to watch as they sliced the defence in
    three passes. What were the *four* defenders stood around Casiraghi
    doing though? One second he is easy to shut out, next he is stood on
    his own six yards out! 2-1 to Italy, thankyou and goodnight!
    
    Excellent game overall, even the ref played a good one - Les Mottram
    being the man in question. 
    
    
    			
    
    			Stretch. 

    Very good second half performance by Italy, although for much of the
    first half they seemed to be chasing shadows. It's inexplicable to me
    how teams like Russia, Romania and Portugal are so fluent when it comes
    to spraying the ball around (some of the Russians' passing in the first
    half was straight out of the coaching manual), but seem totally averse
    to actually shooting. I mean, I can understand teams not wanting to
    give away possession, but if you don't bother testing the opposing 
    goalkeeper, you might as well give up.
    
    Apparently Sacchi said to his players as they came off the park at the
    end of the first half: "Now I'll explain how you can win this match!" He
    then made two changes to Italy's gameplan...and look at the result! I
    still maintain that he's the best manager in the world, although most
    Italians don't agree with me (they think the results are due to their
    having the best *players* in the world!)
    
    Good game, but I personally found Spain-Bulgaria more exciting. 
    
    Dom

    >>Good game, but I personally found Spain-Bulgaria more exciting.
    
    Yeah, I agree on that one, Dom, especially the second half.
    
    
    
    
         		Stretch.

>        <<< Note 562.21 by IRNBRU::HOWARD "Lovely Day for a Guinness" >>>

>    doesn't look fit. The Russians played some great stuff but they play 
>    Germany next so it doesn't look too good for them....
    
Doesn't look good for who? Not sure I'd be too confident if I was a German. 
Looking forward to the rest of the games in this group.

grahame

    I agree with the last noter,even more so now that Kohler is out.This
    could prove a major blow to the Germans when they are under more
    pressure from Italy and Russia.
    
    
                    kev
    

    Czech 1 Italy 1 still first half though.

Czech 2  Italy 1   Final

    gerry
    
    Oh I bet that Italian restaurants will not be the place to be tonight.
    Now they really need to beat germany
    
    Regards
    
    Andrew.D.Wicks

    Germany put 3 past Russia with 2 from Klinsmann to win 3-0 so they're
    already through to the quarter-finals.
    
    Andrew

    The thing that frightens me about the Germans is the efficiency about
    their play. They hardly seem troubled so far by the opposition. 
    
    This should make Wednesdays game better now as the Italians have to
    win the game. 
    
    Klinsmann is now joint top scorer after playing only one game!!
    
    
    	
    			Stretch.

    The criteria used to determine who goes through to the next round mean
    that the Italians have every reason to be worried sick at the moment.
    The Germans are already through, so they can let themselves go...and
    there are at least two reasons why they'd love to put one over on
    Italy:
    
    - It's a great opportunity to see off one of their rivals before the
      quarter-final stage.
    - Several Germans used to play in Italy (Klinsmann, Haessler, Moeller,
      Reuter, Sammer) and Bierhoff still does. Many of these players feel
      that were freed by their clubs before they'd had a chance to prove
      themselves (many Italian clubs like to change a couple of foreigners
      each in order to stimulate the fans to renew their season tickets!)
    
    The Great Italian Disaster on Friday night has caused an uproar here.
    With few exceptions, the press/public are putting the blame firmly on
    Sacchi's shoulders - and not for the first time. Personally, I find this 
    incredible (but very Italian - Terry Venables has it easy in
    comparison!). One newspaper today run the title:" Sacchi...Now You Owe
    Us A Miracle"! How fickle people are! he's already produced one
    miracle: the second half against Russia. Italy were chasing shadows in
    the first half; then Sacchi made two tactical changes, and Italy
    proceded to dominate the second half. I think Sacchi is without doubt
    the best manager in international footy. People are quick to forget
    that before he arrived on the scene, Italian football consisted of
    "catennacio e contropiede" (i.e. massed defence and attacking on the
    break).
    
    In fact, I keep telling people here that they should be grateful that
    he's the manager of Italy and not Germany, France or Croatia -
    otherwise, given the players at the disposal of these countries, we might 
    just as well award the trophy immediately without playing any more matches.
    OK, it's a bit of an exageration, but you get the drift...
    
    Dom

    Casiraghi is back in for the German game, as is Zola....
    
    Ray....

    Thank goodness!  I am very nervous about this game.  ESPN is carrying
    it live over here, and I am fortunate enough to have a few hours off
    this afternoon.  ;-)
    
    NAZZ

    
    
     Germany 0 Italy 0
    
     Czech R 3 Russia 3
    
     
     Danny.

Football is no righteous sport. Italy as better team out of EC.

Germany: This team will be Champion ? I hope, they will not.
Only defending, doing nothing for football.
Italy had 10:0 corners, one penalty ( the foul of goalkeeper Koepke
is in football rules a red card), many chances.

Czech's 3:3 in 89th minute, next bad luck for Italy.

Heribert

    Can you say "national tragedy"?
    
    You wouldn't believe the deafening silence in Milan today (and I'm sure
    that Rome and Naples are much the same). As fate would have it, it's
    the first dull day (a dismal grey sky) for 3 weeks, which only adds to
    the general sense of gloom. People simply can't believe that Italy  are
    out of the European Championships...but that's the way it is.
                                               
    I've heard stories of people who'd deliberately planned their holidays 
    after 30th June, TV channels that have now abbandoned their daily
    football "chat shows" (the viewing figures inevitably plummet if the
    Azzurri aren't involved), not to mention people who'd decided to have a
    little flutter and are now regretting it. Certainly, there's no denying
    that Italy ARE one of the best eight teams in Europe, but maybe their
    sense of superiority has contributed to their undoing. Whenever the
    subject of international football come up, the expression "campionato 
    pi� bello del mondo" always gets thrown in, whether it's relevant or not.
    
    I feel sorry for Sacchi who I still consider the best manager in the
    world; needless to say, he's number one candidate for the chop. Sure,
    he's made a few mistakes, but Italy would probably have been packing
    their bags earlier if he hadn't pulled the Russian game out of the
    fire. (Given that England are in the same qualifying group as Italy for
    WC96, I hope he decides to step down; I can't see any other manager
    obtaining nearly so much with the current crop of players!). I also
    feel sorry for the players; they're quite a reasonable bunch,
    especially when compared to some of the obnoxious gits who've
    represented Italy in the past (read Tardelli, Gentile, Oriali). I feel
    particularly sorry for Zola, who missed the penalty. He's a great
    little player and a really nice bloke too...quite a rare combination.
    
    But I'm delighted for Matarese, the president of the Italian football
    federation, especially after some of his comments earlier in the
    tournament. Even the Italians refer to him as "Il Mafioso" and he
    generally makes our FA officials look like saints with his Duke of
    Edinburgh diplomacy and stubborn refusal to admit his errors. Most of 
    all, I'm delighted for the press here (well, 90% of 'em!), for their 
    inability to acknowledge that Italy might be anything less than the best 
    team in the world (no wonder the players complain of feeling the 
    pressure). The general line at present between TV and newspapers is: 
    "How can EC96 possibly continue without Italy?". On one post-match TV
    phone-in show last night, a so-called expert actually said that there's no 
    other squad in the competition that can be compared with Italy man for man.
    I was about to phone in and ask him to justify that comment, till I
    noticed that it wasn't a local number...
    
    Lastly, I wouldn't judge the Germans by last night's performance
    either. Their objectives last night were (in order of precedence):
    
    - Avoid red/yellow cards for the quarter-finals (N.B. Vogts dropped
      Reuter and Bierhoff because they'd already been booked, and he ended
      up fielding a back five containing three midfield players!))
    - Avoid injury (several players already have fitness problems)
    - Screw up Italy's chances (one of their main rivals)
    
    So they'll be reasonably happy with how things went. Make no mistake,
    they'll be a different proposition next time out. 
    
    Dom

    Dom,
    
    apparently Sacchi has already received the dreaded `vote of confidence'
    from the Italian FA. He's doomed....
    
    Ray....

    Ray,
    
    >apparently Sacchi has already received the dreaded `vote of confidence'
    >from the Italian FA. He's doomed....
    
    Yeh, kinda like the Black Spot in "Treasure Island", isn't it?! 
    
    I really feel for the guy. Even during his press conference last night,
    he was praising the players, taking the blame on himself, etc. Apert
    from being possibly the shrewdest manager on the international scene,
    I've always liked the guy for his sportivity/good grace regardless of
    the result. He's always saying that his ambition isn't to bring home 
    umpteen trophies, but to impress upon the Italians that winning isn't
    everything, and that the important thing is to give your best. 
    
    Certainly, the way thair elimination came about was pretty cruel, with
    the Czechs equalizing one minute from the end. I won't forget Zola's
    face as he asked Sacchi confirmation of the score of the Czech game.
    
    Actually, the format of these European Championships has been a great
    success so far. Four very exciting finishes in each group, and no
    question of teams agreeing to play for a draw in the last match. Hmm, I 
    bet England lose to Spain by a "golden goal" on Saturday now, after 
    thoroughly dominating tha match during normal time ;-)
    
    Dom
    

I feel sorry for Italy - the Championship would be better off if they were 
staying. Interestingly, they had a better goal-difference than the Czechs - in 
a 'normal' league they'd have made it! Rules is rules though.

Fully agree with the format - the excitement has been intense (though only 
toward the end last night, thanks to the Russians).

As for Germany, well I was told "If you can't say anything nice, say nothing."

grahame

    
    Watching the game last night I was surprised by Italy's sheer 
    lack of thought in the second half. They played against ten men 
    for some 30 mins but did'nt put any pressure on the German keeper.
    
    Where were the clever passes around the box, the movement to create
    space, personally I've seen Wimbledon be more creative than Italy.
    
    Mind you the Germans to their credit played at there own pace and 
    never looked ruffled unless it was a self induced error. 
    
    Pj 

I'm glad Italy are out. I hate their idea of falling down like they've been shot
dead every time an opposing player comes within 10 feet of them. I know its an
international disease, but the Italians seem to be the no.1 exponents and for
that they deserve all they get as far as I am concerned.

Ian.


p.s my wife takes better penalties than Zola!

But is she better looking that Zola ?

Peter,

My cats a*se is better looking than Zola!


Ian.

Ian

Please, more fairness in sport.

Heribert

    Quite agree Heribert....Ian, Italy for the first time this tournament
    have moved away from the 9 man defence and have played THE most
    attractive football of the tournament...in the meantime France have
    gone from their graceful style to WIN a tournament....
    
    At the end football will be the loser.....
                                
    
    Come on Portugal......
    
    Dezzz.

maybe Zola studied at the Diana Ross/Roberto Baggio School of
Penalty Taking Excellence.


Paul Pateman

    >Quite agree Heribert....Ian, Italy for the first time this tournament
    >have moved away from the 9 man defence and have played THE most
    >attractive football of the tournament...in the meantime France have
    >gone from their graceful style to WIN a tournament....
    
    I partially agree, Dezzz, in that I think Italy's attractive football
    has been patchy as hell (2nd half v Russia + 2nd half v Czech Republic
    + 1st half v Germany = 1.5 matches). I agree that their football is
    faster and more aggressive than it ever was, and I also agree that
    they're worthy of a quarter-final place, but I've also seen plenty of
    good football from other teams too.
    
    Also, (and I'll put my argumentative hat on here), why do I keep
    thinking that if England had played as Italy did last night, we'd have
    an army of O'Noters (Impartial Celt execepted of course!) in here 
    today filling up disk space with references to "headless 
    chickens"? ;-)
    
    Thought for the day...
    
    Dom

Heribert,

I quite agree, more fairness in sport. The italians have played well and deserve
to go through for that, however, i question THEIR fairness to their opponents,
diving around in order to try and get their opponents sent off or gain some
other competitive advantage. Is this fair?

Ian. 

Has Sacchi explained why he made such dramatic changes after the win against
Russia.He made 5 changes to the side who beat Russia when they lost to the
czechs.

What was the point of picking Del-Piero ? and despite the poor season Bobby
Baggio has had he must still be a better player than Casiraghi,Fuser,Chiesa etc
etc ....

I think Sacchi has to take the blame,he picked the team and the squad,but he
picked the wrong players.

I think the tournament will miss the Italian team- even if it's just for the
drama which surrounds the side.


Steve.

    I've been in mourning for almost 24 hours now.  Thinking back on the
    game, once Zola missed the penalty it was almost inevitable that Italy
    would not win.  While Fuser played creatively, DiMatteo and Mussi were
    totally useless, as was poor Zola.  Why warm up Ravinelli in the first
    half if you are not going to use him?  While Italy attacked continually
    in the second half, there was no one around to finish a play, and
    Ravinelli excels at that aspect of the game.  Also, say what you will
    about Signori's lousy season, he never would have missed that penalty.
    I've become quite fond of watching his one step and blam - in the net
    approach to penalties.
    
    Someone must shoulder the blame for the early exit, and it must be
    Sacchi.  Italy has no choice but to let him go.
    
    NAZZ

Ian,

You are right with your opinion. The problem in modern football is the
simulating of fouls, as most of the teams in this EC do.
I think of a "foul" against the German Bobic in 2nd half (3 minutes
interruption)

Heribert