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It has been said by others before but with all the bashing and crticism (most of it deserved) I felt like doing this new thread. I just want to look at the things from a different perspective.
Italy has made a lot of mistakes during the last two big championships - EURO 2000 and WC 2002. There were the individual mistakes like the one of Panucci against Korea or Albertini against France in the EC final. There were tactical mistakes - Trap's subs against Corea.
There were lots of bad calls and unfair decisions - one of the penalties in the semifinal against Holland, the blunders against Corea etc.
They had considerable amount of good luck - the criminal game (in my own openion , being first and foremost a Dutch fan) against Holland in the semis and the five missed penalties.
There was lots of bad luck.
There were controversies - Baggio v DP; DP v. Totti; Ambro v. Di Livio and so on.
At the end of the day Italy did not make it.
HOWEVER, at the end of the day Italy was just few seconfs away from evarlasting glory.
And this is my point. No matter how much we criticise and whine around, the fact is that Italy was seconds away from the European Title and was seconds away from beating Corea and playing Sapin-Germany-Brazil in the WC. I won't speculate what would have happened in al these games but my simple guess (especially looking at the "great" German NT) is that if not for these seconds we would be watching Brazil-Italy on Sunday. Anyway, if they have hold one more minute against France they would have been Euro Champs. If so, they would have got in Japan with a different attitude and different confidence. Then Trap probably would have not been such a coward. Actually, Trap would not be there anyway.
If they have hold few more seconds against Corea they would have played a 1/4 final against a very exausted (the Ireland game) Spanish side that played without its best player and top scoreer Raul. Then it was Geramny of Klose, Schneider, Bode and Ballack ... Miroslav WHO?????
It was just few seconds away ... the first step and the second one ... they could not make either of them. And I know there are not "ifs" in football but only if they have hold on that final two yers ago, ar at least on that 1/8 final few days ago ...
... just a matter of few seconds.
It is just the great game of football!
Italy has made a lot of mistakes during the last two big championships - EURO 2000 and WC 2002. There were the individual mistakes like the one of Panucci against Korea or Albertini against France in the EC final. There were tactical mistakes - Trap's subs against Corea.
There were lots of bad calls and unfair decisions - one of the penalties in the semifinal against Holland, the blunders against Corea etc.
They had considerable amount of good luck - the criminal game (in my own openion , being first and foremost a Dutch fan) against Holland in the semis and the five missed penalties.
There was lots of bad luck.
There were controversies - Baggio v DP; DP v. Totti; Ambro v. Di Livio and so on.
At the end of the day Italy did not make it.
HOWEVER, at the end of the day Italy was just few seconfs away from evarlasting glory.
And this is my point. No matter how much we criticise and whine around, the fact is that Italy was seconds away from the European Title and was seconds away from beating Corea and playing Sapin-Germany-Brazil in the WC. I won't speculate what would have happened in al these games but my simple guess (especially looking at the "great" German NT) is that if not for these seconds we would be watching Brazil-Italy on Sunday. Anyway, if they have hold one more minute against France they would have been Euro Champs. If so, they would have got in Japan with a different attitude and different confidence. Then Trap probably would have not been such a coward. Actually, Trap would not be there anyway.
If they have hold few more seconds against Corea they would have played a 1/4 final against a very exausted (the Ireland game) Spanish side that played without its best player and top scoreer Raul. Then it was Geramny of Klose, Schneider, Bode and Ballack ... Miroslav WHO?????
It was just few seconds away ... the first step and the second one ... they could not make either of them. And I know there are not "ifs" in football but only if they have hold on that final two yers ago, ar at least on that 1/8 final few days ago ...
... just a matter of few seconds.
It is just the great game of football!
