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Free Monday Pod - Zirkzee To AC Milan, Koopmeiners To Juventus, Lazio Chaos, Italy U-17s Win Euros & Much More (Ep. 425)
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From AC Milan close to signing Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee for around €40M, Juventus revolution as Teun Koopmeiner, Michele Di Gregorio all but done with perhaps Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz on the way in as Federico Chiesa could be sold, Inter Milan extending contracts of trio Simone Inzaghi, Lautaro Martinez and Nicolo Barella, the Antonio Conte era begins at Napoli, to complete chaos at Lazio after fans furious following Igor Tudor resignation, and Raffaele Palladino at Fiorentina + all other managerial changes, the Azzurri U17 win EURO's as well as Baggio, Premface and Serie Ass of the year and much, much more when Nima and Carlo break down all the main talking points from the crazy world of Italian football.
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Transcript
Introduction to the Italian Football Podcast
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian Football Podcast. Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Italian Football Podcast, the official podcast of Football Italia. I'm Carly Garganese, joined as always by Nima Tavalli.
Serie A Transfer Updates: Juventus, Milan, Napoli
00:00:15
Speaker
On today's show, we will focus a little bit more on the transfer market, some huge transfer updates in Serie A at Juventus, Milan and Napoli in particular. All three clubs will officially have new coaches by the end of this week. Milan are closing in on the signing of Joshua Zilcze from Bologna, while Juventus have Miguel de Gregorio in the bag and are getting closer to two cook miners from Atalanta as well as working on a number of other deals as well. They are very, very busy, Juventus are.
00:00:49
Speaker
Inter are sorting out some important new contracts for players and for for coach Simon Inzagi. Napoli have hired Antonio Conte and are getting close to themselves to Alessandro Buongiorno.
Lazio's Chaos and Euro 2024 Preview
00:01:02
Speaker
There is absolute chaos in Rome at Lazio while there is ah some something of a managerial merry-go-round in Serie A. We're of course only days away from the start of Euro 2024. We'll have plenty more on that later in the week. Italy have ah another injury worry ahead of their opening game against
Podcast Content and Support Options
00:01:23
Speaker
Albania. We also have our usual Baggio, Premface and Celia ass of the week. For all our first type listeners, this is our free weekly episode that we do every Monday, reviewing the weekend Celia action and all the biggest talking points in Italian football. If you want to support the Italian football podcast,
00:01:38
Speaker
and receive all of our content that we do throughout the week, including our weekly Q and&A episode every Tuesday, where we answer all the questions from our Patreons, plus the weekly Thursday midweek review show, plus interviews, post-match reaction, and much, much more, then go to patreon dot.com, slash T-I-F-P, and become a subscriber for just $2.99 a month, plus VAT. You can now also sign up to be a paid subscriber on Spotify. We'll provide the link in the description. It's the same price and the same terms. And for all of you that do listen on Spotify, on Apple, and iTunes Podcast, we'd really appreciate it if you give us a five-star rating. Give us a follow and a like. and We're also on YouTube as
Milan's Transfer Strategy and Squad Dynamics
00:02:14
Speaker
well. It really helps us to to grow and do more quality content for you guys.
00:02:19
Speaker
So let's get into today's show. So we'll start off with Milan and then the Joshua Zixe deal. The transfer is almost done. Milan are set to pay the 40 million euro release clause. It looks like it's going to be a contract until 2029, around 5 million a year. All that there really is to sort out, we're recording this on Sunday, and is the massive commission to his agent, Kia Durabchan, who has been asking for 15 million euros. and Milan are looking to get that down to around 10. Yeah, as you can tell by Nimr's laugh is absolutely insane what these agents are asking for. 15 million. Especially that guy, Kia Durabchan, this Iranian guy, like he is, I mean,
00:03:06
Speaker
He's unbelievable. it's just yeah It's unbelievable and I wouldn't pay it if I was in Milan, but you know that's all you have to do these days while these are the rules and and it looks like the deal is going to be done. So, Nima, this is a great signing and a great start to the transfer window for Milan, isn't it? It's a fantastic signing. It's exactly the signing that Milan need to do. um after Liao Giroud, sorry after Giroud's latin, they need a focal point up there and they're getting
00:03:38
Speaker
a player who was, you know, if not the breakout star yes in in in last year in Serie A, or also not all over Europe, he showed glimpses and levels that were just unbelievable. And I think as a sole striker in this in this system that Fonseca is going to play, which is a continuation of Pioli played, that he's the focal point, his flick-ons, his link-up play, his technical ability, his his ability to put others into play. um I think that's going to be more important than his goal scoring, which we know is good. But I think Zirke coming to Milan allows Liao to maybe he hit that 20 goal in the Serie A season.
00:04:23
Speaker
That's where I stand with this. Yeah, absolutely. um I think his i mean his goals and goal contributions last season were good. They weren't outstanding. um Obviously, we have to take into account he's playing for Bologna, who weren't a high scoring team, and but he was so much more than that and he was the key player for Bologna. I don't think Bologna get Champions League without him as good as they were last season because he just made everyone ah makes everyone around him play better. He's the focal point, like you said, he ties everything together, tactically ties everything together.
00:04:57
Speaker
ah everyone plays, he makes everyone play better and the prospect of Christian Pudasic and in particular Raphael Liao being able to to to bounce off him. And Teo as well, and if Ruben Loftuszczyk and Romic runs in from deep, nah, it's a fantastic signing, it's a smart signing. um Well done Mila. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And for 40 million as well for when we consider I know they're going to pay a lot for the commission. ah But I mean, even if we take even if it's 15 million for the commission, I think it'll be less than that. Fifty five, 50 million, 50 to 55 million. I mean, that's a that's potentially a huge, huge bargain. When you consider, you know, the Aussieman's going, Aussieman, the asking price is 130 million. You know, and you look at all these other players, you know, they'd they'd go for double that.
00:05:48
Speaker
weve what for what six he'd done last season. so And he's young too, that's the thing. And he's young, yeah.
Milan's Serie A Ambitions
00:05:54
Speaker
He's young. He's a modern player. ah He's got the technique, but he's got the physique. He's giant. What is he, six foot four, six foot five? We'll have to see, of course, you know if Milan sacrifice anyone, ah because you know that there is that possibility. I think Rafael Liao is definitely going to stay. So I think it's probably out of Teo Hernandez and Mike Menon, if they are going to sacrifice someone, Big a big name. I think it will be one of those two So then it will be a case of how do they replace replace them? But if we're looking at their attacking lineup, it's already looking very tasty for for for next season and Milan are not not finished there They're looking for a central midfielder a chess fabric I said the other day that he understands that useful for fauna from Monaco is joining And he's the favorite currently and then they're also looking for a right back Tiago Santos of Lille and Matti cash
00:06:47
Speaker
of Aston Villa, which I'm not so sure about. yeah I mean, they're looking at those players to try and upgrade on Calabria. um So Milan are are at work and of course Fonseca will be ah an announced as the coach this week as well. That that seems very likely. and So milan of ah ah Milan have started very, very well. is is The enthusiasm is back after, you know, Few of the fans are not so sure about the appointment of Fonseca, but this Zugzeh thing really gets the gets them sets them up for a for you know what should be a title check should be a title challenge next season. Absolutely. Don't make make no mistakes about it. me If Milan aren't fighting for the Serie A or mounting a serious title charge next season,
00:07:35
Speaker
but but that would be That would be a failure, um given the quality. ah Like you said, if they you know depending on who they sell, of course, still early days. But yeah, no, milan Milan are bringing these guys in to make Milan better. And better than finishing second, um excuse me, is finishing first. I'm not saying they're gonna do it, but they're gonna have to mount a serious title challenge. um and And I think anything less than that would be a failure, absolutely. But of course, we we do need to give Fonseca time. we need It's a long window. It's barely open. When it hasn't really opened, it opens on, you know, in July. But it's um it's it's looking really good for Milan. It's a strong start after some turbulent times, after Peole left and the whole l'une fettigy debacle the ye debacle and and yeah the arguing and and back and forth. This is the kind of thing, I mean, when Bergomi told me, when I interviewed him, that you have to make, you have to give fans something to dream about, regardless of where you are.
00:08:33
Speaker
and where you are in your project or where you are in the table or whatever, the fans need something to dream and and hold on to. And Zirkse makes fans excited and has them dreaming, has them thinking Okite or Liao or Zirkse, you know, that's really exciting. um so yeah It's exciting for Milan, but for Bologna, it's a huge loss for them because they've already lost Thiago Motta, who's going to join Juventus as the new coach. Obviously, Vincenzo Italiano has come in and they're now they're now about to lose ZXA. They might lose Calipheori. They've lost Luis Berguson for the rest of 2024 with a serious injury ACL.
00:09:15
Speaker
So, I mean, starting with Zixi, how do you, how do you replace Zixi? Because I read out the names that they've got. The favorite right now is AZ Alkmaaz, or AZ, it's actually premface to say AZ Alkmaaz. That's like, that's like saying the same, the same name twice, by the way. So AZ, Vangelis Pavlidis, he scored 33 goals last season. Panipha Nijko says Fotis Ioannidis, as well. He scored 23 goals last season. Then you've got Jorgen Strandlassen from Celta Vigo, Jonathan Burakat from Mainz and Adam Zorlec from Bialevikusen. Along with Armin Broha, who's also a possible backup option for Milan. These are supposed to be the shortness.
00:10:01
Speaker
I mean, it's going to be some ask for Bologna to try and replace Zexa, isn't it? Oh, they're not going to be able to replace him. It's very simple. they Bologna, are are you know my thing with the Vincenzo Italiano appointment um and everything that happened here is, look, if the goal, because if you remember, i even before they appointed, Mihailovic, way back then I thought Italiano should probably go to Bologna, because I think in terms of the size of the club, the the youth set up they've got there, I think that could actually be pretty good for them. But if the goal here is to replicate what Atalanta are doing with Vincenzo Italiano in charge and these names being named, you know, these players being linked to do, to to replace Zeliksen and of course Calafiori when he joins Juve, which seems very likely,
00:10:48
Speaker
um They're not going to do that. I don't see them finishing in the Champions League spot next season. I hope they don't embarrass themselves in the Champions League. It'd be bad for Italy um and the Serie A. But I do hope that they, that but I think they're going to finish somewhere around eight, seven, eight, something like that, which is pretty much what you can expect of them. whilst at Atlanta, we expect to finish in the top five, don't we, next season? Because of who they've got and what they've got, even if they lose coke miners. Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. Well, that brings us on to Juventus. There's a lot to talk about with Juventus. Juventus are incredibly busy right now. Cristiano Junzli
00:11:31
Speaker
is working incredibly hard and I think it's well speaking to the people I've been speaking to it seems like Juventus are trying to get as much of their business done as possible before the start of pre-season training at the start of July or probably more like the middle of July because of the euros. ah and they want to get it done. Tiago Motto wants to have the whole pre-season to basically be working with with with most of his players and that I think that's that's evident right now. So they're working on a lot of deals in terms of players coming in and players going out. So I'm going to try and round it up as as as well as I can because there's a lot going on and this will change and then we can kind of we can kind of discuss each each
00:12:17
Speaker
where where relevant we can discuss kind of individuals where we want to. So I'll start off with Miguel Adegregora who we already discussed a little bit last week. Now my understanding is that that's done, that deal is just missing the official announcement. It's going to be around 18 million plus bonuses taken up to maybe 20 but around 18 million that's done. ah That means that one of Perian or Chesney will leave. Chesney is the favoured option to leave because he's on a big salary and he has one year left on his contract. ah There has been some reports that ah Ronaldo's team actually Al-Nasa are interested in signing him. I don't know whether Shazni will want to go there. I think he prefers to go back to the the Premier League ah when he does leave, but he actually would rather stay at Juventus for the final year before leaving. him But um I think Juventus are trying to push him out. So that's the goalkeeper situation. We discussed the Gagoria. I think I said last week that I would have waited a year because I didn't don't see it as a priority given the cost of the operation, but
00:13:14
Speaker
as ah As we will see, Junterli is working very, very hard at raising the cash. Eventers don't have that much cash to spend without outgoings. Now, the number one target for eventers this summer is Thiun Cook Miners. um They basically agreed personal terms already. He is their number one target for, well, he's their number one target, but he's their number one target for the midfield. Now, Atalanta are asking for 60 million, which is too much for eventers. It's too much really for any Italian club. Juventus are trying to get that price down, both the actual value of Cougar miners, but also they are offering part exchange players to bring that down. Atalanta are actually interested in the players they're offering.
00:13:58
Speaker
um there is ah they offering Moissa Ken, they're offering Ealing Jr. and they're offering Dean Hoysen. Now Hoysen wasn't an option, but now following the serious ACL injury to Giorgio Scalvini, Atalanta need to now sign a defender. So Hoysen is somebody that they could potentially look at. So we're going to have to see how those negotiations go. Koop miners wants to join Juventus, they're his first choice. um So yeah, we'll have to see how that happens.
00:14:29
Speaker
Then, um obviously, Koop miners would be an amazing, amazing signing for your ventures. There's no doubt about that. um Did you want to say anything on Koop miners before I move on to the next one? It's a smart signing. It's a very intelligent signing. It's the kind of signing that you will need to do in order to revolutionize their midfield, which is which is what they're doing. And and and just a little comment there. I think I can just see Elling Junior and Hoisin exploding at Atalanta. Like it's just an in Gasparini system. its It just feels, it it just feels like a good deal for everybody involved. I'm not too sure about Moiscan. I think he'll do all right. But yeah, he can also, he's also one of those players with Gasperini can, you know, if if he does what Gasperini wants him to do, he could also take huge strides.
00:15:15
Speaker
yeah Yeah, no, I think that could be right. If the if the numbers add up for both clubs, and that that could be it could be a deal that that benefits or all but or parties. yeah ah Now, let's move on to Douglas Louise. Now, this is another transfer that Juventus are in negotiations for. They're simultaneously, while working on the Koop miners deal, they're working simultaneously for Douglas Louise, the Aston Villa midfield. I don't know, ah it's unclear right now whether this is an alternative to coop miners, if the coop miners transfer can't happen, or whether it's in addition to coop miners. Now if it's going to be in addition to coop miners, then Juventus are going to have to do really really well at raising money, ah because it's gonna be this is going to be expensive as well. And we'll come at the end, we'll come to the players that Juventus are looking to offload. um So the maths are going to be important here with the business Juventus do this summer.
00:16:08
Speaker
Now Douglas Lewis is available for sale because Aston Villa need to sell before June 30th to not fall foul of these new new Premier League and financial fair play rules and it's the profit and the the official name is is it the profit and sustainability rules. I think that is the official name but basically they they have to balance the books or they they risk getting a points deduction and and other penalties. ah There is a there is a gap between villa are asking for 60 million euros that's a big gap between what they're demanding and what you've enters value him at but again you've enters are offering part exchange offer they're offering western mckinney.
00:16:53
Speaker
whose contract runs out in a year. Contract talks have pretty much broken down. um And the inventors value him at 30 million. um So again, we have to just see how the negotiations go here with the valuations, with the costs. Again, it seems though like Douglas Louise has opened the move, and it looks like McKinney's opened the move the other way. I mean, again, I think inventors, if they manage to get rid of McKinney and get Douglas Louise for for a decent price, not overpaying and leaving them enough money to strengthen other positions, then again, this could be could be a good deal for Juventus as well. And we also have to see what happens in the talks to renew Rabio's contract as well. So Juventus have clearly targeted their own midfield as being an area they really absolutely have to strengthen. And that's why they're working on two deals at the same time. But whether or not both will join,
00:17:48
Speaker
I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I don't know. I don't think the money's there, but we'll have to see how much that they can raise from from other transfers. But that's the thing, though. If they can sell Sula for 40 million, Kiaza for 30, 40, if they can, you know, use, you know, Hoisin, McKinney, McKean, Elling, Jr. in deals to to get, I mean, that that's, you know, but that's money coming in. then then the math begins to add up, if that makes sense. And the other thing that's key, and this is something that that I explained in more detail in the the question Q and&A episode, which we which we recorded before before this episode, and that will be coming out on Tuesday, ah the Q and&A episode, is that just as important as it is ah in in raising money ah from sales in order to be able to
00:18:35
Speaker
But what is also just as important is cutting the salaries, the salary bill, in order to be able to afford transfers as well. And the events this summer have, ah obviously, legories left. um So they've got that off the books. they then They might have to pay part of his salary. They will they will pay part of his salary for his the last year. They've come to some kind of agreement there, but not full salary. And he was on $9 million in a year. Alexandra was on who' the third highest paid player in Serie A. He's now left. um they It looks like, we'll come to it in a minute, it looks like Kiesa is for sale and if it isn't Kiesa there will be another big name instead that would be sacrificed who would who would be on high wages as well. We're talking five million upwards um so that's that's another salary off the books.
00:19:25
Speaker
and then they are going to be selling ah a lot of other players as well. They're just going to be getting series of the books. Now, when you sign a player, if ah you went to sign Koop Miners, for example, for 60 million, what happens is that 60 million euro transfer fee gets amortized over the period of its contract on the accounts. So if it's a five-year contract, you divide 60 by five and you know that's, what is that, 12 million a year? so twelve Yeah, but usually actually usually clubs amortize more in the beginning of the contract and amortize less towards the end. however However they divide it up, it gets divided over the period of the contract. So basically the point I'm making is is that you're not paying all of that all at once. If you get somebody's high salary off your books, like Allegri, nine million, like Alexandro, seven and a half, eight million, whether it's stupid amount, you saw you know all of a sudden, that between the two of them, that pays for
00:20:20
Speaker
more than pays for one year of coop miners or for every year of coop miners. So that is why this summer, as well as selling players, Junzli is focusing very, very much on reducing the salary bill and he will do. He's already wet ahead in that respect in reducing the salary bill and that is also going to allow him to really spend a lot more heavily than people that are just kind of doing the maths and doing well they spent x amount and they sold x and sold y amount how can they be able to sell that amount this is gonna be another reason why you guys probably will be able to spend a little bit more than than on paper it looks like i should be able to.
00:20:57
Speaker
and So that's that's ah that's the explanation, that's the midfield. Also of course there's Califuri in the defence, Juventus are going to sign a centre back and they are also at this moment working on regarded Califuri as well. Bologna don't really want to sell him um but Califuri wants to move and they are asking for, I believe, at least 25 to 30 million. and So again, it's a lot of money. Again, yeah, Juventus are going to be in negotiations there to see if they can lower it, whether they may be put in a ah player in part exchange. There are some players at Juventus that interest Bologna. um So we have to see. We'll have to see what happens with Califuri.
00:21:40
Speaker
We will, but I think in the end he'll join Juva. I'll be very surprised if he doesn't join Juva and I don't think Juva will be quite finished yet in midfield. um I still can't shake off the feeling that Samadzic could end up with... They won't be finished at all, Nima. And the reason for that is um because there are a lot of Juventus players who are either for sale or are being considered for sale, by gently, in order to raise the money needed to buy players like Coupe Miners, like Douglas Louise, like Calla Fiore, and like others who we're not going to mention yet, but they need a full back. They need to write that, for example. De Laurentiis is a potential option there, as are others. So we won't go there because it's going to get too complicated. But if I can run down the players that you enter us are looking at potentially to sell. Now, the big one,
00:22:30
Speaker
We have to start with, and I want to just expand on this one first. It's Federico Chiesa. Now, it's pretty much unanimous among all the sources that Thiago Motta doesn't consider Chiesa an important player and would not be against his sale. um And the events obviously have a decision to make themselves because Kiese's contract runs out in 2025. He's asking, and this is where I think Kiese has gone wrong. He's asking for a pay increase, which I think is which is i think is is stupid considering that the last three years he had. Whoever's fault that is, whether it's bad luck with the injury, whether it's allegories or whether it's his own. When you've performed how you have for the last three years, I don't think you can go into a contract negotiation and ask for a pay increase. I just don't think you can.
00:23:13
Speaker
um So Juventus are not willing to pay Kiesa. I think he wanted like a 2 million increase. They're not willing to pay that. ah They wanted to do kind of like a bridge contract where they give him a one year extension and then reconsider it again in a year. He's not happy with that. um And Juventus, if they do sell him, you know, can aim to get 30, 40 million, then, you know, they can put that money towards these players that with that we've mentioned. So, As it looks right now, Nimr, it looks like Kiesa, there's a very, very good chance he could leave this summer. I think so. I think so. I think you've realised that um it's not going to work with him as a wide player. I don't think he he needs, wherever he goes, I think he needs to understand that he's not going to be the player he was before.
00:24:02
Speaker
and that he's going to have to adapt his game to whether it's a role change or whatever it is, he he does he doesn't have that explosiveness about him anymore. He's still quick, but he's not like he was. And I think he needs to understand that. And the quicker, the sooner he understands that, the better off he will be and the better off the Italian national team will be, because he'll still be an important player. But he he definitely needs to to have a season where he can actually start doing numbers and start playing football, good football again, because it's been a while now. um And no, I think he will be sold. I think he will leave. I think he will be sold for around 30, 40, something like that.
00:24:51
Speaker
If that, yeah, but again, as we've both said, I think that the euros will be very, very key for Kiesa, regardless of whether he's going to stay or leave Juventus, because he needs to perform well to prove that he is worth paying that 30, 40 million, or he is worth the contract that he's going to be asking for, whether it's that Juventus. or at the club he's joining and to to to get the kind of interest from clubs that wants him. But Napoli and Roma are the two teams that are ah looking at him at the moment, and but I do think he needs a big Euros. I don't think this this is a trap so that will be done.
00:25:23
Speaker
um definitely not before the group stages. i don't think there this I think this is something that's going to happen at the end of the Euros. But there's then we've got other players. and so ah hoisen Dean Hoisin is for sale. Juventus want to to to sell him for for at least 30 million or so. and and ah get they'll they'll get Because he was a you came through the youth team, that would be a 100% profit. on him. and So they want to sell him, again, Atalanta, that's a potential part exchange. Then we've got Mathias Soulay as well, who I don't particularly agree with this, so to be honest with you. But um again, like Juventus are looking at him and they're thinking we can raise $4.2 million. There's a lot of interest. They won't have any problems to set in selling Soulay. If they if they ah they do end up selling him and they value him at about $40 million. So all of a sudden, just with these three players, if Juventus were to sell Chiesa, Foisin and Soulay, you're looking at over $100 million.
00:26:19
Speaker
Yeah. You know, so that kind of explains how you afford coop miners, Louise, Califiori. I mean, you're almost paying for them by selling those three plays. Then you've got Costiches for sale, Juventus are looking for probably around about 10 million for him. you got mckeny who You've who Juventus value at 30 million loll. And, you know, could be part of the the the the deal with like Douglas Louise potentially. Then you've got Elling Junior who's for sale. His contract runs out ah in a year. He could be part of the Atalanta deal potentially if the hoisin doesn't go there. You've got Moisakine who's got one year left on his contract. He's also for sale. I mean, I think you're looking at 10, 15 million at least for him as well. Milik was for sale, but now he's he's suffered an injury ah at the head of the Euros. He's going to miss the Euros. He's going to be out probably
00:27:07
Speaker
at least for for six weeks it seems. We don't know how serious it is so I don't know whether he now stays because of that injury. um Then you've got Chesney as I said before that is for sale and so Juventus will be looking probably for at least kind of like 10 million for him I would say and then you've got Meretti and Cavillia who are players that could be sold could be loaned out again depends on kind of what they are so there's a lot of players there that can raise a lot of a lot of cash for Juventus. And then it starts to make sense why they can... what I can never pronounce his name, but you would still own him, Barana or Baranechea. Baranechea, yeah. Baranechea, I asked somebody about this, actually. So Baranechea is going to, as far as I understand, is going to be part of the Ritero. It's going to be part of the pre-season at the start. Motto wants to have a look at him and see how he performs before they decide what to do with him. But again, there's another player there that
00:28:03
Speaker
probably you know you could probably get 10 million for him or so something like that if you wanted to. So this is where I have to say if there's one thing Juventus have done brilliantly well in the last few years it has been the next gen ah in creating these players who they're not actually going to actually use for the barely used for the first team but does allow them, a bit like Chelsea have done in in kind of over the last 10 years, in being able to sell them on and make big profits and then use that cash to build the team. That's one thing Juventus have done really well. I'm not a massive fan of it. I would like to see, I mean, I think it's good. It's good business, but I would like to see, you know, you produce plays and use them, you know. I would like to see Sule play for the first team. His value could double. But I guess at the same time,
00:28:51
Speaker
you know Italian clubs maybe they're in this position now where this is how they make their money because we don't have ah any ways of doing it. I don't like it and but you know it it's is's if it's gonna take you mentors back to the top quicker this summer then I guess it's gonna work. Yeah and also you have to remember Sula I think the characteristics I mean given the links to Mason Greenwood um I understand what kind of players they're looking for. So I think it's also a Schelta Technica, as they say. Sula is a completely different winger to Greenwood. So um who who is being rumoured to replace Federico Chiesa? Which is... which is yeah it will will We'll definitely do a long tech segment on that. if that if that if At the moment, i don't think it's I don't think it's concrete enough at the moment but to warrant us to start having a bitch about it. but but But it's problematic in and of itself. But I mean, if we're talking from a football point of view, um the kind of player Mason Greenwood is, he's a different kind of player to both Keza and Sule. Yeah. Yeah. So if that's the profile they're looking for, then I understand why they want to get rid of Keza and Sule.
00:30:02
Speaker
yeah Yeah, I know where you're coming from. I know where you're coming from. There's a lot there, a lot to take in, a lot's going to be happening over the event. So we will... um next week. We're going to definitely try and after our Napoli, we're going to do a Napoli transfer deep dive this week, which we do every summer, where we go through the possible incomings and outgoings and discuss everything that's going on. Juventus, we are going to try and do soon as well this month because there is a lot going on at Juventus as well. So we will work on that.
00:30:38
Speaker
um Let's move on to Inter NIMA where there isn't so much going on at Inter as there is at Milan and a Napoli. It's more about contract, isn't it? So can you just sum up what's going on with the contract situation? sir Well, Lautaro did a turn like spectacularly, the you know, told his agent to lower the demand so that he could agree a contract with with Inter and that's not been made official, but they have an agreement. Obviously Inter have had quite a bit on their plate this last week with the ownership change, a new board of directors, a new president being appointed and so on and so forth. Because a new owner is always a very traumatic change for a football club.
00:31:15
Speaker
So now that the dust has settled there, it's Lautaro signing a five-year contract. It's Barella signing a five-year contract. It's Simonin Zaghi agreeing a contract until 27. So that's what Inter are going to do. And then um simultaneously, they're also kind of, they're going to, you know, Zielinski and Taremi are about to come in. And of course the Denzel Dunfry situation. That's the big one. um Does he leave? Does he extend? If he doesn't extend, he'll be sold. Where are they with that? um And if they want to sell him, um you know Who do they bring in to replace him? There's been some rumors to Sugavara, the Japanese wing back, um and what we'll see. But it's all kind of right now iin't that it's mainly just you know getting the contracts over the line, the you you know confirming the core group of players.
00:32:05
Speaker
Varela, Lautaro, Simonin Zaghi, and of course Galinsky and Taremi are coming in. Klassen is leaving, Senzi is leaving. um so So, you know, Alexis Sanchez is leaving. Marco Arnaltovic, I've read rumours linking him to Fiorentina, but I don't think the jaws of life could even pry that Marco Arnaltovic away from that inter-contract. he's go to go He's not going anywhere. um um So he he wants to, you know, he's, he can't believe his luck. So he wants to ride this contract out. um So I think it's, I don't think it's going to be a very busy summer. ofta I think there's going to, you know, if Aldero leaves, they're going to bring in a, they need to bring in a goalkeeper to to to replace him, but they want that goalkeeper to be someone who's an understudy to Sommer, from what I understand,
00:32:54
Speaker
and then kind of ease him in and then learn then, you know, somewhere will be the backup and this guy, whoever it is, will be the first choice keeper or they could reverse and just buy a backup keeper. and then resolve it that way. um ah So yeah, and also central defender, I think they're theirre understanding after a chair of his injury and also the season where we've seen a slight decline that, you know, he's he's not getting any younger and they need to start looking at a replacement there. So I think it's going to be two, three players, lots of players leaving.
00:33:25
Speaker
um because revolution through the revolution was last year. This is more tweaking and Marotta's been very clear that, you know, we're not doing a revolution this summer. um so Evolution. Yeah, it's exactly it' evolution. Evolution is always better than revolution. I always say that. I always say that. they They had their big one last summer when they literally cleared house and it was a long time coming um last summer. So that was good and it turned out really well. I mean, they won the Scudetto in record breaking fashion. they yeah they they they lots of players developed and again I look at Tejon Buchanan as a new signing uh this summer ah even though he came in January I think a proper preseason after you know international tournaments Copa America and whatnot and and I think he will um
00:34:13
Speaker
I think he will, um I think they're viewing him as a new signing. And I think he, him, he will, he will, whether they see him on the left or the right, I think, you know, it's clear that Nzagi sees him on both ends of the pitch, that he he can help out on both ends of the pitch, but we'll see what happens with Denzel Dumfries. and what the plan is there. But the ace basically, it's it's plus minus zero somewhere so far. The signs coming from England. Yeah, that's sadly the case with most Italian clubs, isn't it? Nowadays, let's move on to Napoli, who are probably one of the few clubs that won't have a plus or minus. I don't think this does. because they need a revolution. Now we won't talk about this too much as this week we will have, as I said before, the first of our usual summer series of of transfer deep dives where ah this this week we will be with Napoli, one of the best Napoli journalists, Vincenzo Credendino and Nima will will do that with Vincenzo and they'll discuss all that or the possible business, those that could be signed, those who could be sold,
00:35:17
Speaker
the the contracts, the the manager of course Antonio Conte is the new is the new coach, the negotiations to sign Alessandro Buongiorno, Victor Rosimam being sold, ah Di Lorenzo of course, what's happening with him, there's going to be so much to talk about with ah with with Napoli, but it does seem though, if we can just touch on it very briefly, it does seem like the negotiations to sign Alessandro Buongiorno are advancing now, and they're not it's not by any means a done deal but it it looks like that Conte has chosen him and and he is a very typical Conte center back isn't he? Oh he absolutely is, a middle of that back three that he wants to play, um you know he wants him to be the leader of that defense. i can yeah the the He is a very Conte center back, it's a very Conte signing and it's a signing that would make Conte very calm because Conte likes to build from the back
00:36:10
Speaker
um and And of course, you know we'll have to wait and see if Romelu Lukaku is salivating at the idea of going to Naples and being reunited with Antonio Oconte. or as Thomas Tuchel referred to him, as we understood on this podcast, when Nizar Kinsalas said that Tuchel said, there's your daddy, that Tuchel had told Lukaku, which is hilarious in every aspect possible. But yeah, I mean, the idea of Lukaku and Kante reuniting at Napoli is also incredibly interesting.
00:36:45
Speaker
um Can he, does he have it in him or is this another Arturo Vidal signing? um I don't know. I really don't know. I think it's too, i'm I'm more inclined right now to say that this is more of an Arturo Vidal or Inter situation or color of situation. in where where content the you know digs his heels in because he wants his his players and then he doesn't understand that time has happened and it's not you know things move forward but we'll see I mean he's already got us but already there he's got crush each other I think he's gonna play three four three or a three four two one and obviously obviously I think Osseman is leaving the question is where and if he goes to Chelsea well then they can sort something out with Lukaku that way I think it can work
00:37:30
Speaker
But then again, you also have to remember that you're dealing with Aurelio De Arentis and Lukaku is pushing 30. He's got zero resale value. There could be potential problems there down the line. But we'll see. I think Bon Giorno is a very typical Konta sign. And I think it will make Konta happy too, to have that wrapped up as soon as possible as a gift as he comes in. um So, yeah, now i'm goingnna is I'm really looking forward to doing this with Vincenzo. And that will be on Wednesday. You're record that you're recording on Wednesday. Yeah, we'll get out yeah yeahll we'll we're recording on Tuesday, he said, but we'll try to get it out as soon as possible. Yeah, as soon as possible. because
00:38:07
Speaker
The transfer market does change quickly, doesn't it, in and Italy or everywhere? ah Okay, ah Roma and Lazio now. that There's nothing too much to talk about with Roma right now because I think that is always the case with Roma. It's the June 30, isn't it? It's the it's the the FFP and balancing the books, the Plusvalenza and making sure that everything's in order. then they can start doing some business so i don't think we can expect much are we from rome in terms of income ins i guess we might have to watch out in case they lose somebody but it does at the moment doesn't seem like there's going to be too much i know we've got chiazza is somebody to watch out for i think most of roma business will be i might be wrong
00:38:47
Speaker
I think most of Roman's business will be will be next month. I think so too. I think July is when things will kick off properly though. yeah But Lazio though, Lazio there is absolute chaos at Lazio. What is going on? Like I saw a banner against Tudor insulting him. He resigns I didn't see that. Who was the banner? Who was the banner? The thing with banners and Lazio fans is I'm not sure. theyre real I'm always so skeptical of every banner I see that are supposedly from Lazio fans because Claudio Lottito has in the past had banners
00:39:31
Speaker
written up praising him and has hung them by the fans and pretended that they are from the fans to him. So I'm always a little bit careful because of Lutita's previous record on this issue. um But yeah, there was a banner criticising Tudor very heavily, very rudely. um that that must have been from from from latito then yeah i don't know i don't know i might that's what i'm saying i don't know well because he quit or did he get sacked i don't even know what know what the truth is that but he's left latio after three months uh due to disagreements with claudia latito the president it boiled down
00:40:12
Speaker
Well, to a number of things, but mostly the failure to secure Daichi Kamada to His contract was expiring. Kamada wanted to stay. Somehow the negotiations went wrong between Kamada and Lotito. Lotito accusing Kamada of wanting more money. Kamada publicly said that that wasn't true, that he wanted to stay. Blaine Blotita, he said that he he said how much he liked Tudor, that he wanted to work with him again in the future. So Kamada's lost Kamada. It now looks like he's going to move to the Premier League, maybe Crystal Palace. ah and And Tudor has eventually left as a result. And of course, you know, Lazio fans are furious at what's going on with the plans. Again, recording this on Sunday. So we'll see over the
00:40:57
Speaker
the 24 hours before this comes out, this might change because Lazio fans are absolutely furious at the planned appointment of, Latito's first choice was Marco Baroni as manager and Lazio fans are not happy, or the Ultras are not happy, and they're basically starting to make threats that if he is appointed, just watch what will happen. So I don't know what that means. um So yeah, it's a bit of a mess there, isn't it, Lazio? It's complete chaos. ah don't like I don't understand how he does this.
00:41:31
Speaker
how this man does this over and over and over again. Notito just, ah it's I don't, it's it's it's not, it's it's always like this with him. You know, you remember the madness when with with, what's his name? Loco Bielsa, you know, grand opening, grand closing, like he was and and he resigned within a day. um You know, he did a fantastic, I mean, I want to, you know, give cred to Marco Barone who I think performed a little bit of a miracle. uh with Helas and who I think was outstanding at lecture too but he's 60 years old uh what kind of vision of an appointment is this to the to the to the fans when when you I mean I'm not saying Baroni is a bad coach again I think he is a good coach but Lazio have a viewing upward the table they want to finish in the top four Marco Baroni I mean
00:42:30
Speaker
I don't... To me, it's just... it's just this luck but Maybe they're trying to avoid relegation. Maybe they're going to sell their entire it ti squad and replace them with with regen players, maybe. I don't know. It's gone crazy. It's it's absolute mayhem. And and i I've known Lazio fans who told me, like if literally told me, if Baroni is appointed, I'm not watching next season. Like, that's how angry they are. And I'm going to try to do an interview deep dive about this soon with a lot of journalists to just understand what the hell is going on. um Because it's complete chaos right now. And it's just, it's just lottito man, like this man is just
00:43:14
Speaker
I feel bad for Lazio fans, I really do. they they they you know it's I know it's Rome and it's ah it's a very you know unstable Piazza and all that, but he just can't get out of his own way, can he? um and And he always ends up in these discussions and these these problems with people. It's just, it's never ending. But yeah, I mean, you know, I'm i'm happy for Marco Barone. I think he deserves it. He's had a solid career. He's done some good things the last few years. But it's an underwhelming appointment. We can't lie about that. We can't you know say anything about that. It's a very, very underwhelming appointment.
00:43:52
Speaker
Yeah, is it is. He absolutely is. And of course, Luis Alberto is leaving as well. He's on his way to Al Duhail, Duhail in Qatar as well. That's good. No, no, that's enough of that. I mean, it's been going on for, what is it, three years now, where it's just nonstop arguing between him and the club. I think for the sake of Lazio, it's good that he's leaving because enough is enough. yeah but I mean, it's that there's a lot of players they need to replace and that's the that's the end, finally, that that great midfield that they had, and one of the best midfield trios, I think, in the in the probably in the last kind of 10 years, if we were honest with you, and that's it, they've all gone now. Luis Alberto this year says Sergey Milinkovic-Savage ah last summer as well, so that's the end of the Latvia midfield.
00:44:39
Speaker
um Right, ah managerial changes in Serie A just to round this up. So, so far we've had three confirmed new managerial report appointments as of Sunday, Sunday the 9th we're recording this. Antonio Conte to Napoli, Vincenzo Italiano to Bologna, which we've already discussed, and now Raffaella Palladino has gone to Fiorentina. What do you make of of that Nima, Palladino to Fiorentina? i mean I think it's a and mean it's a brave decision. um I think Paladino did well at Monza. Didn't do so you know the first season. Second season maybe took a step sideways. But I think it's it's a step in the right direction. I wonder if it's a little bit too big for him.
00:45:28
Speaker
um But I think, I don't know, it it also depends on the Mercato, like what players does he have? I i don't know if you noticed, but Maurizio Sarri is speaking um about Fiorentina and Milan, and he said, look, those teams and those squads are adapted to my style of football. And I'm a little bit sad that none of them contacted me and wanted me. And I kind of agree with them. I think Sarri would have been a very, very good appointment. um for both Mila and as I've said numerous times and also for Fiorentina because of the makeup of the squad and and also the football he plays but
00:46:06
Speaker
You know, there's there are some people who believe that maybe Maurizio Sarri's past is best. um i i don't I don't subscribe to that. I think it's it's a combination of him being a difficult person to work with and also a person who, look, decorum matters in Florence and Milan. How you appear, how you talk, how you dress. And Maurizio Sarri is seen as a little bit of a farmer, to be honest. they looked down on him. um You saw that at Juve as well, even though he won won them the scoretto, and he never really gelled well at Juve off the pitch. And I think that's what's kind of cost him here. And of course, you know, Rocco Comiso and Maritzo Sarri, two strong characters, it was never going to work because Comiso doesn't like being questioned.
00:46:57
Speaker
So, yeah, I mean, it's it's um it's it's its as's it's it's lots of clubs doing a year zero, aren't there, in the Serie A, and Fiorentina is one of them, and Bologna is for sure. I think it's going to be a very tough job for Paladino in the same way that I think whoever takes the Lazio job, it looks like it's Capparoni, is going to be difficult, because i think I think there's a lot of work to do there. at both clubs. I said it you know as much as you know some the criticism some of the criticism of Italiana was warranted, ah during you know especially for some of the things he did wrong in those two conference league finals. At the same time, I just don't think Fiorentino got a very good team at all. I think they're way off yeah way off the
00:47:40
Speaker
the the top teams in Serie A. So I do think it's going to be very, very difficult, Paladino. But again, you know, depends on the transfer market, depends on what they do in the transfer market. If Daniele Parade is still calling the shots, then I don't have too much trust in, in, in Fiorentino having a good market. I think that's the first problem before we get to, like before we get to Paladino and how well he can do. i Agreed, agreed. Yeah, so that's Paladino, so Fiorentina, and then not official, but this week, as I said before, we're expecting Motta to be official at Juventus, Fonseca to be official at Milan, Barone to be official at Lazio, unless the Ultras managed to stop it, and also Nesta, we're talking about Paladino leaving Monza. Nesta looks like he's closing, it seems like Galliani's almost confirmed that. Alessandro Nesta closing in on Monza's job, which is
00:48:32
Speaker
a little bit surprising considering uh kind of he hasn't been in Serie A before obviously the connections with with Milan and Galliani have obviously played a role there. Yeah that's an interesting appointment that that's that's a coaching career we've waited to see what what like when it starts and and how it starts and so on um so it's going to be very exciting to see if he's you know if he's appointed and and how he does I'm really I'm really really curious to see what he can do, um to be honest. um So yeah, it's it's it's it's lot like lots of question marks, I'd say. Lots of question marks. Italiano, Bologna, and the entire Bologna project. lots Question marks around Fiorentina and Palladino and that project.
00:49:18
Speaker
big question mark and ask exclamation marks around, what's it called, Lazio and that situation there. And of course, Montza and of course, Udenes as well, which is just what I was going to finish on, um because Fabio Cannavaro is not continuing there. And i'm I'm gutted about that, because I can say this now, we've we've actually been promised ah Fabio Cannavaro on the podcast ahead of next season. And now he's not there anymore. So I'm gutted. I'm actually gutted because having Cannavaro on the pod would have been absolutely amazing. That's just me speaking personally. it's just just Just for a personal capacity. But it would have been I think it would have been great for our listeners as well. yeah But yeah, I'm gutted about that. and And I think kind of what he did as well, saving them. Yeah, maybe he deserved to stay on, but at the same time, you know, maybe they they want to go with someone they're more
00:50:14
Speaker
secure with, with more of a long, longer track record. I don't know, maybe that's their their reason, but we'll see who they get. It depends who they appoint. They start appointed someone like, I don't know, who's the guy with the baseball cap, someone like that. No, if they appoint a bikini, I'll be annoyed.
00:50:35
Speaker
And also we need to know what happens with Samajic. That's going to be very interesting to see too. Yeah, I think he will leave. I think he will leave. I think Callery as well. Callery need a new manager. Yeah, they do as well. Antorino as well. I'm surprised that Latio... Well, I'm not surprised really because you and Joric are... Are you for real? Joric and Latito? Yeah, it would have been him. Come on. I'm sorry, but if Aurelio De Laurentiis and Antonio Conte can build Naples for the, can work together to build a better Napoli, Joergen and Lotito can work together, can stand too. I mean, it would have exploded, but it would have been entertaining. I want to see, it's going to be interesting. Two grumps in it. Two absolute grumps. Miserable people. Miserable people. Which you love more than anything. I love it. It's so good.
00:51:30
Speaker
But it's going to be, yeah, not me. I'm just picturing it and laughing. Right, talking about misery, we hope for no misery, any more misery for Italy. We are recording this ah before the Italy versus Bosnia game on on on Sunday evening. So obviously we're hoping that there was good news from that from that friendly after the abysmal game against Turkey, which was which was horrible. horrible, horrible, horrible performance ah by Italy against Turkey and gave me even less hope going into the Euros than I already had. But so but so the big the big news really, because I mean, friendlies are friendlies and sometimes you can't really read too much into them to players trying to avoid injury, but is Nicola Bareilles
00:52:13
Speaker
um fitness status really ahead of that opening game against Albania on Saturday. and if There was some good news at the weekend on Saturday about his condition. It seems like he has got a faticamento. Muscle fatigue. Yeah, which is muscle muscle fatigue in Italian. I know that that that is usually a one-week rest injury. So you have one week of rest and then usually you can start building it up and playing again. Now that would, if that is the case and that that's what it seems, they're calling it muscle fatigue, they're using that word. That would suggest to me that that he's gonna he's going to be, hopefully touch word, he's going to be fine for the Albanian, providing he doesn't have some kind of setback or something. you know Maybe they don't want to take a risk, but he's absolutely crucial ah that that he plays, I think, in that game. We have to win that game against Albania. and
00:53:10
Speaker
Because I tell you what, at the weekend, i watched I watched both the games of the other two opponents. I watched Croatia against Portugal. Croatia beat Portugal away. They won 2-1 and they looked really, really good. They looked good. they looked Did you watch it as well? Yeah, I watched the parts of it. They looked good. They looked good. I mean, the midfield was was the midfield looked as good as ever. and they They were pretty, pretty ah Pretty good in the back. Portugal created some chances, but they would do because Portugal got so much quality in attack. um But they look like a team. They look like they look like a team, which is what Portugal don't look like. After watching that, I'm thinking like you know everything you said about Roberto Martinez falling upwards, failing upwards. Failing upwards. Failing from one job upwards.
00:53:58
Speaker
Portugal didn't look like a team. They looked like a team of great individuals. But you know if they're going to do well at the Euros, Portugal need to start playing as a team. They could tie it together. It's only a friendly. But Croatia, you could see. I mean i think they've they've won six games in a row. So there's that. And then I saw Spain. I know they're playing Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland are not a good team. ah But they absolutely destroyed them. Their midfield is great was great as well. Pedro was back to his best. He scored twice. ah The wingers both looked so dangerous. Williamson and Yamal. and Milazzo scored as well. Midsfield's an attack. Yeah, I mean, they again, I mean, yeah, put it this way.
00:54:39
Speaker
we have to go, we we we have to get three points from Albania. We cannot be relying on getting results in those last two matches against those two teams. So that drummed it home to me that, yeah, we probably need, to need bur we could do a Borrella being fit for that game and because we just we just need to make sure we play our strongest team and we win that game. No, 100%. I mean, we went through it in our ah Italy, Azzurri Euro 2024 preview deep dive with Adriana Del Monte last week, um where we discussed all of these things. And and and I'm just going to echo everything I said there. The key is they have to beat Albania. They have to be Albania. And I've got to be honest with you, Carlo, I am not i confident and I've got a bad feeling.
00:55:22
Speaker
Yeah, again, we record sorry but i record we're recording this before the Bosnia game, again, which which might create some enthusiasm, but um i'm i'm ah I have to be honest, ah I don't have much confidence in general about Italy's Euro campaign, ah but I'm absolutely sure we have to win the Albania game. absolutely have to win that Albania game. But anyway, we won't do we won't discuss any more. I definitely would recommend that you watch or listen to our in-depth preview of of Italy at Euro 2020. It's very long, it's about an hour and three quarters. It was Nima, myself and ah guest
00:56:01
Speaker
Adriana del Monte and we we went through everything. We looked at the squad, we looked at the probable starts in Leven, we looked at our three group opponents, we looked at our Italy strengths and weaknesses, the coach, and we looked at, um we gave our predictions ah um on the on the not just the group but the the whole tournament, we looked at the other ah contenders to win the tournament. We looked at the players to watch and then we looked at, you know, we had some more light-hearted chat as well. We picked our greatest ever, Italy 11. We looked at the Italy Kits. We got the kit for the jersey for Euro 2024. We also picked our favourite Italy Kits. And then we finished off with a game at the end, the Primface game.
00:56:47
Speaker
and which are yeah I'm sure everybody will really, really enjoy that. So if you want to watch it, you can actually see us ah for once on YouTube. Go to our YouTube channel, Italian Football Podcast, or if you want to listen to it as normal, then it's it's free for everyone to listen to. It's on all ah and all the main podcast apps, Apple, Spotify, and and all the others. So um yeah, definitely do check that out because if there's lots and lots of lots and lots of content in there. um We will, though, be back later in the week to to properly preview the the Italy versus Albania game. Nimr and myself on Thursday. And we might have we might potentially have an interview as well. I have been promised someone, but I'm waiting for them to to come back and just give final, final confirmation. So we might have another preview on that game as well, but we'll definitely have ah have one on Thursday.
00:57:44
Speaker
Okay, right, let's finish off with Baggio, Primface and Celia as of the week. So, Baggio of the week and I just want to pay homage to to Italy under 17s who are European champions the first time in history that Italy are under 17 European champions. They did actually win at under 16 level in 1982 and in 1987. They actually got stripped of the of the 1987 title because they they played an overage player and or someone wasn't registered that should have been registered. and But this this used to be previously no previously used to be ah categorized as an under 16 tournament
00:58:27
Speaker
and then it changed I think 20 or so years, 25 years ago to another 17th tournament. Italy had never won this tournament and they are now champions for the first time and absolutely deserve it champions. They played a fantastic tournament, I watched all of their games, they beat Portugal 3-0 in the final after a brilliant double two goals from that man that everybody has been talking about for the last year, Francesco Camarda, won all three games in the group, then beat England in the quarter of-finals on penalties, Denmark in the semi-finals and then Portugal, Thrash Portugal in the final. Fantastic achievement, well done to the Azovini. I want to go through, though, Nimr, the stars of this team.
00:59:08
Speaker
I want to start off with Francesco Camada, who is the one that stood out above everyone else. Two goals in the final. The first goal in the final was a fantastic solo goal. And the second one was a really clinical finish. He was player of the tournament. One player of the tournament. He scored four goals in the tournament. He also scored a stunning strike against Slovakia in the group stages. He looks like the real deal. He really does. He has a bit of everything. he He has the physique. He has the technique. He can use both feet. He's got a great shot. ah He can finish. he can He can make goals for himself like he did in the in the in the final. ah He's good in the air. He can bring others into play. He can come deep. He can go in behind. He just looks like a such a complete player. He doesn't really seem
00:59:54
Speaker
you know, on the surface to really have any weaknesses. And we all know about his scoring records when 500-odd goals in in the Milan youth level, of course, made his debut, so broke the record for but playing for Milan at the age of 15 earlier in the past season. ah He's just about to sign a new contract. We just have signed a new contract with Milan. um this guy is is What do you think of this guy? He's special, isn't he? He's special. He's got this really special aura about him. and he um The fact that he does so well with his like when he plays with his with his peers and looks so, so good um and so natural. um and and and just it doesn't just Everything flows with him.
01:00:39
Speaker
um and and it's just so He's a very interesting play to watch. It's going to be interesting to see what happens next season with him. What do Milan do? Do they send him to Serie C? Do they keep him? do they do they Do they want him just to learn with the first team and play with the youth team another season? I mean, it's going to be very interesting to see what they do with him because he he definitely is one to watch. I mean, he's really, it's one thing to score at club level, gajillion goals that he has. but to to then turn up to the under 17 euros and be the player of the tournament, scoring twice in the final and was just outstanding, or had a fantastic tournament, ah best player on the team that won, that that that raises the bar a little bit. that That makes things much more interesting. And and so I'm really, I'm really paying attention to him now.
01:01:31
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. And I want to expand on your point at the end about what they do with him next next season or this current season, because I think that is definitely going to be very, very important for his development. Another Milan player, Mattia Liberale, he was the other standout player in the tournament for Italy for me. along with Kamada. He's more of an outside forward, more of an attacking midfield. He's got a lovely left foot, he's a great dribbler, close ball control, more diminutive. ah He scored the goal of the tournament against England in the quarter-final and check out that goal to equalise. Incredible dribble, like close ball control, just kind of really quick feet and then shot and scored. um He has been labelled
01:02:16
Speaker
as the Italian Phil Foden by Alessandro Costa-Curta, the Milan centre-back legend and for his the way he plays. Costa-Curta sees Phil Foden in him, the way he plays. He was fantastic in his tournament. He's got two goals as well. and So he he is another player definitely, definitely to watch. he He really does look like, technically, he looks like a really special player, liberale. And then there's another little left footer. Italy had a lot of ah very interesting left footed players, little left footed players, the minions of left footed players in this tournament. Another one is Mattia Moscani, who plays for Inter. Also kind of Inter, I don't know how much you've seen him, in me like an outside attacker attacking midfield, that kind of player as well.
01:03:03
Speaker
like Liberale, a little bit similar to Liberale in style of play, like left foot, technical, creative, kind of quite good, close ball control, dribbler. And he was really, really good as well. Maybe slightly less so than the other two, but also you can see technically very good player. These three were a great trio. They linked up really well. Their understanding was really good. Lovely little triangles. And they kind of just had too much for their opponents, these three in attack. The opponents just couldn't handle them. It really was a great, great team to watch. What was so special about this Italy team is that they were all really comfortable on the ball. Very, very comfortable on the ball. Very comfortable on the ball. They looked, they played a possession game that I thought was very interesting to see. Spanish-like, wasn't it? Yeah, it was exactly. It was more Spanish than Italian, traditionally, if we're going to use stereotypes and label and label stuff. I thought they were
01:03:58
Speaker
there wasn't anybody that had the ball that you thought like they they were uncomfortable when they had it that they were playing like little short passes and pass and go triangles and you know the midfielders as well I mean Federico Colletta was the goalscorer in midfield he scored three in the tournament he scored the winner in the semis uh thermo final against Denmark and he scored the opener uh in the final as well he plays for Roma um but the other player that impressed me probably more than anyone else was Christian Kama a left back um he he uh very fast but again diminutive very dangerous going forward joined the attack a lot got in behind
01:04:33
Speaker
ah made those kind of burst in runs. It kind of reminded me a little bit of Jordi Alba, kind of the way he played. I really, really liked him ah in the tournament. He scored a goal. He was in the team in the tournament. Italy had five players in the UEFA team in the tournament. They had Camada Liberale, ah Kama, the other fullback, Benjamin, who plays for Real Madrid, his youth team. He's the right back. He was in the team of the tournament as well. And also the goalkeeper mate Massimo Pesina of Bologna. He was in the team of the tournament as well. um There's also Barcelona centre-back, Andrea Natali, who's the son son of the former defender, Bologna defender. Did he play for Bologna, Cesare Natali? I think he did. and
01:05:17
Speaker
Yeah, former Itselia centre back. He's very highly rated. He played really, really well in the final. He struggled against England, though, in the quarters. He had a bad game against them, but he was really good in the final. ah He's wanted by Leverkusen. Leverkusen are actually in negotiations to sign him. and So, quite interesting that two of these players, one plays for Real Madrid, one plays for Barcelona, two of the defenders. But it's a very special group of players, I think. ne ah um You can say you could see that they were cut above only the England game. The England game was tough. I think it may be slightly fortunate to win that quarterfinal. They went to penalties. they won ah England had a good team as well. But other than that, every single game, and they were head and shoulders above their opponents ah in every game. In the Denmark game, the semifinals, they should have won about six or seven nil. It was unbelievable how many chances they had. And again, against Portugal, they just completely blew them away in the first half. so
01:06:10
Speaker
So yeah, we're the reigning under 17 champions of Europe now with a reigning under 19 champions of Europe from last year with the under 20 World Cup runners up from last year. So it shows I mean, we are now officially the best youth youth team youth. We've got the best yeah youth national teams in the world ah based on the trophies at the moment. and It shows that we have the talent. It shows that at the moment we're doing better than any country at youth level. The problem is, as I have complained, as we have complained so much, is that we ah do not have the pathway
01:06:47
Speaker
ah in getting these players to develop from youth from this youth quality at youth level to become top senior players and getting them to play regularly in Syria and the biggest example of that is But go back to a year ago, under 19 European champions, under 20 World Cup runners-up, how many of those players have played regularly or barely played at all in Serie A last season? Barely any. I think Coyote is probably ah the only real example of someone that was but was playing regularly. And that only came about because of a ah serious injury to Dodo that ruled him out for most of the season. so
01:07:25
Speaker
This is the problem, Limma. This is what needs to change. We need to change the culture in getting these players to have chances. Yeah, no, I do. I agree. I think that's what I'm saying with Camarda to see what Milan do with him now and what Inter and all the Romain and everyone else who who owns the rights to these players, what they do with them next season, because um and and not just this team, but also the under 19 and under 20s and everything that's going on with them. ah I want to see them, you know, ah It's going to be interesting to see how they handle them. Do they you know do they play them in the Serie B, which I think is not a bad idea if they're 17, 18? Or do you try to integrate them in the Serie A in a smaller team, like Frosinone, the Sulei and all these other guys, even though they were 20-something, 23 years old. But yeah, it's it's i think I think you do have a point in what you say that i don't think i think Italy needs to start opening opening up more to younger players. I really think so.
01:08:25
Speaker
yeah Yeah, because I mean, it i ah we actually have a question on this in the Q and&A about what's the best way to do about it. we do And we do we do discuss about that. um But I think that is one of the advantages of creating the next gen team or a B team is that um you know if Milan, for example, they they have no problem in paying in playing Kamada and Liberale in their next gen team. And if they don't get the results, it's not the end of the world. They don't really care that much because it's not about winning with their next gen team or their B team, it's about development. and Whereas if you loan them out to a team, even if it's necessarily a B team, you know, those teams have
01:09:12
Speaker
objectives that if they fail to meet those objectives, it has consequences on the manager, on the president, on the financial situation, on the on the on the other players. and So they they then become reluctant to to give them the chance to develop and to make mistakes and and and to trust. um And so that is the probably one of the positives which maybe we didn't discuss in the Q&A episode of of ah of having Milan having this next-gen team, Juventus having a next-gen team, Atalanta having a next-gen team, and the other teams creating these next-gen teams is that they are able to play these players. The problem is though that if these teams are stuck in the city of Chi or lower,
01:09:51
Speaker
that level is probably not high enough, well it isn't in my opinion, high enough for these players to be able to develop at the level. They need to be playing Serie B at the at the very lowest ah or Serie A, they have to be. and That's where they these players, I mean if you look at Barcelona, I think Barcelona for example, some of the Spanish clubs have gone too far. They've actually risked ruining their youngsters, their young phenomenons like Gavi, like Petri, you know, now they're playing Yamal at 16, they're playing Cubasi at 17. When these plays are phenomenons and they're they're already top players they already look like top players and you know they got you got to be careful not to overdo it and ruin these plays but you know burn them out but if it's really had these players they wouldn't have been playing do do you think they would have played you know your mal you think where would your mal be at 16 you would have been probably loaned out to serie or stuck
01:10:34
Speaker
playing with the primavera team. you know So this is where the culture the culture has to change because you know if in two years i I don't want to be sitting here in two years' time and we're talking about what happened to Kamada and then maybe we'll be sitting here and saying, well, maybe he wasn't really good enough. And I think that's the wrong way of discussing it, because how well does he have a chance of being good enough if he doesn't get ever get the chance to play? So that's the problem. I think i think the next gen thing is the right move forward and and also loaning him to study a B teams to see that, you know, the right environment, regardless of where they go. they I want them in the right environment, someplace where they can develop in peace. and And that they can show and take the, you know, to to develop, because it's not just
01:11:20
Speaker
you know they're still growing, they're still young lads, you know both mentally and physically, they're still growing. um And so I think it's they need to be in a good nurturing environment where they can develop every aspect of of you know of of their of their game and also off the pitch, because I think that's very important too. I think a lot lot of times people don't understand how important off the pitch the majority is as well. Absolutely. Right, ah prem face of the week. Do you have a prem face? No, well, we were doing Primface of the Year, aren't we? OK. Because, I mean, it's um um we're going to have lots of Primfaces, because it's a tournament. But that we've had some awesome Primface, because we asked people to send us in their Primface of the Year, and and we've got two that are just stunning. One is from our patron, Chris, who says,
01:12:15
Speaker
My premise of the year was, good morning Britain, talking about the Beckham affair while showing footage of Gaya. That will never stop being funny. um And of course, Kunal Soni says, um my vote is for BBC Sport Tweet on Man City winning title, asking if it's the best team ever in history. but That was a belter as well. But I can't listen for me, the Guti Beckham thing, because even if you're not interested in football, ye every because he's such a mega celebrity, not just you not not just global not not not just globally, but especially in England, right? Everyone knows how David Beckham looks like. So the fact that they're showing Guti is just so unbelievably funny to me.
01:13:03
Speaker
i just ah For me, it's got to be that. I think and i can't stop laughing at it. its so so i still I still love the Joe Cole prem face after the Europa League final where he said that Atalanta learned from West Ham how to beat out beat by Lebakusen. yes Yes, I'm sure Gasparini was studying David Moyes. Even though West Ham lost lost lost and drew in their two games. They left for West Ham to beat them. The guti thing he always sends me. I just can't stop laughing. It's absolutely hilarious.
01:13:39
Speaker
So funny. Yeah. And finally, and said, yeah, oh, no, said, yes, said he asked of the week. Do we have anything this week? I've not seen anything. It's been very quiet, hasn't it? On this? um um I did see them do a post ah a few days ago about Yeti Mina. He was dancing and action. I got the moves like Mina. I saw that. this kind of again ah Just so as we've said, like they put these really captions that just don't make any sense. Monza put a tweet that was weird with Caraborni doing a dribble against Inter and then I can't remember who finished it and
01:14:24
Speaker
really poorly and then the ball ended up and it they cut it to someone being hit in someone in the head and it's like it just made no sense. like It was just weird. That was also very strange. I didn't understand what the point of that was. Like making fun of their own players almost. like which we've seen. Which we've seen with Napoli. With I'm a coconut or whatever it was. I can't believe that actually happened. Like that. But if we're talking about Celia Ass of the of the year, then that that has to be ah definitely up there, doesn't it? Yeah, it's I've never seen anything like that. The TikTok thingy that Napoli is mental, absolutely mental.
01:15:03
Speaker
that I'm a coconut or whatever it is. Sorry for that, it's just a bizarre thing I've ever seen. I would say as an honorary Seria ass of the week and it's it's got nothing to do with Seria but it's the kind of thing that Seria has done in the past.
Race Controversy in English Football Media
01:15:20
Speaker
It would be this whole race storm that's broken out in ah in England over the England national team. and Did you see it after they lost to Iceland 1-0 in a friendly and ah basically the entire ah ah English mainstream media, all their front pages, all their back pages um and all the front pages of their websites, everything. It all had the picture of either Bukaya Saka or another black player along with with headlines with headlines like Black Ice.
01:15:50
Speaker
oh my god you are joking no it's it's it's become a it's become like a really big like it's really become a big big storm uh about this i mean it's so blatant i mean the crazy thing is is that saka come on as a substitute for like 20 minutes 25 minutes in the game and yet he's been made as kind of like the fake what's wrong with the fee and it's like It's so obvious now, luck it's not coincidence that they've chosen Saka as they've all chosen him as the as the kind of like the the face, and my new I think was in and was in one of them as well. and and and so It's been called out, like rightfully so, by by the light. i mean Ian Wright has called it out. I've seen Lewis Hamilton, the remote the Formula One,
01:16:29
Speaker
driver has called it out and said said basically that people are not stupid anymore, it's it's pretty obvious what's what's what's going on from there. And then you know you've had players, you've had you know it's also expand extended extend it from there to certain jam journalists are getting criticized for singling out and you know certain players as well. I mean, just just go on to to Twitter and type in the name Jacob Steinberg and you'll see and just the the absolute extremes of of this. I mean, this is just what but is it's become up a real race it's becoming like a real race storm now. And that is just kind of, I guess, you know, because we've been there before with kind of like stupid own goals, you know, in so not so not to necessarily to do with race, although, of course, we've been we've been there with well we We've been there with race as well. you know this is this kind of This is the kind of thing that, this is really what we call seria ass. This is the definition of seria ass. i like black ice Are you serious? Yeah, they used the headline Black Ice. You are joking. Yeah, it was the Daily Star. The headline was Black Ice and then they used a picture of Bukayo Sakan.
01:17:38
Speaker
Obviously, the pun is the pun the pun is obviously Iceland, obviously. Yeah, I know. But... I get that. i get that But... I know. What I'm saying is, that's the kind of stuff we would expect from, like, Coriara de la Sporta. Black Friday. Black Friday. Yeah, and when the trick when they did Black Friday, they did... Yeah, Zazaroni. And it was, like, all of that stuff, and they were doing race puns. That is definitely Serias. Serias, that is necessary yes definitely yeah that's mental insane so yeah this is this is uh definitely it's like it's overshadowing england's build up to to to the euro's really i mean well has has the super genius joey barton chimed in i can't wait for him to to explain what his feelings are this i'm sure it'll be enlightening and really intelligent um and thoughtful too probably yeah joey barton tommy robinson
01:18:29
Speaker
Jesus Christ on a cracker. These people, man, like, oh, God. Yeah, right. yeah Anyway, let's leave it. Let's leave it at that. um So yeah, we we have a lot for you this week. So we'll have the Q and&A on Tuesday, ah Wednesday. ah chance look chinzo dio life naie people yep na play deep dive And then definitely on Thursday, we will have a the final our final pre Euro 2024 Italy ah preview show, let's call it, on bit more on the Italy Albania game. And then potentially we might have we might have something else for you, but we don't wanna promise anything here until it's done. So ah yeah, lots lots for you anyway this week ahead of the Euro. So have a good week everybody and we'll see you next time. Ciao ciao.