Guys dont fret for the Italian National Team...Prandelli and Mangia are working together to develop the team for the World Cup in Brazil 2014. This confederations cup for the Italian National Team will be more to see who is going to be cut out of the team moving forward. Once these tournaments are over both coaches will come to the drawing board and begin constructing the national team for the world cup 2014 ...combining experience with young talent. have a look below and see how our team will shape up and I'm sure we will have a very good, exciting and productive team for 2014 cup. Confederations Cup & U21 European - Tournaments 2013 Italy Under-21 squad: ( present ) Goalkeepers: Francesco Bardi (Novara), Simone Colombi (Modena), Nicola Leali (Virtus Lanciano). Defenders: Matteo Bianchetti (Verona), Cristiano Biraghi (Cittadella), Luca Caldirola (Brescia), Marco Capuano (Pescara), Marco Crimi (Grosseto), Giulio Donati (Grosseto), Vasco Regini (Empoli). Midfielders: Andrea Bertolacci (Genoa), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Luca Marrone (Juventus), Fausto Rossi (Brescia), Nicola Sansone (Parma), Riccardo Saponara (Empoli), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain). Forwards: Fabio Borini (Liverpool), Matteo Destro (Roma), Manolo Gabbiadini (Bologna), Ciro Immobile (Genoa), Alberto Paloschi (Chievo). ___________________________________________ Senior National Team: ( Present ) Goalkeepers: Buffon (Juventus), Marchetti (Lazio), Sirigu (Paris St. Germain) Defenders: Abate (Milan), Astori (Cagliari), Barzagli (Juventus), Bonucci (Juventus), Chiellini (Juventus), De Sciglio (Milan), Maggio (Napoli) Midfielders: Aquilani (Fiorentina), Candreva (Lazio), Cerci (Torino), De Rossi (Roma), Diamanti (Bologna), Giaccherini (Juventus), Marchisio (Juventus), Montolivo (Milan), Pirlo (Juventus) Forwards: Balotelli (Milan), El Shaarawy (Milan), Gilardino (Bologna), Giovinco (Juventus). Forza Italia!!!!
Strange results happen in Italy's qualifying group: Last Friday Armenia lost 1-0 at home to Malta , yesterday Armenia beat 4-0 Denmark away!
Fingers crossed that the Azzurrini make it to the final and that Insigne makes it back for both games. Verratti and Insigne are gaining valuable experience in the tournament which will very important for their confidence levels as they make their way into the senior squad for WC2014.
Yes, but Destro's two open goal misses yesterday will make him useless in the next games. The kid will have a psychological block for some time and I think Mangia knows it.
I don't think his form warrants a call-up to the senior squad anyway. Balotelli and Insigne are the two players I want to see up front in WC2014. Although I don't think Insigne is ready yet, but he is well on his way.
A different perspective on football in Brazil and the World Cup: Hundreds of thousands of Brazilians poured into the streets of at least 25 cities across the country Monday, blanketing the streets of major cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and climbing to the roof of the Brazilian National Congress in Brasilia, the nation’s capital. The protests, sparked last week by a smaller demonstration against fare hikes on public buses, are taking place around the Confederations Cup, the soccer tournament that began Saturday as a tune-up for Brazil’s 2014 hosting of the World Cup. The World Cup has become a symbol of corruption and overspending in the country. Brazil, originally slated to spend less than $1 billion in private funding on soccer stadiums, has already spent more than $3 billion, most of which has come from public funds. Meanwhile, schools and hospitals are overcrowded, understaffed, and underfunded, infrastructure is crumbling, and income inequality is rising as Brazil’s minimum wage remains low. The money spent on the World Cup, the protesters say, would be better spent on efforts to help ordinary Brazilians.
7 world cups have been held in North and South America, and all 7 have been won by South American sides. Spain and Germany are kind of co-favorites based on talent and recent form, however I think Argentina are a team to watch out for. Messi is a beast, he is finally replicating that form in the national team kit. Argentina have attacking talent of better quality than anybody - Messi, Higuain, Aguero, Tevez, Lavezzi, Di Maria ... I think we kind of fall in a second tier group of teams with the next best chances - Brazil, Italy, Netherlands, etc ... I will be more than happy with a semifinal appearance.
From the LA Times: On Thursday night last week, Brazil's left-wing Free Fare Movement held the fourth of its street protests against a 10-cent hike in bus fares. A few thousand people turned out. "I think the issue of bad and expensive public transportation was the last straw," said communications manager Priscila Passareli, 29. "But what bothers me even more is that our government isn't providing for us more generally. Not in schools. Not in hospitals. We have huge levels of social inequality and violence." Brazil's educational achievement ranks near the bottom of 66 countries analyzed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and 13 million people remain illiterate. Two bus rides a day cost a minimum-wage worker in Sao Paulo more than a quarter of his income, in a city beset by gridlock. The Health Ministry says the country needs at least 50,000 more doctors, a shortage so urgent that the government has turned to Cuba for help. The crowds in the recent protests have been predominantly young, and better educated and more affluent than the general population. They are often cheered on by commuters in the streets and workers in the buildings they pass. This looks like more than a flash in the pan type event. This is reminiscent of the Arab Spring uprisings and could cast a serious shadow over WC 2014. Its a real shame, but I only see things getting worse for Brazil's economy. I live in Australia and we share much in common with Brazil in that we have ridden a decade long commodities boom driven by miracle growth in China. Now that China's growth is set to slow significantly over the coming decade, the one-trick pony economies of Brazil and Australia heavily dependent on exporting natural resources to China are about to get hit and hard. It wouldn't be such a problem if our respective politicians had utilised the wealth of the commodities boom to diversify the economy and invest in things like infrastructure/R&D/education. Instead they pissed it all up against the wall and now neither economy is ready for the coming shit storm. Power to the people I say. Shit happening like this is what really makes my blood boil. I love the Azzurri but at the end of the day what's important to me is the welfare of my kids, my brothers and sisters and my family. Fcuk these greedy banksters and corrupt politicians I hope they get what they deserve.
Brazil is a mess right now! not sure what will happen for WC but if it stays like this it aint gonna be fun Spain's team was robbed at their hotel! if teams arent safe, how can they keep regular people safe?
They cant. Dont go there. Brazil isnt safe at the best of times. The world cup will be a smorgas board for thieves and crime. Going to be a lot of trouble.
My wife an i are planning to go to Brazil next year for the WC, you just have to be smart about it and don't do stupid things like walk around in the middle of the night. I've been to some pretty messed up countries and common sense has never failed me or gotten me in any trouble
Don't wear flashy stuff. Just like in any other country. Nothing will happen. The majority of Brazilians want to drink, bbq, party and f---.
Only if you plan to go to a favela to try to get laid. Which you might have to. Good news is the prostitutes are learning English. Yes, what you said. I'll be there. We are going to be buying a house soon. You can go out at night. Just go to good areas. It would be good if you knew basic Portuguese
South Africa is probably much worse than Brazil. Wasn't it not long ago they killed a lot of white people? However, people protesting their government scares everyone?
Some sound advice if one knew where the good areas existed. Learning basic Portuguese is not easy. Not cheap either if learning from the prostitutes!