Scolari: the best football is played in Italy

Interesting how he picks the year when two Italian teams make it to the final to say Italy has the best football. How come he didn't make this comment in the past few years when Italian teams did poorly in Europe. Its hard to say which country has the best teams. However, very few people who are not Italian would say the Italian league is one of the most interesting to watch.

 

So if the German Bundesliga has three teams in the semifinals next season I bet Scolari says that the best football is played in Germany. It's all temporary and these so called analysts are all bandwagon jumpers.

 

Scolari is such a know-nothing I guess I must be one of those few non-Italians who finds Serie A interesting to watch. Jawz, are u Italian? Mario? We must be the only three.

 

Make it four , anybody else?

 

I didn't leave you guys out on purpose! I just started with the mods ... and I'm pretty sure Dante does have Italian ancestry, so I didn't include him either ....

 

I don't know what he means by best football. The Italian team plays (I kid you not) an Italian style and they only have moderate success. Why should we emulate it? I would say Brazilian style is best. Look at the results.

Scolari speaks about style, not quality of the league. The quality of any league is a direct result of the quality of the foreign players. In this sense, I would say Spain has the highest quality league overall, but the English Premiereship and Serie A are not far behind.

Real Madrid could easily be Champion again this year if not for an injury to Makele or a missed Figo penalty. That's football. There isn't much separating the top teams, and on any given night, any one of them can beat the rest.

I would say that the defensive style of Italian football will guarantee you at least average results, but will not take you all the way. This year, Serie A is playing more attacking football, and the results in the Champions League are a direct result of this.
The Italian "style" can be anything they want it to be, but you must agree that it has been historically defensive. Nothing wrong with a strong defense, but you must show some attacking prowess if you want to win the big cups. This year, Juventus and AC Milan, among others, have shown the will to attack. Bravo!

 

Add me to the list of those that like Serie A Calcio

 

I agree, there is the absolute brillaint individual skill meshed with the tactical nous of some of the best footballing brains in the world. If the US domestically and internationally could find their style somewhere between Brazil, Argentina, and various European influence of high energy, Germany, England, both league and Country would quickly gain the recongnition it craves by the world media and public.

I noticed that too while watching the Barca v Juve and Milan v Ajax ties. Both of which ended in defeat for the sides I wanted to win oddly enough.
If the Italian teams continue this impressive display in European football, every year will basically become a duel between the top Italian and Spanish sides.

The English are still far behind tactically, their teams typically get too caught up in the emotion of the game and the fans to be able to step back and play cold, calculated football that gets results at the highest club level.

And outside of FC Bayern Munchen, it really is hard to assess the quality of the German teams, Dortmund's displays recently though can be a heartening sign that perhaps Euro competition may balance itself somewhat in the next few seasons.

 

Felipao has always been known to favor the no-nonsense style. Check his highly successful Gremio and Palmeiras teams - lots of hard tackling in midfield, arial attacks through tall center forwards Jardel/Oseas, carving out and making most of your opportunities on set pieces, defend one goal leads with stifling defense and hit on the break. Never has been a proponent of classical Brasilian footy. For the WC he had no choice but to rely on the skills of Riva, Cafu, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and R.Carlos - who jointly couldn't play that style if you begged them.

Additionally, Scolari has been 'jones-ing' for a club appointment in Serie A for over 4 years. He's never made it a secret, and has lamented not being given a fair shot at it (in his words). His Portugal appointment was third or forth choice (he really wanted Parma most of all). I suspect that he does believe in what he is saying; but his true agenda is to continue laying the groundwork, and the smoozing, in order to fulfill his dream to coach in Italy. And why not, he's a descendent of Italians, and its a great league.

 

Thats because not many non-Italians actually can or do watch and follow the Serie A.

Serie A is the most intense league in the world. The scudetto IS the most prized national league by those who fight for it, no doubt.

It is clear spanish teams rely on european success (for financial reasons mainly) and whole Premier league is just overrated in my opinion. It's not really "overrated" I guess, just popular around the world due to the language barrier of the other top leagues, ie Italian, Spanish and to a lesser extent German. Not so much for its quality.

At the end of the day its personal preference, and the history of this great sport will tell you Italy teams are CONSISTANTY up there in European club competition, AS WELL AS the Italian national team. No other country can claim this, south american clubs dont have the money on a club level, while strong european nations historically such as the germans have slipped away in europe (club) over the past decade or more.

But to bag Serie A based on the "boring" argument is just plain stupid and ignorant. Italians clubs dont simply defend at all costs. True Catenaccio is about the counter attack - and i dont care what anyone says, attack/counter attack produces the best football.

Goals do not necessarily equal quality nor excitement. Watching the premier league or la liga, for me, leaves me shaking my head usually after goals land which should never even get close to the back of the net. I prefer good goals, not goals thru defensive errors.

For me, its quality not quantity. For me, Serie A is the total package. Passion and Intensity which isnt rivaled anywhere else. And yes, being in Australia, im forced to watch and somewhat follow the EPL which is all the mainstream rage here.

RAI keeps me sane tho!

 

I agree there somewhat is an underlying agenda, but Scolari has never made it a secret he truly admires and respects Italian football and is where he wants to end up.

 

Football from Spain and England is the most popular around the world. My criticism of Italian football isn't because there isn't enough scoring or that teams stay back. I find it boring to watch because teams play a violent style that often injures good players and makes it difficult to play skilled football.

 

Elder Statesman, you like to make sweeping statements that are really just your opinion. (eg "very few non-Italians find Serie A interesting", "England and Spain are the most popular leagues"). I'm not saying these are dead wrong, but they are debateable at best.

As for the "violent" statement, I'm just curious how many Serie A games you have seen (not many, perhaps, since you find it so boring). Italian teams often play a pragmatic style, certainly, but I've never heard the accusation of "violence". In fact, I'd always thought of British soccer as being more "rough-and-tumble" than the Italian game.

 

English soccer is viewed by more people in Asia, India and Australia than any other league. Besides following their domestic league, the Spanish league is the most followed in Latin America. Why do you think ESPN usually shows a champion's league game involving a Spanish team. For the Latin American audience.

I've seen hundreds if not thousands of Serie A games and I see a very violent form of soccer. British soccer used to be more "rough-and-tumble" about twenty years ago but not anymore.

 

I was under the impression that Latin Americans followed Italian and Spanish soccer about equally. ESPN tends to show Spanish AND/OR Italian teams in their CL coverage. And Italian teams are incredibly popular in Asia (although I'll grant you the EPL is the most popular there).

And I simply disagree with you about that last statement. I think English refs still let players get away with a lot rougher play than most leagues.

But my god, let's get to the real point here. I wish I lived YOUR life which would allow me the time to watch thousands of games from a league I didn't even like! What's the secret?

 

The three top european leagues are the spanish Liga, the italian Serie A and the english Premiership.

The Liga is the most spectacular.
Serie A is the league with the best average skill, clubs like Torino or Atalanta would never relegate in Spain or in England.
In Premiership there's the most loyal style.

Germany has only one serious club, Bayern Munchen, so there's no fight for the title, except for some strange seasons.



JuventinoDOC

http://www.forum.calcio.com

 

Its simple. Turn on the television. Find a league that isn't one of your favorites. When there isn't a better game on or nothing else you want to watch then watch that league. If you need help turning on the television or instructions on how to change channels let me know.

 

And you know this because...?

 

Simply watch at the friendly matches in Summer or at the Intertoto competition.

 

Are you serious? You are taking friendly matches and mickey mouse competition as proof that teams from Serie A wouldn't relegate in Spain or England?

So along those lines, Cadiz (a third division league team in Spain), would be in Serie A since they beat a Serie A team a few years ago.

 

Thansk, but you didn't read my statement closely. My problem is finding the TIME to do so. I have two things that are sort of important called a) a job and b) a family which, unfortunately, require me to prioritize my soccer-viewing. Otherwise, I'd watch every game that was on TV.

 

I don't know what to tell you. You asked so I anwered your question. Why don't you quit your job and leave your family. You seem quite annoying, I doubt you'd be missed.

 

Pot. Kettle. Are you related to Bill Archer, by chance?