Roberto Donadoni parts company with Italy

News just coming through suggests the Roberto Donadoni has been sacked as Italy coach.

The announcement comes as no surprise following a dismal string of performances in this years Euro 2008 competition.

The reigning world champions looked anything but champion material as they stumbled through the group stages.

Many said they would struggle when Cannavaro pulled out of the squad with an injury before the start of the tournament, but the truth was the Italians made enough chances in each and every game to get something from them. Toni up front alone though scuppered chance after chance and for a big man dived to the gorund whenever he was in the proximity of an opposing player.

Del Piero must have felt frustrated watching games from the sidelines even though the Italians seemed to be a better unti when he came on.

Unfortunately for Donadoni, reputation as a player was not enough to make you a natural national manager and his tactics where wrong game in game out.

So who now for the Italians?
Well I guess Mr Hiddink might prove to be an exciting proposition!

Holland and Italy through to the next round. Euro 2008

Minutes ago tonights Euro 2008 games ended between Holland and Romania and Italy vs France.

Holland, despite making 9 changes, managed an impressive 2-0 win against Romania. Something neither Italy or France had managed to do with full strength teams out against them. And Holland based on group stage performances must be clear favourites for the tournament now.

The Italy France match never lived up to the exciting game it promised to be.
Toni failed to find the net agaian despite having maybe 7 clear chances.
Italy won 2-0 and a woeful France will just want to go home and forget this tournament ever happened.

Italy must feel as though they have been given a second chance now though and surely must pick up their game in the quarter finals.
It’s not as though they have not created chances so far in this tournament. Even against Holland they had several excellent chances, however the lack of confidence in front of goal has seen them struggle whilst Buffon has done more than his share to ensure they move on through this stage of the competiton.
Toni, who I admired before the tournament and quietly thought he could be one of the top scorers, has failed to give Italy the goals that they desperately needed in the group and some people will say he should be dropped based on some of the chances he has scuppered so far. but who do you replace him with? well Del Piero for me is a better striker and his form this year suggests he still has some life in him yet, but I could not say he still has the stamina to play 90 mins in a top tournament.

Thankfully though they do go through. Remember they are my tip for the tournament. Surely based on performances so far they would find it hard to live with the likes of Holland, Spain or Portugal but only a fool would write them off totally.

It’s still a beautiful game……..Holland 3 Italy 0

Just when all the talk in football is of corruption, too many foreign players, and overpaid nancy boys you get a glimpse of something quite special.
Something that restores your faith in the game.

That something tonight is being displayed by Italy and Holland. The dutch will take the applause and rightly so. Their movement and passing has been pure football that I haven’t seen since it was Mr Van Basten himself splaying it around the pitch.
Don’t think Italy have been a walk over. The first dutch goal was yards offside, the second came on a break just 17 seconds after they cleared the ball off their own goal line and the third came 20 seconds or so after Van Der Sar made a simply stunning save down the other end.
Italy contributed to a wonderful game tonight and I can still see them going through to the next round, but I’d be a fool to not think the Dutch now must be favourites.

Everything they did oozed class tonight.
Thank you Italy, thank you Holland for finally announcing there is a major tournament going on and finally restoring football to it’s plinth labelled “The beautiful game”

It’s still a beautiful game……..Holland 3 Italy 0

Just when all the talk in football is of corruption, too many foreign players, and overpaid nancy boys you get a glimpse of something quite special.
Something that restores your faith in the game.

That something tonight is being displayed by Italy and Holland. The dutch will take the applause and rightly so. Their movement and passing has been pure football that I haven’t seen since it was Mr Van Basten himself splaying it around the pitch.
Don’t think Italy have been a walk over. The first dutch goal was yards offside, the second came on a break just 17 seconds after they cleared the ball off their own goal line and the third came 20 seconds or so after Van Der Sar made a simply stunning save down the other end.
Italy contributed to a wonderful game tonight and I can still see them going through to the next round, but I’d be a fool to not think the Dutch now must be favourites.

Everything they did oozed class tonight.
Thank you Italy, thank you Holland for finally announcing there is a major tournament going on and finally restoring football to it’s plinth labelled “The beautiful game”

Time to get a bit Tasty! Holland vs Italy and Romania vs France. Euro 2008

Today is the day it all gets a bit more serious.

Up to now it’s been the favourites that have won each game and to those watching there’s been no real drama.

Tonight though Holland play Italy and both of them will want to get off to a flying start to signal their intent.

Both have a great pedigree and when I watched Holland play Wales last week they looked more than worthy of their place in the championships.

Italy, my adopted club for the tournament, have lost Cannavarro which will be a big blow but I still think they’re tight enough to keep the Dutch out. I fancy a 1-0 win to Italy but don’t let that prediction fool you into thinking this will be a stale game. If the Dutch don’t go throwing themselves to the floor every time somebody looks at them they are a great team to watch. Former Chelsea star Arjen Robben looked on top form against Wales so the news that he will miss this opener with a groin strain will be pleasing news for the Italians.

Also today will see France kick off their competition. Romania should not have the strength throughout to upset the French but you never quite know which French team is going to turn up.

All in all it should be a decent evening of football.

My predictions: Italy 1 – Holland 0 Romania 1 France 3

Portugal too good to win Euro 2008?

Well it’s started! Euro 2008 got under way with a better game than I expected actually. The Czech’s where a lot worse than I expected but the Swiss were spirited and it was an, as expected, even game. The swiss for me where the better team and I felt for them as they ended up coming from the game with nothing.

The second match saw Turkey play many people’s favourites Portugal.
I had tipped Turkey to cause an opening day upset, but from the kick off it looked very unlikely.

Portugal where too fast, too organised and overall just too good for the Turks to live with. There could have been several more goals against them with Portugal putting the ball in the net two times only to be dissallowed by the referee and they hit the woodwork I think three or four times.

They made it a good game Portugal, despite never really being in any trouble. They entertained and set
the bar high for any teams that where watching them looking at who is in with a chance and who’s not.

As I am writing this Germany have just scored against Poland. From memory I do not think Poland have ever beat Germany and from what I have seen so far here tonight, there’s little chance of that changing any time soon.

Germany are the tournament favourites. From what I’ve seen so far they don’t move as well as the Portuguese, they don’t pass as well as the Portuguese, they don’t seem to have the sparkling, twinkle toed approach as the Portuguese but they have something. Something I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe it’s just the knowledge that everyone still seems to dislike them, maybe it’s a certain amount of German ignorance, I’m not sure, but there is something there that tells me they look like they could win this thing!

You may ask yourselves why I keep overlooking the Portuguese, if they look so good why won’t I turn around and say I think they will win it? Well the answer is this. I think they are too good. I think recent history shows it’s not the best team in the tournament that wins it, it’s a bit of an underdog which is why, as I have said for the past few weeks I still think it will be Italy who win it. I wonder when the last time a team that is World Champions went into a tournament without even being amongst the top 5 favourites to win it?

So with half time approaching in the Germany Poland game I’m going to grab myself a beer and get ready for the second half and I reckon Germany could get another 2 goals yet!

European Championships – Austria / Switzerland 5 Days to go

I love the big International football tournaments.
Everything about them gets me excited, the passion, the skill, the colours.

Obviously the big two for me being The World Cup and The European Championships. Ok so this year it will be a bit strange that there’s no British teams to support, but I don’t think it will make the tournament any less enjoyable. It’s not as if any of the home nation teams ever do anything exciting like looking as though they stand a chance of winning it anyway. So this year I’ll adopt a team, and cheer them on.

Most people I speak to seem to think that it’s going to be between Croatia, Portugal and Spain and I’d be a fool if I said I don’t think they’ve got a chance. Spain in particular look a bit tasty with Torres in fine form.

My favourites though are the Italians. Ok they’re not everyone’s cup of tea but hey they’re World champions and still have a quality set up. I think if they can get through their group, which will be an achievement in itself, they’ll become their usual tight at the back unit who can pull off a one nil against anyone.

With the recent turmoil and scandal involving italian clubs I think it would be a fitting return to the top of the pile and I dare say UEFA would like to see some good reports about Italian football at the moment, so don’t be surprised if there’s one or two dubious decisions in favour of the Italions and they end up with another trophy.