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?

 

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)

 

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

 

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.

 

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

Me too buddy.....me too


Lav

 

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.

 

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.

 

no Di Vaio\?? no Baggio???

 

Why Di Livio..?

Trap names them all.

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

 

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)

 

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

 

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:

 

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!

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

:howler:

 

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!

 

Are you talking about placebo our about me?

 

Gattuso:howler: Delvecchio:howler: :howler: Di Livio
Trap surprised all us his vision of football....if they have a lot of luck they will reach semi-final...and that's it

 

I think all those three which you mentioned will be subs..so it´s no need to panic. No Baggio, no Ambro or Fiore...i really wanted them, but because they are not selected, then it´s fine with me.
This squad looks incredible good...that´s just my opinion.

Forza Azzurri!!!

Ciao,
Tommi

 

This squad looks incredible good...that´s just my opinion.

Forza Azzurri!!!

I agree. And shakira looks incredible good too

 

2 Tritolo
I know that they will be subs but to have strong team you need good subs as well...

 

I'm very sad:depress: :depress:
Why Di Livio is there?
I think he is Trap's chouchou.
Poor S.Fiore:depress: :depress: :depress:
Mr.Trap, please retire after WC2002.
Forza Fiore, Forza Azzurri

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Di Livio claims final berth, Fiore and Baggio out

ROME, May 8 (AFP)- Fiorentina midfielder Angelo Di Livio claimed the final berth in Giovanni Trapattoni's World Cup squad with no surprises revealed by the Italy coach in his 23-man list.

Di Livio won the vote ahead of Lazio's Stefano Fiore for the last available midfield spot while there was also disappointment for Roberto Baggio of Brescia who as expected was omitted despite a massive media campaign in his favour.

Trapattoni had drip fed 22 of the names that will leave for Japan on May 21 in a series of interviews over the last two months with the only remaining doubt the identity of the final midfielder.

But Di Livio won the vote ahead of Fiore who starred for Italy in Euro 2000 when he played for Udinese but has had a nightmare first season with Lazio.

Even on Wednesday morning Fiore had expressed confidence that he would be selected in remarks reported in the morning papers.

The shape of Trapattoni's starting line-up on June 3 when the 'Azzurri' kick off their campaign against Ecuador in Sapporo can be seen with a look at the squad.

In front of goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon Trapattoni is likely to start with his tried-and-trusted three-man defensive unit with Alessandro Nesta in the centre, Fabio Cannavaro to his right and Paolo Maldini to his left.

In midfield Gianluca Zambrotta will patrol the right flank and Francesco Coco the left with Damiano Tommasi and Luigi di Biagio likely to hold the centre.

AS Roma skipper Francesco Totti, the man for whom Trapattoni constructed the 3-4-1-2 system he has used in every match since he succeeded Dino Zoff, will play behind a front pair.

Christian Vieri, who scored five goals in France 98, is set to start up front with Alessandro Del Piero favoured to win the vote ahead of Roma's Vincenzo Montella for the second striking role although the latter, the most in-form striker in Italy, can expect to feature during the tournament.

The one player who has come from obscurity into contention during the 2001-2 season is Atalanta's Cristiano Doni.

He was nowhere near the national team last summer but has forced his way in with a brilliant season for the Bergamo club with 16 goals plus one on his Italy debut in the 1-1 draw with Japan.

Trapattoni has said that Doni, who is expected to join Juventus in the summer, could be used on the left side of midfield.

However he could also be used in place of Totti in the hole behind the front pair if Trapattoni chooses to rest the Roma player in the closing stages of the match or in the nightmare scenario of injury.

The Italy squad will congregate at the Coverciano training base near Florence on May 12 until May 17 before travelling to Prague for the last friendly with the Czech Republic.

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), Mark Iuliano (Juventus), Christian Panucci (AS Roma)

Midfielders: Francesco Coco (Barcelona/Spa), Gianluca Zambrotta (Juventus), Angelo Di Livio (Fiorentina), Luigi di Biagio (Inter Milan), Cristiano Zanetti (Inter Milan), Damiano Tommasi (AS Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Cristiano Doni (Atalanta)

Strikers: Francesco Totti (AS Roma), Christian Vieri (Inter Milan), Filippo Inzaghi (AC Milan), Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Vincenzo MontellaRoma), Marco Delvecchio (AS Roma)

 

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!

I see, so Sacchi knew best because he was coach? What r you? Living in the dark ages that everything happens because it is god's will and some how everything is right?

Zoff knew best because he was coach and played Totti as a striker and DiBiagio and LAbertini together? And Del Piero took part in the final because Zoff knew best

After all he was teh coach?

The brilliance of some of u folks around here. Never talk SH!T just to justify a point, from the time u realize u can't justify a point U DON't HAVE APOINT!!!!!!!

And if Trap doesn't win the world cup he will be fired with this idiotic line up.

Italy r carrying 2 truly creative players to the world ucp 2!!!! that's phukin pathetic. Where's DiVaio where is Baggio where is AMbrosini FIore Liverani

I mean i can understand leaving out Fiore but c'mon man!!!!! Liverani DiVaio Baggio and AMbrosini? There 4 of Italy's best players

Liverani and Ambrosini could easily have replaced one defender or a keeper and definately DiLivio. He just had to call up someone from FIorentina didn't he. And then there is teh matter of DIVaio and Baggio

If u wanna leave out Baggio go ahead. I think its dumb but go ahead if you must. BUT JEEZUS PHUCKIN CHRIST

DELVECCHIO....he has called up a striker who does not score goals. WHAT THE PHUCK IS THIS!!!!!!!????/ Sure he makes 3 or 4 assist per season but is he a midfielder? NO!!!!

He is called up for what? he can'tt score....he can't dribble he can't sttay on side he is the most awkward and unco-ordinated player in the squad WHAT IN GOD's name is this?

I honestly can't see Italy winning the world cup.

My system actually says now that INTER have lost the Scudetto that Brazil will win the world cup

So we'll see