[Adriano]

ROME, May 6 (AFP)
Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni said Monday that he would name his squad for the World Cup on Wednesday.

Speaking the day after the Italian Serie A season ended the only remaining domestic fixture is on Saturday when champions Juventus and parma contest the second leg of the Italian Cup Final.

But Trapattoni said that by then his 23-man squad will be unveiled.

"We are just checking the physical fitness of everyone and on Wednesday I will give the list," said the 63-year-old who recently extended his deal until

Looking back to the Italian first division title race won by Juventus over Inter Milan and AS Roma Trapattoni said he had mixed feelings at Juve eclipsing Inter as a former coach of both clubs.

"I thought Inter would win it," he admitted. "But Juventus is a little bit in my DNA so I know it well. Juve is like a dragon with seven heads, as soon as you cut off one another appears. They never give up."

Earlier a spokeswoman for the Italian Football Federation (FICG) told AFP that Trapattoni would name his line-up either on Tuesday or Wednesday.

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What are your thoughts guys?

Let's discuss all to do with the WC squad in this thread

 

[Catenaccio]

We already know the GKs and Forwards (no Baggio).

Trap is to pick 7 mids (excluding Doni and Totti which are almost like forwards).

We know about:

Zambro, Coco, Tomassi and Di Biaggio.

We know that C. Zanetti. So 2 more. Who?

Gattusso?
Di Livio?
Fiore?
Ambrosini?

Out of these, I hope Fiore (played well recently) and Di Livio (back up for Zambro and experience).

Is Liverani and Conte totally out of the running?

 

[kcII]

Trapattoni set to announce his 23
ROME, May 7 (AFP)
Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni was on Tuesday putting the finishing touches to his squad of 23 players for the 2002 World Cup finals starting later this month.
On Wednesday Trapattoni will reveal all but, after a final round of fitness tests, most names are already known with 22 players knowing that - barring an upset - that they are already penned in.
The 63-year-old coach, who has firmly rejected a massive media campaign to pick Brescia's Roberto Baggio, has in a series of previous interviews let it be known who he was planning to take, naming all three goalkeepers, seven attacking players (five out-and-out strikers and two to play behind the front two) and six defenders while giving strong hints as to the identity of six midfielders.
That means there is only speculation over the last name, probably a midfielder although Trapattoni could yet add a seventh defender.
Assuming the player is a midfielder it could be Fiorentina's Angelo Di Livio, Lazio's Stefano Fiore or possibly AC Milan's Massimo Ambrosini, who has recently returned after chronic injury problems.
Fiore had a brilliant Euro 2000 when he played for Udinese but has lost form since joining Lazio and must be praying that he is number 23.
Brescia's Daniele Bonera, who will join Parma in June, is the likely alternative as cover for Paolo Maldini if Trapattoni decides he needs another defender although Fiorentina's Daniele Adani is another possibility.
Nagging fitness doubts remain about Maldini and Totti who has struggled since Italy's 2-1 friendly win over England in March but the Roma player, by Trapattoni's admission, is his key player.
Totti will play behind the front two strikers with Atalanta's Cristiano Doni his probable deputy.
Trapattoni is also expected to ask four more players - a goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and attacker - to maintain their fitness in Italy in the event of an injury before the start of the tournament.
Probable squad
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Francesco Toldo (Inter Milan), Christian Abbiati (AC Milan)
Defenders: Alessandro Nesta (Lazio), Fabio Cannavaro (Parma), Paolo Maldini (AC Milan), Marco Materazzi (Inter Milan), Christian Panucci (AS Roma), Mark Iuliano (Juventus)
Midfielders: Gianluca Zambrotta (Juventus), Francesco Coco (Barcelona/Spa), Luigi di Biagio (Inter Milan), Damiano Tommasi (AS Roma), Cristiano Zanetti (Inter Milan), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), plus one more midfielder
Strikers: Cristiano Doni (Atalanta), Francesco Totti (AS Roma), Christian Vieri (Inter Milan), Marco Delvecchio (AS Roma), Vincenzo Montella (AS Roma), Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Filippo Inzaghi (AC Milan)

 

[chainsawbutcher]

Dont think there s any chance of baggio now.............unless a forward or maybe a middy gets injured!

 

[Mikey]

Dont think there s any chance of baggio now.............unless a forward or maybe a middy gets injured!

I'm sticking nails in my Delvecchio Voodoo doll as we speak.*







*Joke.

 

[Lav]

I'm sticking nails in my Delvecchio Voodoo doll as we speak.

Me too buddy.....me too


Lav

 

[CUG]

yeah, but i think del vecchio will be there. you know, the best way to describe him is like this, "he is a terd that wont flush", you know, one of those helium terds which stay up no matter how many times you flush.

i hope that extra midfielder is Fiore. i like Ambrosini but we have enough players for his position. Di Livio is finished, he shouldnt be there.

One thing, we must remember that Zambrotta's back up can also be Guttusso who used to play on the right for the under 23 Azzurri team. its only the past 2 seasons we have seen him play in the middle. Plus Panucci might be able to take that right side as well.

i think that Del Vecchio should be dropped, and his replacement should be one of Di Vaio or Baggio. As much i love baggio, i really dont think that he has recovered to his full fitness and match practise is another factor. i really believe that Di Vaio has earned and deserved to be there.

 

[IL TORO]

you know, the best way to describe him is like this, "he is a terd that wont flush", you know, one of those helium terds which stay up no matter how many times you flush.

This is how I feel about Del Piero and Inzaghi.

 

[Carson35]

no Di Vaio\?? no Baggio???

 

[A10]

Why Di Livio..?

Trap names them all.

Trap---you better win the Cup! if not..............>>>!#%!^!$^$^@[email protected]&&@^%#^&$*$&($(%*)%&(%&*)%*)&)%*#^@$#!^!$^^@^@%#$%&E^&$^*&%$&(%*%)%*)*)^&)^&()^()^)^&(&$&^%^@%^%@^@%^@&#^&#^*$&(*$(%(*(%&($($&($(&

 

[kcII]

BREAKING NEWS: Trap Leaves Baggio Out Of Italy World Cup Squad

05/08/2002. Giovanni Trapattoni has just released the list of the 23 players who will represent Italy in the upcoming World Cup. As expected, Brescia star Roberto Baggio wasn't selected, in spite of the huge pressure put on the veteran coach by the thousands of the 'Divine Ponytail' fans and by most of the Italian media.

GOALKEEPERS: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Francesco Toldo (Inter), Christian Abbiati (Milan)

DEFENDERS: Alessandro Nesta (Lazio), Fabio Cannavaro (Parma), Paolo Maldini (Milan), Marco Materazzi (Inter), Mark Iuliano (Juventus), Christian Panucci (Roma), Francesco Coco (Barcelona)

MIDFIELDERS: Gianluca Zambrotta (Juventus), Angelo Di Livio (Fiorentina), Luigi Di Biagio (Inter), Cristiano Zanetti (Inter), Damiano Tommasi (Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (Inter), Francesco Totti (Roma), Cristiano Doni (Atalanta)

STRIKERS: Christian Vieri (Inter), Filippo Inzaghi (Milan), Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Vincenzo Montella (Roma), Marco Delvecchio (Roma)

 

[ToniSamp]

Trap is looking for troubles....:groan:
If Italy does not win, he will find them.

 

[mdelpiero10]

C'mon guys.....
I know that most of you are not happy w/ some of the selection, I'm not happy too but what's done is done.
So now it's the time to forget what we don't like and start to support our beloved AZZURRI!!!!
Now more than ever they need us to back them up 100%!!!

FORZA AZZURRI!!!!!! :fero:

 

[chainsawbutcher]

hmmmm...........u ppl must understand that............trap knows best! thats why he s the coach!............so id suggest ya'll keep quiet n stop the baggio crap.............he was god ........but now i think italy's worst striker in the squad delvecchio s better than him!

 

[JKris]

But you see Trappatoni has good reason if they don't win the World cup. He just needs to say "I didn't have the best team I could have"

Italys best midfielder IMO, was excluded, Ambrosini.

 

[A10]

Delvecchio better than Baggio? hmmm...

I didnt expect you to eat scraps for supper. I could donate some ...but my dog had dealt with it.

 

[placebo]

this italian sqaud is overrated and will not get out of the group stage. say what you will, but your defence is too concerned about how their hair looks, the midfield lacks creativity although Totti is class, and your strikers won't get to see much of the ball,

Ecuador will cause the shock of the tournament by beating Italy first up.

 

[kcII]

:howler:

 

[nasty nick]

Di Livio over Ambro, that's weird? Delvecchio over Baggio that's even more weird,i guess Trap included Di Livio cause he used to coach him. But the team in general looks very good. If everyone stays fit i think we can go far in this tournament.

And to this Italy hater above F*ck you!

 

[kcII]

Are you talking about placebo our about me?