In fair Verona...: Michael Bradley at Chievo, pt II [R]

Kind of interesting, you'd have to assume something is up if he suddenly didn't play despite being a ever present key play since his first start.

 

He could be due a bonus with more matches?

It's happened before.

 

Ok this is just a rumor but word is Sabatini has done a deal for Van Der Wiel. (I genuinely wasn't trying to rhyme there, lol)

If true, as expected he's doing deals early. Maybe that means something for Bradley.

 

Oh you kid, SoCalYid.

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I watched every game all season long and was impressed by Chievo's team-first mentality, the players' willingness to fight for each other every week. The haters weighed in on this board only on the days they lost (and even more on the days they lost big), but this was a pretty good team. Finishing 10th in Serie A...playing the big boys tough most weeks...is solid. Well done, Donks.

 

It's not true. You should know by now that the Italian tabloids are only marginally more truthful than those in the UK - and probably by accident.

 

I thought that's why I said it's a rumor?

Personally I'd rather have Isla. I just thought maybe it was indicator of Sabs doing deals early.

 

DeCarlo is a great manager for a low/mid level club. He gets the most out of a limited squad. It seems like guys really do play hard for him, and you need that with a Chievo, Novara, Bari, Cesena etc.

It's easy to beat on a Chievo for playing ugly from our positions behind keyboards. They've done incredibly well over the years to keep their place. Heck, they aren't even the first team in their own city. Italy is highly skewed at the upper end towards the big clubs similar to Spain. The Italians appreciate and understand a Chievo taking a pragmatic approach to staying up and playing for wins at home when they can, and being highly defensive on the road. Being defensive isn't muttered as an insult towards teams in Italy. I think that isn't very well understood in these parts. They have every right to be a yo-yo team between Serie B and A, but don't because they are extremely well run.

I had a soft spot for Chievo going back to their very early days in the Serie A, when Flying Donkeys was taken on by the Chievo fans, and it only got bigger when Mike landed there. I named my son's u5-u7 teams after them. All the parents thought we were weird calling ourselves the flying donkeys, but the kids loved it.

 

I think injuries hampered Chievo this year. Bradley (34) was 1 of only 3 players to start more than 24 of Chievo's 38 Serie A matches this season, the others were the two top goalscorers Thereau (28) and Pellissier (35).

 

Acerbi to Milan is nearing completion and seems to be pretty much set in stone. Hope Bradley became friends with him before he left, maybe he'll put in a good word

 

Wonder if a big club will come calling? I read that he is not for sale but for the right amount, he might be.

 

Many are confident that he will be leaving Chievo. In fact, for some odd reasoning, there is another thread completely devoted to Bradley going to Roma; along with any number of speculative clubs. Normally, this would be a topic in this thread during off season, but until the threads are merged I guess what you may be looking for is over there.

 

Would be cool to see Bradley on Roma. If Montella is coach, not sure how he will utilize him. If Zeman gets elected, Bradley might be in for a great deal of running as that is Zeman's style.

 

1) they're so much the second team in Verona that when there is a Verona derby, Chievo fans are in the away end for both games!.
2) being defensive (and good at it) is considered the highest praise for a team in Italy.

1)

 

Verona is definitely the team all citizens of Verona worship but there is no denying the "Chievo dei miracoli" (miracle team) has been the team to beat for the last 10-11 years. It will be cool to see them both in the Serie A next season and play a derby with Verona or the Derby della Scala or Derby dell'Arena..

 

Yes and so are Criscito and Bonucci who were in the national team camp. Criscito was just cut from the squad as a result and Bonucci might be next. Mauri was taken in handcuffs.

 

... I'm pretty sure this is all in relation to the first referrals. So there might be more names later to be discussed. They haven't even got to Udinese or Napoli yet.

 

I'm listening to radio radio football show live from Rome and they are interviewing Palermo owner Maurizio Zamparini. It seems more names are coming out. I heard something about Siena owner Mezzaroma but then I don't know if he was being investigated or arrested.

 

If they give a big points deduction to Lazio, Udinese and Napoli, Inter will be back in the Champions League and MB can sign there.

 

And Roma might also then get a crack at Europe too....

 

It's sort of ridiculous Inter with it's 3 managers and crappy form most of the season still might get into the CL. Morratti is the luckiest bastard in the history of the world. Even the industry his money came from has a bit of luck involved.

I actually like the idea of Roma in the Europa League. We aren't ready for the CL but the Europa with all our young players, new additions and new manager might be good for us.

 

you think the italians would have learned from the cluster from a few years back that match fixing can get you in a little bit of trouble.