[AMOROSO!]

The first day of retreat with the national team reserves suddenly a surprise for Gianluigi Buffon. The Parma goalie, accredited to be the number one of Italy at Euro 2000 finals, will have to win the concurrence of Francesco Toldo to stay in the line up. In fact Dino Zoff, coach of Azzurri, said on Monday isn't sure Buffon will play against Turkey the first Italian match next June 11th.

"Sometimes there are hierarchies inside a team, but everyone musts to show to be worthy of the place in the starting eleven. About the goalies it's the same thing. Toldo improved a lot in this last season. Actually the gap is really close, I have still to decide who will go on the field" Zoff explained.

But for Buffon this seems not be a problem "I have still to talk with Zoff, and I don't know if I'll be the goalie of Italy at Euro 2000. Anyway I'm not scared about the concurrence of Toldo, surely this won't make me lose certainty in myself! When I was 17 I played in Parma with Luca Bucci on the bench, and he was an Italy international in those days!"

"Whichever will be the decision of Zoff, I'll accept it and I'll try to be useful to Toldo if he needs tips or suggests! To be benched won't be a problem for sure! I know Francesco played a great championship, better than the one of mine. But take Ronaldo: he didn't play so much in last seasons, but the Seleçao coach always trusted him, and he always was a key player for his team".

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Thats the spirit Mr Del Piero,Mr Totti and Mr Inzaghi.

FORZA GIGI BUFFON!

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Parma will fight back...FORZA PARMA!

 

[Willem Sterk]

it's not such a disaster if Toldo would keep at EURO 2000, but i still hope Buffon will do the work for the Azurri in Holland and Belgium!

 

[Gialloblu]

If he drops Buffon you have to consider if Zoff have something against Parma players.
I mean, he doesn´t pick Vanoli who is the only natural left winger Italy has, he drops Fuser who is the best Italian winger. I can understand why he drops Baggio(but why didn´t he drop Albertini who has been even worse) and now maybe Buffon. I´m not saying he has been better than Toldo, but why drop him just before Euro 2000 when he has been a regular since Zoff took over?

And I´m not surprised at all that he picked 7 Juve players since he is a former juve player himself.
Is someone else expecting a midfield with Zambrotta, Conte and Pesotto included and Del Piero-Inzaghi up front?

 

[AMOROSO!]

If he starts Ferrara over Cannavaro...we will confirm this Gialloblu

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Parma will fight back...FORZA PARMA!

 

[Willem Sterk]

im suprised he didn't even selected Tacchinardi, he is one of the best italian Juve players.

Better than Di Livio and Albertini surly!
also expect Iuliano 2 start over Maldini

 

[azar]

Albertini might not have had the best of seasons, but he has been playing quite well towards the end of the season and that may have given him the place in the team over Baggio. Or it could be that he has just performed better than Baggio during training. When Zoff is working with the players daily he sure knows more than us which players are on form.

 

[AMOROSO!]

Baggio was dropped before train even ONCE with the team.The same for Fuser...

Even if Fuser had a small injury,and Zoff waqs so in a hurry so he couldnt wait for his best winger,why can he wait for so long for Maldini?

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Parma will fight back...FORZA PARMA!

 

[azar]

Oh, I thought all players trained together, were sent home for the weekend and then eventually picked for the team yesterday. It sounds weird to pick up a player to train with the team and then dumping him before the training.
As for Fuser, I thougt he was a obvious pick for the team.

 

[Guest]

From Gazzetta dello sport 29/5:
Del Piero: "If we consider also the penalties I am between those that scored more..."Maybe I'll start on the bench, but I think about me as a starter"
He is a CLOWN! If played in a team that isn't juve Zoff would have NEVER called him! Only 1 goal in 34 matches! Italy doesn't needs players like him (and Inzaghi & Totti)!
FORZA GIGI BUFFON!

 

[Guest]

Italy will not get beyond the second round; it doesn't matter what players Zoff plays. It makes no difference to their performance.

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COOL MOVE!

 

[Guest]

Zoff againts Parma players? after following all these stories and reports, i must agree with this 'Zoff Conspiracy' thing.
Buffon to be benched, Fuser out of the team, Vanoli ( a natural left winger of the year)out, is Dino out too?
Why stick to Albertini? he has had poor season, let's see if Cannavaro to be benched and Ferrara gets the nod..
Why not Zoff put 11 juve players for the starting line up since he loves Juve so much!


Pissed off big time.

 

[VERDI]

Stop, it's no conspiracy for sure. And those who can't appreciate Totti and Del Piero as footballplayers shouldn't be allowed to watch football at all...

 

[hala]

The Toldo-Buffon choice is a really close one. I'd pick Buffon, but I'm sure a lot of people would take it the other way, and I can see their reasons clearly...

Subculture yes, Dino's out too. Read on:
From http://www.euro2000.org

"Italy coach Dino Zoff has omitted Parma AC midfielders Dino Baggio and Diego Fuser from his plans for EURO 2000™. The two players, named in Italy's preliminary 26-man party for the June tournament, have seen their hopes of inclusion in the final 22 founder on their lack of fitness.
Zoff was unwilling to gamble on the pair who both struggled with muscle injuries in the final weeks of the Serie A season. Fuser will feel particularly disappointed, having played in Parma's UEFA Champions League play-off with Internazionale FC last Tuesday.

One more player to miss out
With Christian Vieri also ruled out through injury, Zoff's original 26-man party is now down to 23. The Italy coach must now decide who will be the one other player to miss out on the trip to the Low Countries.
He must announce his final 22 before 1 June - and Juventus defender Mark Iuliano may be the unlucky man."
There goes Iuliano too....

On the Del Piero - Albertini matter, I think they should both have been left out. I don't mean to say that they're no good, but both of them had bad seasons. The same goes for F.Inzaghi. How do they justify their positions?
Totti now is another case, his place is well deserved I think.

I think Italy will reach the semis. Here's why: If Italy manages to finish first in Group B (a relatively easy Group), then has to face the 2nd of Group A, which most likely will be Germany (or Portugal or Romania for that matter). Italy is superior to these three. The problem will be if something happens and England finishes 2nd, which will mean stiffer competition for the Italians.

 

[Guest]

The conspiracy theory was right then.. Congrats to Zoff.. Fuser & Dino are almost reaching its peak in the international levels, why not give them this opportunity?
Giving such lame "fitness" excuse add salt to the wound, i mean who would believe him?
instead a bloke named Albertini who hasn't performed well, infact he was drop from the Milan's starting line-up regularly. Even Zac knows that, and admitted it.. but Zoff?
I don't know why he hates Parma.. Maybe Zoff's father in law loves Parma.

I have no quarrels about Totti.. he's really good and Italy needs him but this season proves that Del Piero is not up to mark.. come on guys, look at his goals tally this season, almost all of them came through penalties..Maybe Italy can send him for the
shoot out.

 

[Glen]

Another Juventus conspiracy ?

Will someone (preferebly a non-Juve fan) come out and disagree with this please ?

Del Piero is not a certain starter but just as he should be allowed to think of himself as a starter it should also be remembered that he has said many times that being benched for the benefit of the team would be perfectly fine with him (both with Juve and Azurri).
The reason Juve has the most players in the squad is that Juve is the team always relying more on ITALIAN players.
Zoff's squad will play 3-4-1-2 or 3-5-2. Juventus play that system, and that's why both Ferrara and Iuliano would come in handy.
If Maldini isn't totally fit then the defence should be: Ferrara-Nesta-Cannavaro or Nesta-Cannavaro-Iuliano.
I know Amoroso isn't very excited about Pessotto and he certainly has his limits, but someone mentioned Vanoli and Pessotto has been miles ahead of him this season. Italian player wise I fail to remember anyone performing better this season on the left except perhaps Brocchi and he hasn't got the experience to be a starter.
Conte won't be a starter either, but Zambrotta is an automatic selection. Fuser has been an Italia regular, and if he's dropped he must have still felt the effects of his injury.
Dino Baggio shold never have been part of the first 25 to begin with (neither should Di Livio) and WHY wasn't Tachhinardi selected ?
When Juventus play 7 Italians with success in our first 11 on a general basis- is it that awful that were also the team to have more players in the National side ?

It's really sickening to read conspiracy stories everywhere. Just remember that only Zambrotta, Pessotto, either Ferrara or Iuliano (when Maldini isn't ready) and either Del Piero or Inzaghi are automatic selections.
That makes it propably 4 and 5 at most- which it should have been as Tacchinardi SHOULD have been there.

And this Toldo-Buffon thing. I'm completely oblivious myself as they're both awesome, but as Buffon Toldo has played better than him this season. No need for a conspiracy then, right ?

Ciao.

 

[AMOROSO!]

No,its not a conspiracy,but leaving Fuser out is rather lame...Dino shouldnt be there but neither should albertini.I just dont get this.They both sucked but he cuts the parma man and takes the milan with him...I would choose Toldo as well based on performances but I feel that Buffon is better and you can trust him more.Choosing Zambrotta over fuser is still a mystery...he didnt even gave fuser the chance to train with the team.Pessotto sux Glen,I'd rather see Moreno Torricelli or Zambrotta there than Pessotto.Vanoli is a far better player generally but this year Paolo was absolutely disasterous,so I can understand not picking him but why pick Pessotto?

Zoff is an idiot and even if he wanted he couldnt think of a conspirancy.However,he was unfair with Fuser...

To put it simple: if a Parma players isnt on form he will drop him.If a player from Milan or Juve wasnt on form he would be picked.

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Parma will fight back...FORZA PARMA!

 

[Glen]

AMO; I se your point on Albertini and Maldini, but Italy really has a problem on the left wing. You suggested Torricelli. Besides the fact that he's injured he always played better on the right with both Juve and Viola. Zambrotta is far better on the right than left as well, and this leaves us with Pessotto who has been performing well over the entire season. The fact that he doesn't add much colour offensively shouldn't change the fact that he's still a good player. Did you know that only Nedved scored better average ratings over the entire season (Gazzetta) than Pessotto ? (considering left wings) .
Pessotto shouldn't be a first selection but lacking better options he's a given in the squad itself.
You guys all love Fuser which is understandable, but neither of us can have any idea how he fared at Italy's training camp. It looks strange as he's a very good player, but he's an automatic selection normally, and he's been a regular with Zoff as well. Surely you can't totally ignore the possibility that he just wasn't fit for the games ?

Ciao.

 

[AMOROSO!]

Glen,Fuser did NOT join the rest of the squad even for ONE training.He was dropped just like that.Now,can you explain WHY Zoff didnt even gave the chance to Fuser to prove his fitness while he is still waiting for Maldini? Fuser is miles better than Zambrotta and had a better year.Dont give me crap about Pessotto because I can name 5 more left wingers in Seria A who had better years than the bald garbage.

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Parma will fight back...FORZA PARMA!

 

[Thuram1]

Fuser was dropped because he is injured, it's not terrible, but there's a good chance that Diego would not be able to play. Zoff said it. Fuser himself said it. It's not a conspiracy. Period.

 

[Glen]

Thanks Thuram .

AMO; I didn't know about Fuser not training at all, which would make a difference if he wasn't actually as injured as he seems to be.
I didn't know he had commented on it, so before reading Thuram's statement I would have had to agree with you. Now I don't think it should even be a debatable question.

On Pessotto; This is certainly the last time I ever bring his name up in here again.
But before we close the chapter for good I beg of you- do name 5 left wings who has played better this season!

I give you two: Nedved and Candela. You may be tempted to mention Martin Joergensen, but he has been so up and down. He's my compatriot and the Danish media follows him vigorously. Georgatos ? Please... Who ? Zanetti ? Plays on the right.
Who ? ...and 5!!!


Ciao.