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Full Free Episode - Inter Clinch 19th Scudetto, Lukaku MVP, Juve's Woes, Roma's Revolution Etc. (Ep. 120)
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Transcript
Introduction and Patreon Encouragement
00:00:01
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast with John Solano, Carlo Garganese and Nima Tuvali.
00:00:24
Speaker
Hello again, everybody. Welcome back to another episode of the Italian Football Podcast. We hope that you are doing well. Obviously, a lot to get to with Nima somehow tempering his emotions and his excitement at the moment, with Inter having won the Scurrito. As always, since it is the first episode of the month, this one is available to everybody.
00:00:47
Speaker
However, if you would like to gain access to our two episodes per week, our written work, our post-match interview podcast, you can go to patreon.com slash T-I-F-P. Again, patreon.com slash T-I-F-P to gain access to our review episode and our interview episode, which takes place on Thursday. Okay, Nima, what is your blood alcohol content at the moment?
00:01:15
Speaker
give or take, if you could estimate. No, no, no, no, it was, I mean, it's still a pandemic and it was very, very, there was a lot of content to put out. So I was actually working most of the time. But it was, it was, it was kind of expected because I thought this was the weekend that it was going to happen because I think I, you know, Saswalla are looking
00:01:35
Speaker
No, now you believe that was going to happen. OK, well, of course I am. I'm going to tell you, he knew it all along. You know, I didn't know I didn't. I don't do jinxes. I honestly look like let's get into that because I did not. This is a remarkable turnaround in every every aspect of the word and every sense of the word, because I was looking at how they looked in November, December, playing some incredibly dreary football, impotent football, slow.
00:02:04
Speaker
after being knocked out of the Champions League, finishing last for the first time in the club's history. And then you see how you had the whole Christian Ericsson thing, the Ivan Perisic problem.
Inter's Unexpected Dominance
00:02:17
Speaker
And Conte managed to, I mean, even if you guys believed in this Corretto, I did not, but for them to turn it around and blow away the league, because this is a blowaway win, completely dominate and win deservedly, you know, after Christmas, there's no discussion who was the best team in this league.
00:02:40
Speaker
And then that's all. And this on the backdrop of constant speculation as to who's going to be the next owner are soon going to stay. I mean, the whole fact that the parent company, I mean, that in the background makes this whole thing entirely fascinating, especially when you juxtapose that to
00:03:03
Speaker
The level of spend in the transfer market not I mean not necessarily this year, but the previous summer some of they spend big and then this year I mean we have the pandemic come on their their sister club in China essentially seizes operations I mean when you put that in the for it like it seems like that is not even being discussed But it's completely fascinating when you consider it
00:03:24
Speaker
It really is. It is fascinating. It's fascinating, but it's also incredibly difficult. It was under the most difficult circumstances ever for him to do this. Nothing suggested that he could be able to do this. When he himself says that the project was frozen in August when Suning told him that there's no money to spend,
00:03:48
Speaker
you know, all that stuff. And then you have, you know, I think Inter are the second or third for most COVID outbreaks. You have, you know, the contract extensions constantly looming in the background.
Conte's Tactical Influence on Inter
00:04:03
Speaker
Players not getting paid for several months. All of that stuff. And then, you know, that he had to go through and this constant speculation in the media and in the face of all this adversity, Antonio Conte and Beppe Marotta
00:04:15
Speaker
work, you know, earn their wages. They really earn their wages because what they do, you know, it's difficult in the normally, under normal circumstances. This club has an incredible ability to get itself in all kinds of trouble. But they ran a tight ship. Konta built a group that would die for each other.
00:04:35
Speaker
Beppe Marotta did his best to secure and protect the team from everything outside and they built this we against the world mentality but it was united. They united around the closed ranks and
00:04:50
Speaker
And that together with Antonio Conte understanding and finding the right tactical balance, which I've said numerous times on this pod, that if you know your Antonio Conte history, you know that he started playing 4-2-4 and he's constantly in his career been trying to reach that point where he can defend in a 3-5-2 and attack in a 4-2-4.
00:05:11
Speaker
And now it's never worked as well anywhere as it has at the Sinter. And that's all on him. It's all on him. I mean, getting Perisic and Christian Ericsson to adapt to these roles. Again, these are established players and stars. It's not young players that you can mold. And he got them to accept. He even said so himself yesterday that Perisic made himself available.
00:05:36
Speaker
uh to to change and adapt and and and christian erickson has been nothing but that so but that's also on him i mean being able to get them to accept and to not just accept but to wholeheartedly embrace this is um is genuinely remarkable and he should be praised for that
00:05:53
Speaker
It was all because Juventus were rubbish and all the other teams were useless. That's the only reason they won the Scudetta. No, seriously, I think we have to say big congratulations to Inter, the deserved winners. I mean, you only have to look at the difference between Inter in first place and Atalanta and the other teams in second place. 13 points. And, you know, I think it probably increased by the end of the season.
00:06:19
Speaker
So there's no doubt that Inter have been head and shoulders above the rest. I think at the start of the season, when we were all discussing who was going to win the Scudetto, my doubts surrounding Inter was not the quality that they had in the team or even the squad. I thought even last season that Inter had the best team. But my doubts were more about, as Nim has alluded to there, that there was all these question marks around the ownership
00:06:49
Speaker
The financial situation and also that contest position I mean, you know People tend to forget them that Conte was very close to leaving the club, you know as the season was kicking off And you know so that there was always those doubts whether you know really last even till Christmas because of these You know this this infighting and we don't know exactly what went on behind the scenes. But you know, there were you know, there was
00:07:13
Speaker
fears that he was going to leave, that Inter might implode. So from that point of view, you have to take your hat off to Conte, to Marotta. I don't think, I think that if Inter had stayed in Europe, I don't think they would have won by the gap wouldn't have been as big as it is, but I still think Inter would have won the Scudetto because I think they are the best team.
00:07:36
Speaker
And, you know, Conte Shown again, he's the best league manager in the world. And Lukaku as well has been a fantastic story that, you know, he's really been my player of the season for what he's done. I mean, he really has been irreplaceable.
00:07:51
Speaker
Yes. Well, I guess since you sort of opened up that door, Carlo, I mean, where do you rank Conte then as far as, well, you just said one of the greatest league managers, but just as far as what about just in general Italian managers?
00:08:08
Speaker
I mean, it's interesting because he's won not only at Juve, he's won at two Italian clubs, done extremely well. Now listen, there's not going to be a trophy to his time with the Azzurri, but let's not forget that team.
Conte's Legacy and Future Plans
00:08:23
Speaker
The way he managed to pull every bit of ability out of guys who
00:08:28
Speaker
I mean, where's Jacarini? Is he tending to gardens now? I mean, what does he... It was a festival of mediocrity where that was basically plastered over by Pirlo's brilliance, late brilliance and Marcheseo as well. Now it's, look, what he did at the Italian national team, I think will
00:08:52
Speaker
probably even though he didn't win I was going to say that's that's the thing that that of all his all the things he's done I mean that one has to be the most depressive and that's not taking anything away from what ink that it did I mean I'm just saying no no it is what he had available but I think I think at club level what he's done this is his masterpiece at ink that what because everything has clicked he's got everything right they are defensively solid the inter can hurt you in so many ways in attack
00:09:22
Speaker
And I mean, I think Sera Zecosmi said the best post-matchy krutone, the krutone coach, he said, look, we know exactly how Inter were going to attack, but we just couldn't stop him. And I think that's the thing with Konta, that it's really come, it's the perfect Konta storm. He's changed, you know, he kind of masked for deficiencies at Juve by having Arturo Vidal there, who was this, you know, Grinta merchant, and it was like intensity, intensity, intensity.
00:09:50
Speaker
Inter aren't that intense in how they press. I mean, he said so himself that, you know, the first season I pressed really high up, but then you notice pretty quickly that the other teams adapt and then you can see goals on counter-attacks. So I had to find the right balance between the defence and the attack. And he's done just that. This team is built for him. He's built it. And they respond to him and he responds to them.
00:10:17
Speaker
you know, it really is like one of those seasons. It reminds me so much of Trappatoni. When Bergomi speaks of that, obviously being part of that Inter de Recorando Trappatoni, I can understand why he makes those analogies because it really just came together perfectly this season. But the problem with that was that it was the lifespan of that was
00:10:41
Speaker
very short. It kind of, you know, they didn't sign the right players. They got rid of, back then they got rid of the wrong players and replaced them with players that couldn't do what Trappatoni wanted to do in order to build, to start a winning cycle.
00:10:56
Speaker
And here I think it's not quite that because the age of these players, the key players is rather young. What you're looking for is to improve the bench. Andrea Aranocchia, Ashley Young, Arturo Vidal, Aleksandar Kolarov, you know, these are players that will most likely leave and have to leave because they don't offer anything and they cost quite a bit of money, especially Arturo Vidal.
00:11:19
Speaker
So that's where the key is this summer. And I think Antonio Conte has realized that. A few weeks ago he said, I've never been this quiet during a season as I've been this year. And that's absolutely true. He's really kept it quiet and understood that he can't
00:11:37
Speaker
have these outbursts that he's used to. If he wants things done at Inter, he can't have outbursts. He needs to find the right way to run things internally and get things the way he wants.
00:11:54
Speaker
Yeah, it will be interesting to see where in to go from here because even with with I mean you mentioned Trappatoni there but even with Antonio Conte in all of his his uh club uh jobs before even including Juventus even though he won three three titles in a row there his teams were never as good after the first season in all three jobs at Juventus they had that they were they were all about intensity in the first season with Antonio Conte because they didn't work playing in Europe
00:12:20
Speaker
second season and the third season, they lost that intensity. They were very, very different sides. And that's obviously partly natural because because they were playing, you know, twice a week. And as we've said, thousands of times, Conte is not the best at juggling between two competitions. So there will be interesting there. Chelsea, the same fantastic in the first season when they were out of Europe to blitz the league. Second season struggled a bit, although he did still win the FA Cup, I think.
00:12:48
Speaker
And you know, so be interested to see what happens within so I know this is going to be his third season But now that he's won with them where he goes from now will be interesting I mean the I agree with the intensity thing but but still at the same time if you look at the Running stats the kilometers run into a miles ahead of anyone. Well, that's exactly especially especially in central midfield and that's what I mean he's finally found a midfield and
00:13:11
Speaker
trio in Barelyrics and Ambrosovitch, where all three of them can pretty much do all three things that he requires of his midfield. They can run, they can defend, they can pass, they can shoot, they can score, they can create. That's why when he says that Interplay are modern football now, I agree with that because of that central midfield and their ability to do so many things at once.
00:13:37
Speaker
And that's something that you need to do in your central media field. Long gone are the days of the Pirlo and Gattuso roles, where you have one guy running for two and one guy doing the creation. That doesn't work anymore in modern football. And he understands that. And I think that's the most important thing. And the Ericsson project that he's built, because that is all him and Ericsson. I think what we saw against Krotóne was a preview of what we'll see next season. And that is that Christian Ericsson will
00:14:07
Speaker
create much more in terms of goals and assists because now Antonio Conte has taught him positioning and defensive stability and understanding when to attack and when to return deep and also to run. I wouldn't put it past Conte that the natural development of Ericsson at Inter would be to try him again as a tricortista.
00:14:25
Speaker
but maybe, you know, starting from a little bit deeper, but that he will come more often in those spaces and hurt teams because the guy can score. He's got a good shot on him. So I think that's the natural progression from here on. But I mean, have you said that again?
00:14:46
Speaker
you know, Ashley Young, Ranokja, Vidal and Kolorov need to be replaced. And there are questions that need answering. And I think if Inter are going to, where Inter are going to go from here, the most important player that Inter need to sign is Rodrigo de Paul. It's just that simple. He has tools that no one in this Inter has. And there's a reason Antonio Conte is obsessed with this guy and he wants him because he knows that if he can get him to work in his system,
00:15:12
Speaker
together with Sensi and the other three that I've already mentioned, Inters midfield will be stacked and it can hurt you again in so many different ways. I think next week, I would like to discuss next week how Intercrack Europe. I think that would be a good topic to do next week. But to come back to your question, John, about where does Conte rank among the greatest ever Italian coaches,
00:15:38
Speaker
It's a good question. I know it's one that started to be discussed. I think if we're talking purely about League management, I think you know Conte is definitely up there with the best because he's done it at Juventus He's done it in so he's done it at Chelsea or you know three sides that were coming off periods of not winning anything, you know or disastrous seasons before in the case of Juventus and Chelsea especially and
00:16:02
Speaker
you know, but I mean, you know, there's a lot has been a lot of amazing Italian managers in history. I mean, Trappatoni, Trappatoni won in about four or five different countries, I think. And, you know, and he won everything there was to win with Juventus, every single possible trophy he won. And, you know, multiple leagues, you know, you've got Capello, the same won everything with, you know, maybe the greatest club team has ever been.
00:16:28
Speaker
or that were following on from that greatest ever club team, which was Arigos Saki, who I think if you're looking at a manager, an Italian manager to make the biggest revolution in football, you would look at Saki. I mean, Saki's up there with maybe three or four managers in the history of the game who actually changed the sport. He brought in this new high press, which was revolutionary and no teams in Europe. It took them years to work out
00:16:57
Speaker
you know exactly how to play against it and that's why Milan dominated and you know you'd say the same with say Arenas Miquel's early in the 70s with the total football for AX and Holland and then you had obviously Pep Guardiola that came in with Barcelona and he revolutionized football and it took years for teams to to work out how to play against it that's what Saki did so you know obviously Saki didn't win as much as some of these other managers but for that Milan what he did how he revolutionized it and how he had the greatest team ever
00:17:24
Speaker
You know, you could go for him then you've got someone like lippy who won everything because a club manager But also won the world cup with it with it. So he won leagues. He won in europe and he won internationally So you've got him? Um, you know, it's it's a difficult one. It's a difficult one to say I mean, I think in terms of league managers, I think I have I mean i've said it I think mancini content now today is the best league manager in the world. I think if you had to pick You know any manager with any team?
00:17:52
Speaker
Antonio Conte you pick him if you want to win the league. I know Pep Guardiola he's won three he's going to win three years in four for Man City and he's you know he won every he won it every year with Bayern Munich he won everything with won the league multiple times with Barcelona but you know those were were sides that were just like they were the
00:18:11
Speaker
the probably the best team in europe at the time with those teams it was you know and he had all the money to spend you know i would like to see i mean don't get me wrong guadiolo is one of the greatest managers of all time but i would like to see what pep Guardiola would have done if he'd have gone into that Juventus team in 2011 or that Chelsea team or that entity or this inter team a year ago and whether he'd have been able to win the league you know without all the money with with the obstacles that he faced i don't know i just think that Conte has
00:18:39
Speaker
has got the ability to do it under any circumstances, especially when a team's not the strongest, not the strongest team. Right. Well, man manager wise, I mean, he's the best. Yeah, I don't think anybody comes close in current world football, maybe. No, no, absolutely. I mean, we know what the we know what the weakness is. We're good. We'll discuss it next week. We know what context weaknesses. He hasn't cracked Europe. He's not the best at juggling
00:19:03
Speaker
competitions, you know, playing every few days, being able to adapt. You know, hopefully next season he will. Like Nimr said, he's changed his style of football a little bit since Christmas and it's worked out great in Serie A when they're only playing, you know, only got Serie A to concentrate on. But the thing is that the reason why I think that this football will work in Europe is also because he's not pressing as intensely as he used to before.
00:19:27
Speaker
he under he's playing you know this you know people joke that he he's standing on the sidelines and he wants to control his players like a playstation controller that's true he knows it now he's now that he's got like he's cracked it and know that it took him a while to get here but he's finally realized that you cannot put pedal to the metal 90 minutes 52 weeks a year it doesn't work humans aren't machines now now if you see inters games especially
00:19:53
Speaker
the after the santoria defeat he's controlling them in the sense that like a boa constrictor he's inter slowly slowly slowly squeezed tighter and tighter and tighter and when the time is right boom they hit you like he's he's turning into this like this classic notion of italian football that
00:20:12
Speaker
They used to bore the teams out and then suddenly strike and then close the game off. That's what Comte is doing, but in a 21st century kind of mold. And that's really interesting. I've never seen that with him before. He didn't have the patience before, but he does now. His teams, this Inter team is very patient in its build up. It can
00:20:30
Speaker
You know, and all of a sudden, if you're lucky, something's going to happen because all of a sudden the energy and intensity goes up and then they score and they can score in so many different ways against Krotona. You saw all of that, whether it's the wing backs crossing to each other, ripping teams apart. So you have to close down the wings. Well, then if you do that, you leave space in the middle, which Lukaku and Lautaro will play off of each other. And I mean, it's just and then you have the wing backs running in from from from each corner from from each wing as well.
00:20:59
Speaker
It's really fascinating to see, and the natural progression of that is to have your midfielders score more goals when running in from deep, and I think that's what he's going to work on for next season. It'll make it into so much less predictable than they already are, and they're already rather unpredictable.
00:21:19
Speaker
It's going to be really interesting. I really think that he's never been in a better position to do something important in Europe. And when I say important, I don't mean win it, because I don't think any Italian team really realistically can challenge Man City, PSG and these big, you know, in terms of revenue, just revenue alone. The amount of money you need to spend in your squad to do that is just not realistic for Italian teams, especially after a pandemic.
00:21:47
Speaker
So, but I do, when I say important, I mean a quarterfinal, maybe a semi-final. That would be huge. I do think Inter have the players though. I mean, I do, I really think that Inter have the players, they have the personal, certainly in their first team, you're right about the squad needs to be deep in, but I do think that Inter have a lot of players in their squad, sorry, in their team, that the best teams in Europe would love to have in their team. I mean, there's so many. I mean, Barela would get into any central midfield in Europe, for me, no doubts about it.
00:22:17
Speaker
Hakimi was the best right wing back in the world. Someone in a former interplay at the other day, I've forgotten who it was. He's one of the best in his roles. Then Lautaro, wanted by Barcelona, wanted by Manchester City, wanted by all the big teams. And then you've got Lukaku, who's just been phenomenal. Phenomenal. He is the symbol of this corretto, if you ask me.
00:22:40
Speaker
the way that he's developed under Antonio Conte is nothing short of remarkable. How he came from Man United being so poorly rated and almost a laughingstock and joke and they called him lazy and they said he was fat and they said he couldn't he can't he can't link up play and he can't his first touch was bad and this that and the other and the third and the fourth
00:23:03
Speaker
you know uh well they were all wrong because he's physically anonymous people uh shaming somebody else on twitter well they weren't anonymous if we're perfectly honest they weren't that anonymous they were even neville's right foot yeah he might be he might be anonymous but yeah
00:23:22
Speaker
I mean, even the pun, even the pun, Gary Neville, Gary Neville called him fat. Gary Neville called him fat. Yeah, he got fat. Yeah. And not only that. Yeah, exactly. Gary El Commandante Neville. And also, who else was it on? I can't remember who was on ESPN in America who said that this guy, he's supposed to come there and do link up play. He doesn't know how to do that. Some of those ESPN pundits are awful.
00:23:50
Speaker
Oh my god, they're just embarrassing somebody sent me a clip of them the other day. I can't oh, oh steve nickle and some of the craig burley and some of these Oh my god, some of the stuff they come out with is just it's just embarrassing Yeah, I had never watched that Some of the espn guys until about a week ago. Uh, somebody sent me a clip of just how they speak of Italian teams and I go. Oh my gosh I mean even though sky spart likes to rake me over the coals with
00:24:19
Speaker
the subscription for what they charge. I mean, I still have to figure out which organ I'll have to sell on the black market for next season to afford the monthly payments. But gosh, I mean, I listened to three minutes and I thought to myself, how could anybody listen to this?
00:24:37
Speaker
consistently, it's awful, awful. Now, when it comes to Italian football, they don't know that most of them, unfortunately, don't have a clue, unless it's Klinsmann or Marcotti or them talking, which is at least, you know, they have experience of the
00:24:55
Speaker
of Italian football so they don't, you know, stay stupid, say incredibly stupid shit like Stephen Nicole and Craig Burley do on a regular basis about Italian football. And look, it's okay not to be interested in a football culture, but to sit there in an authoritative voice and talk nonsense and out your backside just to have said something is just embarrassing.
00:25:13
Speaker
And the problem is they're putting those positions because the producers or the managing editors that put them haven't got a clue either. They're just as bad. They're just as much as prem faces as they are. They come in the positions and they don't see it's a problem. I mean, Lukaku was bad at United, but he's been fantastic at Inter because he's got a manager that knows how to get the best out of him and has improved him. Maybe you can say to him how we improved him.
00:25:41
Speaker
I was just going to get to that because that's one of the things that he was so criticized for and everyone said he can't do. But Antonio Conte has been adamant that this guy, I mean he told him literally, you know, if when you learn to play with your back against the goal you'll be the best striker in the world. And he put Ranocchia on him like glue for the first two, three months in training.
00:26:02
Speaker
teaching him how to how to play like that and the result you see now and then you have Pintus who I think that's an unsung hero at Inter this Pintus guy everyone has had injury problems except for Inter because he's known exactly I'm saying nothing oh for goodness sake
00:26:18
Speaker
Agri-cola special. No, but listen, no, but seriously, Pintas has really, I mean, if you look at the injuries, the muscle injuries that most teams have had, Pintas has been able to, what he's done is quite clear that the training regime is working. They find a balance between playing a lot. These players are already physically tired because there was basically no preseason between last season and this season.
00:26:40
Speaker
And Inter have not had that many injuries. And I think that's a big part of that is how he's kept these players fit. And that's the thing about Lukaku's physique as well. He's never been this fit as he is right now. And it's like everything has just come together for him at Inter.
00:27:05
Speaker
Yeah. Well, if Conte is a, what did you call him? Boa constrictor? No, he does. It is. He really suffocates teams like this slowly and slowly. I already know where this is going. Yeah, he knows exactly where this is going. I mean, if he's a Boa constrictor, then Pierlo and Paolo Fonseca are
00:27:25
Speaker
to mice they are I don't know dumb and dumber they I don't know pick pick pick pick your insulting it's on another planet I would like to play a game well maybe those you know maybe we could just have them do what is what game swap do you want to swap John you you type here like
00:27:49
Speaker
You know what it reminds me of what is that game where you have the two? Figurines just punching each other until one of the heads pops off like the robots whatever I forget the exact name of it But maybe we could just essentially have those two do that just smack each other and then who's ever head pops off first you go I Mean, yeah, I don't even know who to get to first who's more egregious of the two. I don't even know is there a right answer I don't think there is Let's start with Pierlo. Oh Gosh, well
00:28:20
Speaker
You can definitely you could definitely tell this guy has never Managed before it's abundantly clear that Listen, I think this whole thing on him For boy, you can even add once again to it too. I think both of them are
00:28:38
Speaker
have gotten a bit of an unfair sort of situation because listen, Pierlo he comes, he's going to be the U23 manager, and then boom, he is in this position. I think it doesn't seem realistic that you could expect a lot of him. Now, of course, you have a very talented team. You could make the argument that, you know, your eight-year-old niece could manage them and still win. Well, maybe that's true to an extent. I just...
00:29:08
Speaker
Well, maybe, maybe. Does she write a better thesis than he does, though? That's the question. But, I mean, Carlo, clearly, for Pierlo Anfon's sake, I guess you could apply this to. Pretty much anything we're about to say about both of these two, it can be applied to both.
Challenges in Juventus and Roma
00:29:25
Speaker
It was just wrong. It's just wrong. It's a wrong decision. Wrong decision.
00:29:28
Speaker
It's as simple as that. Well, I think as we're talking right now, I think it's definitely the similarities are it's broken for both managers. I mean, for Roma it's kind of more understandable because it's been clear for a while now that Fonseca isn't going to be there next season.
00:29:43
Speaker
So, so, you know, it's and everybody knows that and when that happens, it can be difficult. It doesn't mean I think he's the right man for the job, by the way. But, you know, that's that's kind of understandable now. As for Pierlo, I mean, it's clear that he's out of his depth. He's completely out of his depth. It's been it's been obvious for
00:30:02
Speaker
for a good two or three months now. Why he's still in the job, Angeli is playing with fire, massively playing with fire by just by letting him stay till the end of the season before making the decision. Juventus on Sunday against Udinese was so lucky to come away with a win and to still be in
00:30:24
Speaker
the race for the top four, because if Juventus had lost that game, which they deserve to do, if they'd lost that game, I think Juventus would have been in huge trouble, because they'd have been out of the top four, they've had the Milan game come in, and they're lucky also that Atalanta and Napoli drew their games. Very, very lucky. But Juventus were awful. They got to the knees, he created nothing. There's just nothing in their play.
00:30:50
Speaker
Awful defensively, I think it's 10 games in a row. The Juventus have conceded a goal. They scored, obviously, they were losing and scored two goals in the last seven minutes. Rodrigo de Paul, who played fantastically and is a fantastic player, just ridiculously stuck his hand up to give away a penalty, which if it wasn't for that, Juventus were never going to score. And then, you know, again, Ronaldo bailed them out with a header at the back post, which, again, was a goalkeeping mistake by Scuffe.
00:31:15
Speaker
And Juventus somehow managed to get the three points, and they're still somehow in the race for the top four. If they manage to get the top four with PLO, they'll be very, very lucky, I think, the way that they're playing. They're a mess. Juventus are a complete mess. It's painful to watch them. Well, I completely agree. And I guess to throw the same question that you asked, Nima.
00:31:37
Speaker
What is the path forward? Because I do you think that it's simply just swapping out a new manager and just by way of that you have better results for U of N next season? I guess like Roma, I feel like some changes needed. Definitely to me at least it seems like this is sort of like the end of a particular chapter for U of N, but maybe you disagree.
00:32:02
Speaker
Well it's difficult because you know I've been speaking to some sources at UVA and the situation is difficult because you know allegory obviously there's a lot of papers that are coming out saying that it's a done deal allegory is going to return it's not at the moment because
00:32:19
Speaker
We don't know yet. One, we don't know who's going to be the president next year, because Aniele's position is very precarious. There's an XOR meeting, as I was explaining in last week's pod, on May the 27th, which will decide whether Aniele stays or whether he's replaced as president.
00:32:36
Speaker
As well as that, you've got Fabio Peratticci's position. Is he going to stay or is he going to be replaced? Pavel Nedved as well alongside him. So you've got those three positions that we don't know what's going to happen. So until those positions are decided, it's difficult to know who the manager is going to be as well, because it's going to be the president and those people that would naturally should be the ones deciding who will be the next coach. So Allegri's not a done deal, but what is absolute
00:33:05
Speaker
for certain, his pillow has to be replaced. I mean, he should have been replaced months ago. Juventus, like I said, they are risking missing the top four by keeping this person who's completely, he's just out of his depth. He's completely out of his depth. And Juventus, it's broken. It's completely broken. You can tell watching them now, the players have completely lost faith in the manager and they don't really know what they're doing on the pitch. There's no patterns. There's no identity. There's nothing. There's nothing there at all. Offensively, defensively, it's a shambles, a complete shambles.
00:33:35
Speaker
they just need to somehow get into the top four so that so that you know because financially will be a complete disaster if they don't they're already massively in debt and if they don't get in the Champions League then it's going to really compromise the project going forward.
00:33:50
Speaker
So, okay, you mentioned Allegri. If you could pick the one person, realistic, is he the one? You bring him back? Because it seems like you mentioned the hierarchy of Juve. Clearly, Allegri had problems with some of them internally. It would seem like bringing him back
00:34:16
Speaker
Or either way, either... Okay, let's say you either bring him back where you get a new manager. I mean, either way, it just seems like you have to change something. Paratichi... Man, I can't think of a guy whose stock has fallen so quickly.
00:34:29
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I'll just point out, because we actually did have a question from one of our patrons, which we might as well answer now. Yeah, just do it now. I've already gone into depth. So from Kunal Soni, who basically asked, is PLO finished as a coach? I think I've kind of answered that for Juventus. He's finished as Juventus manager, whether he can come back and rebuild.
00:34:48
Speaker
We'll have to see. I doubted from the start whether whether Pierlo had the right personality to be a to be a coach because I remember interviewing him a few years ago before the World Cup. And he was very for someone who had so many great stories to tell from his career.
00:35:06
Speaker
and was such a great player. He was very, I have to be honest, and I loved him as a player, admired him so much. And I felt so lucky to have been able to talk to him. He was very dull, very monotone. He didn't really tell many good stories. And I just came away from it thinking this isn't somebody who you believe is able to inspire.
00:35:26
Speaker
inspire people around inspire his men and that was my big question mark but I thought you know what sometimes it's not always about being able to express yourself if you've got good ideas if you're smart if you can find other ways to get your message across maybe he'll be a success and nothing that I've seen so far has suggested to me that he just has that natural
00:35:43
Speaker
personality to be a manager like we see with Antonio Conte. So that does concern me, but we'll see. We'll see if he can rebuild. As for Allegri, you know, Kuna last, do you see, you know, him being the right man for Juventus and being successful in the Champions League next season? I mean, I think I've said it before, I
00:35:59
Speaker
I don't think that Allegri's style of play, even though he got to two finals with Juventus, I don't think that is the style of football that wins in the Champions League. And Andrey Shevchenko disagrees with you because he literally just now said on Tutti Konvokati, a radio show in Italy, he said,
00:36:20
Speaker
you don't get results overnight. And that's why I think that those who believe in people only to give him the chance to continue in the job. I know Andrea, I know his mind, and how it works. And I know how he goes about his business. I think he has a big future in coaching. Yeah, well, he played with him and everybody that played said the same thing. So I mean, yeah, but the thing is, this is what I have to say. I'm not entirely ready to throw out the baby with the bathwater here. I think the problem at UWE was several things.
00:36:45
Speaker
I think it's a squad. I mean, I've said this several times on this show. I think it's the issue is that you have players that are on their way up that haven't peaked. You have players who are on their way down who have peaked and you have literally no one who is peaking. There's a drop off there. And then you bring in a rookie coach who's literally never coached before. He didn't even have his coaching badges into that situation.
00:37:08
Speaker
that is almost a recipe for disaster. And I think that's what's kind of happened here a lot. And of course that together with all the personality things that you said and all the other things that you've mentioned as well. I think that's what that is more than anything. I think there were so many people in important roles, players, staff, that
00:37:29
Speaker
didn't have the relevant experience needed to guide a club of Juventus stature. And I think that's why we're looking at it. Whether or not Pirlo is the right guy or not, you know, that remains to be seen. Whether his coaching career is more filipo than Simone in Zaghi also remains to be seen. But I think it was the decision to hire him and give him this squad was wrong.
00:37:53
Speaker
Um, because he when you have a rookie coach you need someone you need sanatori to rely on and the sanatori are so past their best That it was impossible for you to rely on them to give them any success It's a very very interesting situation for sure pretty similar to that of what alma i would say it's um
00:38:16
Speaker
Roma for me, John. What am I supposed to say? What am I asked to ask you about Roma? No, I have to ask you about that because I real quick after I made that that tweet about content, you know, that Twitter thought that sending me like the trophy of Florence with the bonsai tree was insulting. Hey, hey, pal, that doesn't even enter the top 25. OK, unless you started watching football only a few years ago. I mean, if you really, really want to get to me, I mean, you got to post something.
00:38:44
Speaker
that at least tugs at my heartstrings. That bonsai, a bonsai might not even be top 50 if you only know the hell we've been through, man. I mean, come on. Yeah, Roma is, like, it's so funny because Roma to me is the new, like, the chaos around Roma and the drama around Roma is definitely, like, Roma are the new patsainter.
00:39:05
Speaker
It's it really is madness everything that all my go through and have gone through the past just five ten years alone It's it really is rather insane. And I think this is I think the Friedkin's Have started off pretty okay. If you give him if you give
00:39:21
Speaker
you know, if you take everything into consideration. But one thing they cannot afford to do is to get this wrong. The next coaching appointment, they have to get it right and they have to start delivering results to, you know, giving the players that that coach needs to succeed. It's quite clear that Roma has an identity in how they want to play in terms of the club's history and DNA. And that's great. Stay true to your roots. But you have to also
00:39:47
Speaker
transform that into tangible results on the pitch and Roma freefall like this you know the Zeman's and the Fonseca's that needs to stop. Yeah the most second place finishes says everything. I mean if I could just describe Roma like you know how do you describe as Roma as a club?
00:40:09
Speaker
What I do is I just I pull up pull up something on Google Wikipedia, and I just say that that's it I don't have to say anything. I just show them that that would be nice now though Yeah, well it would be nice, but it goes to show I mean this is
00:40:25
Speaker
a mentality, this is something to do with the city. Listen, the more things change, the more they stay the same. This is nothing new. For me, if I were Roma, and I think we're going to see it, four matches left.
00:40:40
Speaker
I'm not going to say we're going to see match fixing levels of not, not. They don't care. They don't care. You're surely going to be, you're going to win that easily as well. I think you're going to try and stop them getting the Champions League, surely.
00:40:58
Speaker
No, no, no. Roma want to be out of Europe completely. And I, you know, as, what's like a good, like, provinciale, this is, okay? I don't care. They don't, they can, listen, this team, if there was one thing that you could take away from the squad, the squad construction in and of itself, it's pretty clear. They can't do more than one competition. No, no. No, you play once a week.
00:41:27
Speaker
Do exactly as you did in 2013-2014 when they had that phenomenal season, finished second to an incredible UVA. You play once per week, and that's that. And with the guy who I think is going to come, they've been having discussions for the past four months, Maurizio Sarri, although Sky Sport just said they haven't met since January.
00:41:48
Speaker
But that wouldn't be the first time Sky Sport was wrong on something. Listen, I think Sarri is the perfect profile to sort of start this new cycle with. I really, really do, because you have Sarri, a guy who has made it clear, A, well, let me rephrase, he's made it clear through his personal lawyer, Alessandro Pellegrini, and then through his agent, Fali Ramadani, that
00:42:18
Speaker
A, he wants to stay in the city. Ah, he doesn't want to go abroad again. And can you blame him? I mean, Carl, you could speak to this best out of all of both of us here. I mean, the guy won the Europa League and House slagged off with C by Chelsea supporters and by and by the UK media. Well, he still is today. They still slag off Georgina, even though he's been probably the best central midfielder in Europe in this calendar year, purely because he's Sarri's man. Chelsea fans absolutely hate him.
00:42:42
Speaker
just for that reason. They don't understand him. Georgina could score double hat tricks every game, and they still wouldn't praise him because he's Sarri's guy. That's how much Sarri is hated by Chelsea. He's pathetic, but don't get me started on Chelsea. I actually think, funnily enough though, just to answer you, John,
00:43:01
Speaker
Funnily enough, think of that as a reason why Sari could be the perfect guy for Roma because Roma, as you said, has got this very unique, hot environment where a lot of coaches get gobbled up by it because they just can't handle the pressure. But Sari's the kind of guy that he, and he's actually said this himself, he doesn't care
00:43:22
Speaker
what the media says, he doesn't care what fans said, and that's the reason why Chelsea, one of the reasons Chelsea fans hate them, because he never tried to create any kind of relationship at all with the Chelsea fans, he just didn't care about them. He won't care about any criticism, he will be his own man, he'll do his own thing, and he won't be swayed, and I think he'll handle the pressure better than almost anyone. So for that reason, I think he would be good, and he will say he plays the kind of footballer maybe Roma fans will like maybe.
00:43:50
Speaker
No,
Roma's Strategic Future
00:43:51
Speaker
I'm sure of it. I mean, this is, I mean, how many years now have I been saying that I want to see Spaletti at Napoli, I want to see Sarri at Roma, and I want to see Gattuso at Fiorentina? John, you can attest to that. You know, you've heard me say this for a couple of years now, and I'm really excited if all of this comes together. I think the Serie A will be better for it. I think in terms of if you've succeeded at a piazza as Caldo, as Hernapoli,
00:44:17
Speaker
you can and then you go to Chelsea and then you go to Uwe, you know, it's like Carlos says he doesn't care. He will handle Roma and their chaos without any problems because he has an ability to shield himself from the squad away from that. He'll make that absolutely clear in these talks. He's coming to Roma to play his football, his ideology, and he's going to do it with the
00:44:37
Speaker
his way. And all the stuff on the side, he is in that sense, even though Pep Guardiola says that he plays a very modern football and that he's probably the most, what was it he said after they played Napoli and the Champions League, this is the best team I've ever played.
00:44:54
Speaker
That's true maybe of his football ideology, but when it comes to him as a person, he is a dinosaur. He just doesn't care. Pep is the biggest psychopath there is. He says that like everyone. He said that after playing Bournemouth one. No, but seriously, that's who Sarri is. He doesn't care. He's a dinosaur in that sense. He just doesn't engage. He does his thing. He does his work. He's not there to make people happy. He's not there to showboat. He's not there for social media content.
00:45:22
Speaker
he's there to do a job and he will do a job and I think you have to be that stubborn similar I mean either you have to be stubborn and crazy like Spaletti or you just have to be stubborn and not care like Sarri and that's why I think that Spaletti at Napoli will be you know aside from the fact that the squad is basically built for Spaletti football
00:45:41
Speaker
Same thing with Sarri. I think you have the pieces there that you might need to just tweak a little bit to get Roma to start playing Sarri ball, but above all, finishing the top four. I would like to ask John, assuming Sarri comes in or whoever comes in, because we know there's going to be some kind of revolution at Roma. Oh, don't ask me this. Can I get rid of everyone?
00:46:06
Speaker
Well that's fair. Okay then it's probably easy to ask which players would you keep or which players would you build the new Roma around? Oh my gosh yeah no don't ask me who's leaving because it's easier to ask me who I want to stay. How many hands do I have? Two? Five fingers on each so it'll be less than that.
00:46:28
Speaker
Well, Karzdorf just signed a new deal. He'll remain the right back. Ibanez, the central defender, I would keep him. He will stay. Christante. I'm just going to pause and not say anything. Smalling. That was a lot of money and a lot of big wages for a guy who is not only vegan, but he missed 25 matches.
00:46:56
Speaker
No, he can go. Jekko, goodbye, Pedro. Well, he's on the Capitale special, as we like to call it, where Roma, when you are at the end of your career, when you're either going to retire to MLS or
00:47:12
Speaker
China, Roma steps in and says, hey, you know, can we do you a favor instead? Do you want to live in the Italian capital or big wages on a long contract, not play, be terrible and enjoy the cuisine? Pastore. Pedro and pastore, man.
00:47:30
Speaker
I don't know what they did in life, but that's akin to winning like a lottery ticket. It really is. Living in Rome, never playing, being paid a shitload of money and just enjoying life. Where is he? The shepherd, the lost shepherd. Yeah, where is he? That's right. Many people were asking, we need photos of him holding today's gazeta dollar spot. We just want to make sure he's alive.
00:47:53
Speaker
So, Pedro, there's no way. I mean, he earns 3 million euros in that. He's the third or fourth highest paid player. Do you think this will be good for El Sharaoui and Mikitarian? What about the roles there? What do you think there? Well, you know, El Sharaoui, I just don't see. Unless somebody comes to you and says, hey, we will give you 5, 7, 10 million euros for him.
00:48:18
Speaker
Because you got him for free, essentially, and because of that, you had to give him higher wages. Unless somebody does that, but I just can't see that happening now. You mentioned Spalletti. Should Spalletti go to a place like Napoli?
00:48:36
Speaker
Maybe, because I could see him. See, that's the thing. I keep trying to draw comparisons to the salary of Napoli. And I'm trying to think, okay, who in my mind at Roma sort of has the mold? And I think, okay, that peak Napoli, who at Roma can body?
00:48:57
Speaker
I mean, once I thought that, I had to take a couple of pills that may or may not have been prescribed to me. And I started weeping and sort of just shaking back and forth because unless somebody can
00:49:13
Speaker
Find me some find me some hope here and I'm not seeing Pellegrini Pellegrini in the in the hamcic row as well Pellegrini did do he did plays a manzala Under you say we are different at Chesco and it was disastrous. So but sure Yeah, I could see that and the only the only one that I know for sure that you know Saturday will
00:49:39
Speaker
He'll require an extra pack of reds when he sees this guy playing his Véretu. However, I think Véretu is going to leave, especially if Napoli finish in the top four. His agent, Giuffredi, goes on Radio Kiski's every single week for an interview.
00:49:58
Speaker
And he goes out of his way to say, oh, well, Vettutu turned down Napoli for Roma. He's very happy in the Italian capital. The only way I could see Vettutu staying is if they sign Hisai on a free and they give him absurdly high wages because Giuffredi is also the agent of Hisai. So, you know, if Roma do the wink, wink, hug, hug, kiss, kiss, give them a big commission.
00:50:25
Speaker
But no, I love to see Zagnolo as a him trying him as a false nine like he did with Mertens. I love to see that because I've said that I've been in that for a good year now. But I can you know, I think Zagnolo potentially could could be molded into that into that role.
00:50:40
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, Nima, you always talked about Belotia, Roma. Well, if Sarri comes, I mean, that seems like the biggest duh sort of move to make. I mean, Belotia is just the century. Buy him. Bring him now. If you're going to have Sarri, you have to bring him Belotia. His movement alone and everything about him, the traits that he has, it just screams to me,
00:51:05
Speaker
Sorry, he would be perfect there. And if you also have those wingers surrounding him that he likes and the triangulation that he plays. I mean, I still think that given that, you know, you have Hisai and I think Gulam's contract expires as well. Oh, come off. But how many ACLs have Roma been victim to? You're kidding me.
00:51:24
Speaker
No, but at the same time Yeah, I mean unless you bring in Georgina because that's the most important player and I don't see how Roma gonna I mean when you have the chance to put you know You're on the verge of a Champions League final anytime. You know the chance to join seventh place Roma. You always take it
00:51:40
Speaker
But in all seriousness, you know, the thing that clearly worries me is the defense in the midfield. Paul Lopez, whatever, man. See, I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I just don't know. What do you do with the midfield? What do you that's where I'm worried? Yeah, come on. Diavara and Sarri, I mean, he's had him before and he didn't believe in him. Obviously, it was the same role as Jorginho, but he doesn't have Jorginho now. So we don't know what will happen there. But
00:52:06
Speaker
But I think defensively, especially with Kumbulan and Mancini, I think they are very typical Sariesque central defenders. They're rather quick, they're good with the ball. One is left-footed, one is right-footed. I don't see what the... I think they would fit really well. I mean, Spinazzola,
00:52:25
Speaker
you say well that's the one i i didn't think i i thought kumbula was maybe but whatever they're going to keep and they spent too much on him the way that sari plays sorry yeah the way that sari plays is yeah the way that sari plays is he usually has one attacking fullback and one very defensive fullback yeah he's always been like that so you had gulam before he you know his career was finished
00:52:47
Speaker
he would be very attacking down the left hand side and then you'd have his side, he would just sit there and barely move over the halfway line. So, Spinitz, Oder and Kars thought they're both quite attacking, right? So, yeah, that would be interesting. Yeah, I just... It's very difficult to see how the fits work. And then, I know I talk about it ad nauseam on here, but
00:53:14
Speaker
If you just pull up the Romans wage bill, it's enough to induce PTSD It really really is the fit I mean the fact that this was allowed to balloon into the third the largest wage bill in Syria is Well, that's the thing that the new owners the freaking group I mean the amount of cash that they have put up. I mean, I'm starting to think that we were talking about the mafia earlier and
00:53:41
Speaker
I mean, there was a pandemic. Most of their fortune derives from the automobile industry, which was hugely down during this pandemic. And they're throwing cash. I mean, it is like they're at a brothel or something.
00:53:59
Speaker
The amount of cash that just they seem to be sweating out of their glands I mean, I'm starting to wonder is I mean what what is this all a front for guys? Well, we know that when this happens I mean, that's the thing that when you have owners who spend money like this at some point there's going to be a the taps are gonna be are gonna stop and the the cash flow is gonna stop and that's gonna hurt Roma, but
00:54:23
Speaker
I don't know. But I think they're just trying to erase the many mistakes that Palota made. And I think they're really behind the ball in that regard. I think they were put in a terrible position by Palota in terms of roster, in terms of roster. Absolutely. I think that's interesting to see. It's going to be very interesting. What kind of spending in the market that Roma will, what kind of level players will they be bringing in? Are they going to be bringing in players to
00:54:51
Speaker
to dare i say even challenge for the title or is that just like totally off the menu is it like you know is there a project though let's try and win the scudet i mean in three to four years i mean what is the long-term aim of the freaking project oh
00:55:07
Speaker
I'm you're gonna require me to get more medicine. I just I can't do this now This is this is I would like just before before we move on to Badger Matura because I know we've been going on now I would like to just briefly touch upon this whole kind of because you know, they're the Serie A versus Premier League gap in the revenues because Obviously Roma getting hammered 6-2.
Serie A vs Premier League Financials
00:55:26
Speaker
I know maybe it's an unfair comparison Roman thought we were going I thought we put in the show notes not to discuss this well
00:55:34
Speaker
Is it going to depress you too much and send you to the... Yeah, come on. Again, this goes to the people sending... Twitter sending me the 6.2. Guys, do your Google, man. That doesn't even answer, again, the top 100. The amount of grief that Roma give Roma fans, that's not the most expected thing ever. But I do think, I mean, the gap in... That's serious. And that's, again, what I spoke about earlier, but I don't see any Italian team
00:56:05
Speaker
realistically be able to challenge for the, for any European title, especially, or, or not the champions league, the Europa league, maybe sure, but not the champions league. I don't see that happening. And that is exactly what you're talking about. I mean, man United, what is it? 580 million annual revenue and Roma or where?
00:56:24
Speaker
They're not even in the top 30. I mean, this is why I think that people can go overboard and say, oh, Roma, what a disgrace they are. And yes, OK, I'm not saying that Roma should be as embarrassing as they were against Man United the other day. Obviously, there were other circumstances, the injuries and everything else. But in the day, like you said, Man United's revenue is 580 million a year. Roma's is what? I think it's around about 120 million a year.
00:56:50
Speaker
Something like that. I mean you just I mean just have to be realistic here and just say you're just just not gonna have a chance of challenging You know, you might get lucky now and again, you might have the odd one good game But in general, you know, you're not gonna challenge and it's sadly it's the same for all the all the Serie A teams at the moment with the revenue You know Juventus the 10th richest team in Europe and they got they're making their revenues 397 million you know that that's 200 less than Man United and
00:57:17
Speaker
Um, you know into the second richest team with 291 million euros a year So, you know, we're talking about how well can inter doing the champion's league next season, you know And they're making 300 million less than man united. Um, you know, they're making you know 250 million less than liverpool 250 million less than than manchester city, you know 200 million less than chelsea I mean, you know, it's it's very very hard, you know, you know melanne 30th richest team and you're 148 million a year, you know
00:57:46
Speaker
I mean it's just the Premier League have got five of the top 10 richest teams in the world. They've got 12 of the top 30 richest teams in the world. Serie A has one in the top 10. That's Juventus in 10th. They have three in the top 20 and four in the top 30.
00:58:01
Speaker
I mean, it's very, very difficult. I mean, the main reason is the broadcast revenue, which we're hoping to get someone on the show actually to talk about this at some point to see whether this will change. But the broadcast revenue, the Premier League is 10.5 million euros for the 2019 to 2022 period. That's how much their TV deal is worth, 10.5 billion euros. And if you look at the international TV revenue in particular, and this is where it's scary, right?
00:58:32
Speaker
The premier league is is making a billion a billion pound more than than Than seria the seria has just dropped 150 million a season from their shambolic recent TV rights deal and that's going down from their last period where they may make 371 million for 2019 to 2022 periods which compare that to to the premier league which was
00:59:00
Speaker
uh 1.1 billion more than 1 billion a season is what the premier league was making so i mean the the gap is just absolutely massive and until the tv the tv deals drop um it's going to be like that sadly yeah uh it is an unfortunate reality but let's uh let's move on bajo and ventura of the week
00:59:30
Speaker
All right, we are going to start with the Baggio and that is Unima. Well, for me, it's got to be Antonio Conte and Beppe Marotta for what they've done, just winning the score in the way that they have.
00:59:46
Speaker
This isn't, again, one of the most difficult seasons ever in Inter's history, and they have done absolutely phenomenal. And a special shout-out to one of the few brightest stars during Inter's banter era between Velástos Correti, who scored a hat-trick. He became the oldest player in the Serie A to ever do so, Rodrigo Palacio.
01:00:13
Speaker
He is also a bad Joe of the week for me. I would just give a shout out also to two people. First of all Palacio who became the oldest player ever to score a hat trick in Serie A 39 years old.
01:00:29
Speaker
Um, and actually also shout out to, um, to, to, um, Vignata, the youngster who actually got Hatcherick of the Sis and also to Joaquin Correa, who was the player of the week. He's got two goals against Milan and two goals against Genoa. And this guy's a, I think he's an amazing talent. If you can just show some consistency. Um, I really think he's got the ability to play for, for one of the biggest, a bigger club than Lazio. Um, I think he's really got, got everything in his locker.
Inter, Juventus, and Lazio Prospects
01:00:59
Speaker
For the ventura, do I have to really give a description other than just saying Paolo Fonseca? No, I think... Isn't that pretty self-explanatory? Yeah. It just, it resonates pretty clearly just by saying Paolo Fonseca. That's it. I'm really worried about that. That's all it needs to be said. I'm really worried about that room Darby. I think he can get really ugly.
01:01:18
Speaker
Oh, I think you can get really really ugly and and you of all people know That that derby is so much more than just a derby. Uh, that that's the kind of thing that could trigger actual riots in rome That's like that meme from the uk. Thanks son's cry. That's basically what's happening to me right now. Thanks. I'm crying. All right Okay, no, but seriously i'm worried and he needs to get his shit together because simone and zag is coming for blood and latio can actually make the champions league and
01:01:46
Speaker
I tell you guys, I go through basically a mental breakdown and here you are kicking in the groin multiple times. I am not doing that. I'm just saying that it's a worrying situation.
01:02:00
Speaker
They have to, for me, it's now about Roma, because I've seen Inter in this position many times during these banter years. It's about showing honor and pride and professionality. And if, I mean, if they feel that Pofozek has completely lost this locker room and they're not listening to him and he's not, you know, that it's just basically counting down the clock, then I think they should sack him. Otherwise, if they can at least show some
01:02:28
Speaker
some pride and professionality and finish this on the somewhat respectable level, then he should stay. But the Darby's will be key for that. Stay clear of me for the question section at least. All right, user questions, let's go.
01:02:49
Speaker
Alright, so our first ones were about Juve, but we touched on most of them. Nima, this one, we're going to send you our way. So it's from Ivan Barone. If there was ever a question made for Nima Tavale, let's give him this one.
01:03:09
Speaker
Simi. Simi, Simi, Simi, Simi. If Inctor are looking for a backup striker that is cheap, that has all the traits that Antonio Conte wants in a poor man's Lukaku, Simi is your guy. He's a good penalty taker. He's physically strong. He's fast. He's strong in the air. Get him. And his contract expires, if I'm not mistaken, in 2022.
01:03:31
Speaker
You know, he has a relegation clause. He's at 28 years old, Simi. And Junior Messias and Unas are players that I think can play at a good, at a higher level or a mid tables. I mean, if I were Fiorentina and I was bringing in a coach, I'd look at Junior Messias. I'd look at Unas for that level team, for sure. Messias is the second most dribbles in Serie A this season after the poll, actually.
01:04:02
Speaker
But he also, it's not just dribbling, there's end result as well. He's quite good at turning it into assists and goals and creating as well and I think that's the most
01:04:19
Speaker
I think that's a trait. And he's also, again, he's 30 years old, so he'll give you a couple of seasons on that and he'll be ready to leave. He won't want to play in Crotona instead, he'll be. Oh, sorry, I was going to say. Just before you get on to the question, the next question.
01:04:38
Speaker
Bova Nuremberg asked, I'll just have to add it, about he actually asked a question about Juventus and wanted to know what I would do if I was appointed as the new chairman of the club and wanted Juve to regain its dominance in Europe. Well, we all know that you'd hire Luciano Moggi and bring back the Agricola Special.
01:04:59
Speaker
No, I mean, there's a lot to answer that I think we covered most of it. But what I would say in terms of the playing squad is I would get rid of the whole midfield other than Arthur. I mean, I mean, I don't know. I don't know what I don't know what you watch never in that midfield. It's just
01:05:16
Speaker
It's not, it's dreadful. It is embarrassing. The whole midfield, every single one. And I'm not going to say anything about Western McKinney because I get called, I get called anti-American when I do, but just anybody watch Western McKinney against Udinese and just tell me what kind of great player they see in that player.
01:05:33
Speaker
Anti-American discrimination. Don't get me started on that. But yeah, there's a lot of work. There's a lot of work that needs to be done. I think, like John was saying with Roma, build the team around the nucleus of a few players and those players would be delicked in defense. Kiesa in attack. Those two, definitely. That's your starting point, those two.
01:06:01
Speaker
Okay, I think John's had to duck out because I think I mentioned Roma again. So the next question, this is a fantastic question from Peter Nicoleides. And he asked, without forming a super league, would reform in the Latin cup between the top clubs from Italy, Spain, France and Portugal, not be an option to generate more revenue to bridge the financial gap with the Premier League?
01:06:23
Speaker
this would be entry based off league positions, maybe a six to 10 game tournament with Champions League style revenues. What do you reckon? Absolutely. I think the mistake, as I've said here, I think last week as well, I think the mistake was trying to build a super league with with the German teams and the EPL teams because it just didn't, you know, obviously because of the ownership structure of the German teams, they couldn't have committed to it.
01:06:49
Speaker
PSG have everything to lose in destroying the Champions League and the EPL as well. So I think this is the way to go. I think for sure Portugal, France, I mean, except I mean, but the thing is when you say France, well, then you have to, you know, forget about PSG. So I think Italy, Spain and Portugal for sure. Absolutely. Porto, Benfica.
01:07:10
Speaker
the four or five teams, Sevilla, Valencia, Madrid, Atletico, Madrid, Barcelona, and then five teams from Italy as well, the top three, Inter Milan, Juve, Roma, Napoli, for sure. I absolutely think that's the way to go, to raise revenue if you want to create.
01:07:30
Speaker
Yeah, I think we both agree that something needs to be done. The status quo, we can't continue. I mean, we differed slightly, me and you, over the Super League. I mean, I was totally dead against it because I just cannot accept a closed league without promotion and relegation. But I do believe that something new needs to come up. It just needs to be the right...
01:07:51
Speaker
competition. I think it's a combination of so I am open to something like this being discussed. It's just how it's executed. What would be interesting just just to throw and play devil's advocate, what would be quite interesting though, is what would happen because people say that, you know, you know, now the Champions League say but what would happen to the Champions League if
01:08:12
Speaker
the Italian and Spanish teams for starters and we know that Juventus, Milan and Inter, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Athletico, we know those six big teams you know want something different. What would happen to the Champions League if those teams all pulled out? The Champions League would be
01:08:28
Speaker
I don't want to say destroyed, but it pretty much would be. No one would care to watch a Champions League, which was basically the English teams plus Bayern and PSG. No one would. And I think that's the thing that they have leverage, even though this flop kind of ruined a lot of that. I think they have to understand that. But more than anything, and to be honest, we keep saying this, but
01:08:49
Speaker
The focus needs to not just be on this league, but the Italian teams need to sort out their own stadiums. They need to own them and they need to be built this side of the millennium. It's just that simple. One thing doesn't exclude the other because
01:09:07
Speaker
you cannot maximize matchday revenue if you play in these 1965 Soviet Stalinist era monstrosities that do not provide for any of the modern comforts. It's just that simple. That kind of ties into matchday revenue as well.
01:09:30
Speaker
um you know because you can you know if you build a museum and a shopping mall or whatever you do in around that you can also you can rent it out like Tottenham did to NFL games or you can rent it out to concerts and TV revenue as well because it makes it more attractive of course it does of course it does yeah it kind of ties in together it's a positive cycle and that's what the thing is and i'm gonna i'm gonna defend the premier league here
01:09:55
Speaker
To just just a little bit just to give the other side because I put out a tweet after the Roma game You know complaining about how it was unfair on not just Serie A teams But the rest of Europe how the Premier League is too rich the other teams But I can to well not more than to an extent Understand when Premier League supporters say well, why should the Premier League be punished? Agree the lies when when they built agreed this this group because in the day they did everything right? Okay
01:10:22
Speaker
Listen, they sold out, they sold their soul out a little bit, or quite a lot, to the corporates and to, you know, these people like Man City owners who, you know, don't know where their money comes from. The Glazers, the Chelsea, we had a former dictator from Thailand, Old Man City as well for a while. I mean, you know, the fit and proper test seems to be very- And Abramovich, where does Abramovich come from? I mean, just do a little- Google that, yeah, Google that.
01:10:49
Speaker
You know, so I understand, but at the same time, you know, you can't blame the Serie A because you can't blame the Premier League for Serie A being so competent, so incapable, so corrupt itself, you know, doing all these things, not just the stadiums, but everything that we discuss all the time and complain about all the time. So
01:11:09
Speaker
you've got to look at it from both, you know, some people would say, well, with, you know, Serie A has just taken the easy way out by trying to, or the biggest Serie A teams, you've entered some amount into it, taking the easy way out by trying to create a super league or try to create a league when, you know, they could just sort out their league. But that is, unfortunately, that's easier said than done, isn't it? Well, I mean, it's exactly it's easier said than done, because there's a political reality and cultural reality that you have to deal with. And there is a dysfunctionality in local government, depending on where you live in Italy.
01:11:36
Speaker
that is a reality that you have to deal with that. But having said that, I think one does not exclude the other. You have to be able to work on two fronts, and the two fronts are both to raise your revenue in terms of how much revenue you get from playing in these cups, and also your own backyard, the new stadiums. How is the league marketed? I think La Liga and Bundesliga are phenomenal at that as well. It's not just the EPL. It's the Serie A is lagging
01:12:06
Speaker
immensely in that. I mean, look at what the Bundesliga has done. They have the highest attendances, average attendances in Europe. They also have some of the cheaper, you know, comparatively cheaper, which is, and they've also, I mean, for example, Borussia Dortmund, I think is the best, best, still the revenue, the revenue of the
01:12:25
Speaker
of the Bundesliga clubs, with the exception of Bayern, is much less than Serie A teams. In that sense, it's not going to help our teams in Europe. No, no, but I'm talking about the interest. But what I mean is look at what they've done. I mean, look at the level of Borussia Dortmund, for example. Yeah, Serie A needs to do that. They have more potential than the Bundesliga. Exactly. That's my point. But what I'm saying is that in terms of marketing the league and in terms of making it more attractive for people to look,
01:12:51
Speaker
Bundesliga has done excellently. And they kind of know that German isn't exactly the most marketable language either. But they've actually done really, really well with their English channels and their content and the stuff they do. I think they do some really good work. And also, look at what Borussia Dortmund did when they refurbished the old Westfallen Stadium. They decided to keep the yellow wall.
01:13:14
Speaker
even though they could have made more money by making it more corporate boxes and stuff like that but they said no we wanted to give that authenticity and and have our fans because they're so much part of our identity and it's helped them not just you know just i mean you know when we used to have fans at games that's one of the most exciting yeah stadiums to watch
01:13:33
Speaker
So I think, you know, yes, Serie A should look at itself and do a lot of things a hell of a lot more better than they're doing right now. But they should also look at this, you know, this notion of maybe pulling out of, because we're not pulling out, but we're creating their own revenue streams together. As long as I'm all for looking at new competitions, but
01:14:00
Speaker
It has to be open for everyone. It has to be open for all 20 teams in Serie A. They all got the chance to play in this competition and qualify for this competition. The same for whichever teams from the other leagues that would be part of it as well. That is non-negotiable. That has to be. And that's where
01:14:16
Speaker
The superleaf was so so wrong. But yeah, I'm definitely open for it. Final question. We have to ask this because this was an incredible incident. Going on also from the amazing scenes at Old Trafford on Sunday, between Manchester United, well, with Manchester United fans stormed. Stormed Old Trafford entered the pitch, protesting for the Glazers to go out. Amazing, amazing, amazing scenes.
01:14:42
Speaker
We saw before Milan's game on Saturday that the Milan's Ultras entered.
01:14:51
Speaker
Milanello, Milan's training complex, and demanded a meeting with Gigi Donnarumma and basically said to him, either you sign a new contract before the Juventus game, which is this Sunday, or don't play, which was unbelievable. Which is insane, which is absolutely insane, because that's literally blackmail. Like you're basically telling someone
01:15:17
Speaker
make him in an offer he can't refuse kind of thing and that's just that's not that's the last thing that that Mila needed and you know we always talk about you know the fans and they're important and and how much the you know the the ultras make the city are more more interesting but this is the negative side of that there is no situation that italian ultras cannot make worse
01:15:40
Speaker
And they just made the situation far, far worse. There was no need to get involved like this. There was no need for it. And it just it hardly made negotiations and talks easier. If anything, it pissed Raiola off to no end and it made Donaruma maybe even consider leaving the club if he can't even be safe at the training ground. You know what I mean? So to me, this was this was just clownish.
01:16:04
Speaker
Yeah, I understand the frustration. So do I. To an extent, especially when Ray Ola is involved and he's asking for 15-20 million commission. But yeah, I mean, this was just, again, like the Super League, it's just totally the wrong way to go about it. You're shooting yourself in the foot by doing this.
01:16:22
Speaker
And do Milan need this? Does this help stability at Milan? Milan need to make sure they get in the top four. Exactly. This doesn't help them at all. This doesn't help them at all. It falls on the pressure to everyone, and to Don and Rumour especially. I mean, can you imagine the pressure that he's going to be under going into this game now? If you make the mistake. They just made it so much worse, and it was so unnecessary. And you can have your banners, but to actually
01:16:47
Speaker
crash the training ground like that and then to demand. So the first time they've done it either is it? No. Remember with the notes and the tolaruma as they were calling him. Yeah. With the last contract as well. Yeah, exactly. And he was only a teenager at that time. Exactly. So no, there is history there and then it's not very nice. But yeah, no, we'll have to wait and see. I mean, I, you know, from a neutral, from if we're talking from an objective point of view, you've been in Milan and in the Champions League with Atalanta is probably the best thing that can happen for the Serie A.
01:17:17
Speaker
But this agreed this you know, but this either way both teams need to we want both teams in there if we're looking for this area if we're looking at which teams, you know, potentially can grow in the long term, you know, honestly, as much as I love Napoli, me to my family's from Naples. Yeah, I love to learn to live in my favorite team to watch.
01:17:42
Speaker
in Serie A if not in Europe but you know long term we know that Juventus and Milan have got the history. No but those three clubs have a pull, those three clubs have a pull, historic pull that the others don't and it's just that simple and there's nothing you can do to change that and that's the most important thing. I don't think both teams are going to get in the Champions League though. Well that's the thing, I think it's going to be one or the other.
01:18:07
Speaker
And you see, I think you're right. And I think that Mi Lan Juve game is the one that will decide it, which one it is. I think if it's a draw, there is a very good chance that neither of them make it. Yeah, because Lazio, Lazio and Luca are strong, and they have a very, very good running as well. They do. They don't have any real... No. Well, just Roma, which we would say, but as we discussed before. And also coming off a win in a derby, if Lazio beat Roma, thump this Roma, they have nothing to play for.
01:18:34
Speaker
That could because they you know, Lazio can overperform they will go off their confidence will be through the roof I mean, let's remember that they're I think it already is after beating Milan. Yeah, I mean they just they got sloppy towards the end of their game on Sunday because they were overconfident and they thought the game was one and you know, they got a bit sloppy, but they were Playing brilliant. I mean just think of think of flats if Simone and Zaggy, you know I everybody who listens to this show and follows me on social media knows how much I rate this guy and
01:19:01
Speaker
If he makes it this year, that will be, that's, that's, that's the miraculous. I mean, if he can get Lazio into the Champions League, it's just, wow. You know, there's no more doubts than, than, than everyone who's been doubting and saying, ah, Simona this, Simona that. Well, then just to have a fresh cup of STFU because he's done it again, an impossible, impossible situation that he's turned around again. And it's genuinely impressive to see what he can do. And I think that.
01:19:28
Speaker
If you are looking to replace Peter Law, they should be looking at Simone. It looks like he's going to sign a new contract. Yeah, I know. I know he'll probably say that. Which is a mistake. Yeah, but if no one's coming calling, what do you do? And he's already cemented himself.
01:19:46
Speaker
It's going to be an interesting week. It's going to be a very, very exciting week ahead for the race, the top four and the relegation race.
Interview Teaser and Conclusion
01:19:52
Speaker
I would just say before we go, though, check out our interview this Thursday. It's going to be with Antonio Nocherino, former Juventus and Milan play will be previewing that game. So definitely, definitely check that out.
01:20:03
Speaker
Absolutely, it was a great interview. We'll be releasing it on Thursdays as usual. Yes, definitely. Do not miss Thursday's episode. It's a great one. All right, everybody, that is where we are going to leave it for this one. As always, thank you so much for tuning in, especially those of you who may be new here. And of course, to all of our wonderful patrons, if you would like to become a patron for only $2.99 per month and gain access to not only our twice a week episodes,
01:20:30
Speaker
You also get access to our post-match interview podcasts and all of our written work. You can go to patreon.com slash T-I-F-P. Alright everyone, we will chat again on Thursday. Have a great rest of your week. Until next time, buh-bye.