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Italy Shock France, Sandro Tonali Is BACK, Samuele Ricci Explodes, Luciano Spalletti Saved, AC Milan New Boy Fofana Flops & Much More (Ep. 453)
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From Italy shock France in Nations League, Sandro Tonali is BACK, profile deep dive on Samuele Ricci who explodes on to the international stage, Riccardo Calafiori + Alessandro Bastoni outstanding, Federico Dimarco wondergoal, to Luciano Spalletti saved, and France need to replace Didier Deschamps with Zinedine Zidane to get best out of Kylian Mbappe and preview of Match Day 4 in the Serie A, as well as Baggio, Premface and Serie Ass of the week and much, much more when Nima and Carlo break down all the main talking points from Match Day 1 of the Nations League.
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Overview
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast. Hello everybody and welcome to another episode of the Italian football podcast. I'm Carlo Garganese joined as always by Nima Tavale.
Italy's Victory Against France
00:00:15
Speaker
On today's show we will react to Italy's Nations League game against France in Paris on Friday. An incredible win, a shock win, let's be honest, over over France. ah Italy puts it in a performance that nobody was expecting at all after the disaster at Euro 2024. We will review the game, we'll go through all the winners and the the losers, not many of them, although one in particular, and look ahead to to now what looks like a
00:00:48
Speaker
um There's a bit of hope and maybe a bright future for for the Azuri going forward. So um yeah, lots ah lots of ah exciting things to talk about with with Italy today. and We will will touch upon ah club matters in Serie A as well, but most of the focus today will be on the Italy national team. And we'll also ah look ahead also to the to the resumption of Serie A ah next weekend as well as Bajio, Prem Face and Sadia Ass of the of the week. For all our
00:01:27
Speaker
First time listeners, this is our free weekly episode that we do every Monday, reviewing the weekend steady action and all the biggest talking points in Italian put football.
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00:01:35
Speaker
If you want to support the Italian football podcast and receive all of our content that we do throughout the week, including a weekly Q and A episode every Tuesday, where we answer all the questions from our patrons, plus the weekly Thursday midweek review show, plus interviews, postmetry action, and much, much more.
00:01:49
Speaker
Go to patreon dot.com slash TIP and become a subscriber for just $2.99 a month plus VAT. You can also be signed up to be a paid subscriber on Spotify. ah Link's in the description. It's the same price and same terms. And and for all of you that do listen on Spotify, Apple, or and iTunes Podcast would really appreciate it. Give us a five-star rating, a follow, and a like. Also, do subscribe to us on YouTube. and We're really, really growing fast on there. ah Three and a half thousand.
00:02:16
Speaker
ah Subscribers now, so follow us there.
Analysis of Italy's Tactics and Future Prospects
00:02:18
Speaker
Give us a like there. It just allows us to do more content for you guys Okay, let's get into today's show So we are going to be talking about and for most of the show the France vs Italy game on Friday UEFA Nations League match day one and Italy going away for the toughest game of the group in Paris at the Park de France um pretty hopeless situation for for most people. I don't think anybody could have predicted what was to follow after everything that we saw at ah at Euro 2024. And also looking at the squad beforehand, I don't think many people looked at that squad and thought, oh yeah, Italy can go away and and win at the the most successful international team over the last
00:03:07
Speaker
decade really, and let's be honest. um And Italy didn't just go there and win, they they went there and and were pretty dominant and deservedly won 3-1, maybe even could have could have scored more goals on the night. um It was a first win in Paris for 70 years, so it was ah in many ways a historic result.
00:03:33
Speaker
And that all came after the worst start ever by an Italian team. And we all thought it was, here we go again, 14 seconds straight from the kickoff. ah Italy can see the goal of the shocking mistake by Diorenzo. Donnarumma didn't even have his gloves on. It was that it was it was that fast. And we everybody thought, oh, here we go again. But Italy reacted to it. And they and they were absolutely fantastic, Nimmer. Yes, they they were really, really good. i What I was really What I was most impressed with was I was really worried, as I said last week, um that this was going to be another exercise in Spaliti pushing or trying, you know, square pegs, round holes kind of thing. Playing a 3-5-2, but not really. Playing a 3-4-2-1, not having a balanced team.
00:04:27
Speaker
But there was none of that. This was completely different. This was a Spalletti who I wished would have had this attitude going into the Euros. I wish, I really do wish, I think Italy would have had a much better Euros. I'm not saying they would have won it, because I think the gulping quality is is what it is, compared to Spain, Germany, and and and or especially France. But for me, the way I look at it is, I saw a team that was compact, that was balanced,
00:04:57
Speaker
that Spaliti did everything I wanted him to do, which I've said for over 16 months now, that the formation is just about balance. The attacking phase to express the football in his ideology, that doesn't hinge on whether he has a back three or a back four, because Spaletti's football, the most important, is the midfield trio, in how they transition from a three to a two-one, where the one is the trecoartista linking up with the with the wide players and, of course, the striker. that's that's the That's the most important tactical aspect of the attacking phase of Spaletti.
00:05:36
Speaker
And he did all of that. He had them set up brilliantly. um And the fact that they reacted the way they did, even after again going down a goal after 14 seconds after a stupid mistake, they reacted. And the equalizer was just stunning. i I tweeted out that this was Spaletti taking influences from Nzagi in the sense that this these big, long, wide, expansive triangles horizontally and then vertically with one-touch movement, it's incredibly difficult to execute. And it's above all incredibly difficult to to defend against.
00:06:18
Speaker
But you see, I'm also of the opinion that Spaletti's attacking ideology and Inzaghi's attacking ideology are not that far apart. And so what I saw was something that really comforted me more than the result was to see Italy have an identity again, that they believed in something. And how Spaletti, whatever was pissing him off or whatever he was upset about in the summer, this was this was a Spaletti we saw at Napoli when he was at his best, when he was in control of his emotions himself.
00:06:53
Speaker
um of of the team and they were excellent. I mean, again, the result, I don't really care about the result, because for me, the Nations League is just a glorified friendly. What I want to see is a performance. I want to see something that gives me hope moving forward defensively and attacking, or a defense in the defensive phase and the attacking phase. And I saw all of those things. I saw mental strength. I saw reaction. I saw fantastic football.
00:07:22
Speaker
um, creative football. Again, international football for me is as a manager, your main job is to mitigate your weaknesses, maximize your, your strengths and play to the opposition's weaknesses because you don't, you can't sign players. You have what you have and therefore you've got to do with the best with it. And I thought finally, finally we saw the real Spalletti, the Spalletti that made me happy when i when he was first appointed. I was happy about that appointment. This is, I've been waiting to see this, to see this that we saw against France. And it was, I'm i'm really, really happy about it. It really gives me hope for the future. It really gives me a sense of this this team under Spalletti, if he continues down this path, can actually be more, become more than the sum of its parts.
In-depth Tactical Discussion
00:08:16
Speaker
And that's what you have to do right now as the Italy manager. I'm not saying be defensive. I'm not saying do anything. I'm saying get the most out of what is available to you. And I felt finally Spaletti did that against France more than the result. That's what I take away from it. Yeah, I was very pleasantly surprised. I have to be honest. I mean, he if we look at this tactically.
00:08:39
Speaker
He went to a 3-5-1-1 formation, and I looked at the team, and especially attacking, and and I saw, well, they've got one striker, Rettigy, they've got Pellegrini as the one behind the one, not the quickest player, as we know, and then basically, you know, Flatezi, Ritchie, Tonali, and Pellegrini, we're talking about four central midfielders there, um so he papped the centre of the pitch, but you know i I was kind of a bit worried before the game thinking, what how are we going to be a threat offensively with with just all midfielders and and no you know no, only one attacker really, one natural attacker on the pitch. Yet they cut through France so so time and again, so easily, so many men were getting forward, so many men were getting into the box, um whether it was in possession and and Italy,
00:09:32
Speaker
Until probably the last 20 25 minutes and they it's we were controlling dominating possession as well ah Dominating territory and so they were great in possession, but they were also fantastic In transition and on the counter attack and every time they attacked they were overwhelming Overloading France they had always had so many men forward um So despite only having one strike on the pitch, it's the work were creating chances and you know, it was working fantastically. And, you know, that everything that I asked for in a football team, you know, we saw we saw that it was very fluid. We saw great kind of patterns of play, great team moves. I mean, look at the three goals, all three goals, amazing team moves. I mean, the first one obviously stands out in the first goal is a is a world class goal in every possible possible way. But
00:10:27
Speaker
cross cross from the the right ah from Cambiazzo straight to DiMarco. DiMarco hits it first time to Tonali, who first time incredible world-class back-heeled flick into the path of DiMarco, who hits it first time, you know, three first time but three first time ah hits of the ball. Absolutely incredible. well All three goals were team moves. Yes, we can break down and we're talking about France is defending not being great, but cut through them with team play. Italy made those goals you know and the passing was great. I thought the pressing was was was fantastic. Winning the ball in all areas of the pitch, high up but in the the middle the middle of the pitch, um i mean that the press breaking balls into midfield from the defense
00:11:17
Speaker
I mean, Calafiori and Bastoni, especially Bastoni, but both of them were absolutely fantastic with their press breaking passes. Calafiori, again, with those press-breaking runs into midfield. I mean, he was basically playing as a a double central midfielder alongside Ricci for much of the game. ah he was He was superb again. um and But physically, very sharp. like In the Euros, Italy looked so tired, so lethargic.
00:11:46
Speaker
and they were will physically great in this game. ah Lots of fight as well and of course mentally fantastic because if you recover from going behind after 14 seconds in Paris after everything that's gone on beforehand in the euros and the pressure that Spelletti was on. I mean, lots of people, including ourselves, were kind of asking the question, you know, are we beginning to see is this the beginning of the end of Spelletti? Is he one or two result, bad results or bad performances away from from being
00:12:18
Speaker
you know at the risk of the sack, especially with the elections, the elections for the FIGC president where Glavina could be replaced and the new guy could come in as a president and want his own man. you know Lots of pressure going into this game. You go behind after 14 seconds and and we showed such great character. I mean i think we it showed that the players were playing for the manager. All those doubts that we had in the Euros about you know were they going against the manager? Were were they not in tune? I mean, that I think we can we can certainly say they're They're playing for the manager. We saw that with the celebrations as well. um you know The way that Spelletti was embraced after of the goals that were scored. I mean um i thought as a team, tactically,
00:12:59
Speaker
fantastic outplayed France tactically. france france It was like watching ah you know an elite tech tactician against ah against a basic tactician and that's what it was. um It was fantastic, brilliant. It was absolutely fantastic and like well that's exactly what I meant about the first goal being difficult ah to to to to actually execute in terms of but it's a movement and it's a movement pattern that we see Inzaghi do time and time again and we've seen Spaletti do to a certain extent but his triangles are much smaller whilst Inzaghi's are much bigger on the pitch when they saw themselves through.
00:13:37
Speaker
from Cambiaso, cutting in in a little bit, playing that wide ball out to DiMarco, one touch pass to to Tonali, who backheels it. DiMarco runs, I mean, we've seen that time and time again in to do that. That's what I mean with the expansive triangles going horizontally and then vertically. um that but It's really difficult to defend against that.
00:13:58
Speaker
and And it's also kind of what I meant about how their football in the attacking phase really isn't that different. It's not much of an adaptation for Spaletti to incorporate that into this team, given that the foundation and most of the players, the you know, are used to playing with a back three and most of the players, you know, they talk about the Inter core. Well, Inter are the best team in Italy right now. If we look at the last four years, five years,
00:14:25
Speaker
And it's only natural for the national team to build on the team, the the strongest domestic team with the most Italian players. So it's just natural to do it. I mean, we've seen it in the past with Juve when they were dominating or Mila and so on. So I'm really, really happy to to see to see him to do all of these things. I did not expect it at all. I am the first to raise my hand up and and say that again I was expecting another you know all those comments before worried the hell out of me and I said it on the pod last week I was really scared of him doing exactly what he did in the euros square pegs round holes and Italy getting destroyed well instead what we saw was everything I'd hoped to see from Spalletti from day one and what we saw was Italy ripping a
00:15:16
Speaker
on paper qualitatively far superior team to shreds. Again, and um't I don't even care about the result. I'm talking about the performance, the reaction, the balance, the patterns of play, the defensive structure. I was i was so happy. and And to do that after a mistake from de lore di Lorenzo, which cost him a goal,
00:15:39
Speaker
Like that that to me is just, that I mean for me this was, I couldn't in my wildest dreams of hope for something like this. and And I'm thrilled, absolutely thrilled to see Italy, I really have hope now moving forward. Like I'm not saying that Italy are the best and they're gonna win the World Cup or anything like that, no. They need to appoint Allegri to do that.
00:16:01
Speaker
but but ah you have to put a dump no i has i mean here we are all exciting and and have this and why you have the mid um was just that man to wind you up no but we no on all honesty I'm not saying they're going to do that, but I actually have hope now. And I saw the introductions of Udoji and the other players who came in and it gave me more hope. And I'm looking at... Yeah, we'll talk about the individuals in a minute. I just want to finish up on Spoletti first though, Nemo. And I think that, um what what yes, you're absolutely spot on. Hope has been renewed for Italy. And that was important because
00:16:39
Speaker
Everyone had kind of given up after the after the after the Euros, hadn't they? Let's be honest, everyone had given up. and I'm sorry. everybody no Nobody predicted this, this in this game. Nobody. You find me. If there's anyone out there that predicted this this turnaround in you know in this game, um you know I didn't see them. I didn't see anyone. predict There was doom and gloom everywhere. Everyone thought that they would lose.
Italy's Strategy and Team Identity
00:17:03
Speaker
And and you know this this has brought hope again and for Italy. And fair play to Spoletti, like what he said before this game, you know it played out. you know He predicted that Italy would dominate possession in this game in before before kickoff. um But he also spoke about how after the Euros, you know he was quite open about the mistakes that he tried to complicate matters too much with his with his positional play and and and the way that what he said he wanted his team to to to build up in a three and defend in a four and how he's changed that and and wants them to to kind of play this have the same from a defensive point of view anyway have the same numbers
00:17:43
Speaker
uh attacking as as defending um so they build they defend in a three as well and and you know i guess that you know that that that that does make things simpler when you know it is difficult in international football when you you only got very limited time with the players you don't have day in day out throughout the season you have a few windows and you only have a ah few days before the games you play and and it's very difficult to to put these complex tactical club systems that we see the best coaches in the world are able to to put into place like Spoletti did at Napoli, like Pep, like ah ah you know some of these system managers do, so Gasparini, Deserba, you know that very kind of system managers and it's almost impossible to do that in international football because you don't have the time and it takes a long time to get those. I think what he's done
00:18:34
Speaker
ability is he's try to simplify things but at the same time i saw some patterns of play that look very complicated not complicated but you know patterns of play that you don't just do by just turning up and play and those are those have been worked on in in training so that's what really gives me hope is that that they're still able to to have an identity, the Spoletti identity, but also do it with a system that I had my doubts whether that would be possible because Spoletti has built his success, not with a three-man defense. And you know I said that you know if you're going to be Spoletti, play the system that you play. Don't play a three. That you know that has isn't how you've been successful. And we saw in this game that they could play the kind of Spoletti football with a back three.
00:19:20
Speaker
um So that that gives me hope. But we have to also say, Nipma, that this is, like you said, it's a glorified friendly. It's the nation's league. ah it's france Yes, it's France. They have amazing individuals. But it's also a France that we saw in the Euros were horrible themselves. I mean, it's got one goal from Open Play in the Euros. And they were horrible to watch. And they've got a coach who, as I call him,
00:19:44
Speaker
is the garriff the the French Gareth Southgate, who has no system. he just they just you know that they they They play the most basic. Deschamps has probably stayed too long as well. And also it's one game as well. like you know It's one game. we We need to see consistency now over the next games in the rest of the nation's league. And then, of course, the the World Cup qualifiers start next next year. So we need we need to see this consistently.
00:20:11
Speaker
and but But lots and lots of of hope and promise going forward with him. But I want to talk about the individuals now. Can I just say one last thing on this issue? And that is that I got a little bit of a deja vu from when Manchini took over. If you remember when Manchini took over, it was chaotic. He he inherited a disaster. But it took some time to get through it. And then he started imposing his ideas. And then Italy went on that insane two, three year run um and ended up with culminating in winning the Euros. i get I'm getting a little bit deja vu here in the sense that Spaletti inherited a mess, a bomb had gone off.
00:20:58
Speaker
he struggled to find his feet but it feels now that there is an identity and a belief in this team and each other coach players everyone and that Regardless of where this ends in two years, three years time, that is hopeful. And that is the most important thing because the national team needs stability now.
Spotlight on Key Italian Players
00:21:23
Speaker
The Azuri needs stability. They need to get to the World Cup. They need to deliver at that World Cup. And that doesn't mean winning. That means doing themselves justice.
00:21:32
Speaker
by playing a football in both phases that has a clear identity with that they believe in and that they look like a team, a coherent team. What we saw against France in the Nations League was the embryo of that, and that's what gives me hope.
00:21:49
Speaker
Yeah, no, I agreed agree. I agree. The hope has been restored, and that is so, so, so, so important. and But we have to talk about individuals, because there are so many ah individuals to talk about here, so many fantastic individual performances ah in this game. I want to start off, first of all, with Samuel Erichi. We're going to do a profile on him in a minute, so I only want to speak very, very quickly about him here. But for me, he was the biggest um success story of the game along with tonali but but the new success story let's say because this was his first start i think for italy certainly his first competitive start for italy's third appearance for for italy and um he was he he played as the regista uh in this game and he was absolutely fantastic at the at the base of the the midfield um he didn't look like uh like uh you know like he was making his first start he looked like a veteran i i thought and very very
00:22:44
Speaker
fantastic in all phases but let's park him for now so I'm going to do a profile on him in the next segment but so Tonali though let's talk about Tonali because this was his first game after a year but for Italy obviously had that 10 month betting ban Mr Euros He was absolutely brilliant in this game. ah Just everything about him, his grinter, his drive, his press, his ability to press and win the ball, but also his quality on the ball, which is none more exemplified by that that amazing assist. ah just Just pure class for the assist, for the the DeMarco goal with a backflip. I mean, to think that he puts in a performance like this,
00:23:26
Speaker
having not played for a year and just with a few minutes under his belt this season as a substitute for for Newcastle. I mean, and you get you know any he plays like this. I mean, wow. I mean, I think we've seen just how much we've missed him, Nimmer.
00:23:41
Speaker
I mean, I was thinking midfield, Barrella, Tonali, Pellegrini or Ricci, depending on how you want to form make them. It made me happy. It just like they really compliment each other really well because I think or even Locatelli, which I think should be integrated back into this team now, as a reserve, as a rotation player. I don't know what Spaletti's problem is, but whatever it is, sort it out, because Locatelli has a role in this team. In this midfield trio, the characteristics he has, he can offer something coming off the bench, not as a starter, but just like Fratesi, who shouldn't be a starter in my opinion either, um even though I know he did,
00:24:27
Speaker
but My point is, when that everyone is healthy, the the strongest midfield does not include Locatelli and Fratesi, but they have to be in the squad. You can't tell me they're not good enough to be in the squad. With those characteristics and with this midfield, the way that they want to play, they have to be in the squad.
00:24:45
Speaker
um and And I'm just drooling at the idea of Barilla coming into this team. But let's talk about Sonali though. i mean what I mean, just how good his performance was.
00:25:01
Speaker
Yeah, he was outstanding. He was absolutely outstanding. He came out with a point to prove. He came out wanting to show who he was. um And this was the tonali that we all fell in love with, that we saw, you know, that we saw, you know, as a generational player. um Now it's up to him to play at this level, week in, week out, and show and re-establish himself. And I hope that happens in the seria. I really hope he returns back to the seria.
00:25:29
Speaker
want him to waste away in the Premier League in Newcastle. um so and I know he just signed a contract not too long ago, but i love this this is this is the player. he was He was fantastic in both phases. He's so press-resistant. He's so positionally sound, in my opinion. and he's He's a great passer. ah He's got a very underrated shot on him.
00:25:52
Speaker
Now I really really love watching him minute and I mean that back flick as well. I mean you saw it that like when this is what he can do when you give him time and the reason he found that time is again these sideways movements are so difficult to defend against and if you have wing backs who can play like that where you create the numerical advantage in the field where you have from one end to the other, and the other receiving ball back can, on one touch, go go deeper. That's so difficult to defend against. The the defending team can't you know can't push up and put pressure on whoever's got the ball, and you need the player who is on the receiving end, like Tonali was, to be able to have the quick thinking and technique to play that ball. Well, he has that ball.
00:26:36
Speaker
i thought And I loved, sorry, he has that skill.
Italy's Defensive and Midfield Strengths
00:26:40
Speaker
And and I just absolutely loved his performance. I really did. Yeah, I thought he was, I thought he was absolutely brilliant. And I remember saying it when he, when the betting ban was announced, I remember saying then I'm i'm writing off our euros now because our midfielders, you know, it was declined so much and we just could not lose Tonali. And that we saw in this game without Parela playing, like you said, just just how much he brings to this, to this team. I mean,
00:27:10
Speaker
That was a world-class world- class performance from Tenali. He completely dominated the the the the France central midfielders. and But also the other sentiment, like Ricci as we said, but flattere you know he has his critics, and I'm one of them. It drives me mad.
00:27:27
Speaker
seeing a midfielder with ah with a pass success rate of under 50%, I just ah can't get that out of my head. you know because ah when i when i was a When I played that, was I was a passing midfielder. When I used to play with midfielders that couldn't pass it, it used to drive me mad. It really did. that When I see Frances, he's passing back. He was brilliant in this game. He was brilliant. He scored He hit the bar and he should have scored he was virtually an open goal, but he was in the position He's very good at getting into those positions in the box very good with those late runs um He's usually a very good finisher as well actually to give him his credit He's when he goes when he has a chance he usually puts them away But um yeah, he hit the bar on that one, but he took his goal great
00:28:07
Speaker
he had another header and which Manon made a magnificent save so he could have had a hat trick in this match but but he' just his energy, his intensity, his again his his his his pressing and just his role, tactical role that he he played out. I mean, clearly Spelletti seems to quite like him and as as a player. And I think he probably shows that um as well under Spelletti. So I thought Francesi was great. Those three midfield, Ritchie, Tonali, Francesi, the three of them in the center of midfield were were all three of them were but really, really great.
00:28:47
Speaker
and And then if we move to the flanks, I mean DiMarco playing in a natural role, and obviously he's the one that's going to benefit the most from playing in this in this three-man defense or winger wingback system, let's say. ah He's going to benefit the most because you know we've seen what he does fit into it, and he just seems so more natural with his movements and of course the goal. i mean just magnificent magnificent call i mean it's is it' it's it's uh...
00:29:19
Speaker
It's going to be gold of the round, let's say. You're not going to beat that gold as a team move, but also as a shot as well. I mean, magnificent from DeMarco. And Cambiaso as well. Excellent. He did a great start to season for Juventus. Cambiaso, obviously in a different system, but he's played everywhere for Juve. Played as a right back, a left back, and as a right winger this season. And he might play right winger in the next game as well because they've got both of their new signings injured so he was great and we saw him involved very good technically. He is and he's a very intelligent player. The fact that he's so tactically intelligent is why he can be utilised in so many roles. I really think you're
00:30:01
Speaker
I don't know if it was your you you who said it first or who else said it that about the Zombrota analogy. I think that's absolutely spot on. the The tactical awareness and intelligence of him, that is, and other Zombrota was a world class player. I think it's way too soon to call Cambias a world class player. But he has similarities in terms of his intelligence on the pitch, which makes him very useful. He can interpret so many roles really well um and and that's what makes him such a useful player both for club and country um and and we saw that in in in in that game throughout um and now it's it's it's anodogy as well like you said i thought he was really good he got an assist didn't he you're the assist for raspadori yeah he was but he played as a as a mezzala which is really interesting because remember when we when we
00:30:51
Speaker
When we interviewed him, did just over a year ago, he came onto the pod. I asked him the question. I remember it well. I said, you know, do you prefer playing as a left back or do you prefer playing as a mezzala, which is a role that he only really played for Italy's. I don't know if it was under 17 to under 19. So I remember watching. if He has done it for Denis as well on on occasion. Yeah, very rarely, though, very rarely. And I asked him and and he was pretty adamant. No.
00:31:17
Speaker
like i don't he didn't say i don't like playing there but he pretty much said i'm a i he said i'm a left back yeah i'm a left back that's my role you know not i'm not a mitzvah like that's what he basically said he said it pretty much like if i remember correctly was it's been a while since we did that interview but if i think he was very clear yeah he was very clear yeah there was no ifs ands or buts there um but No, I absolutely loved him in this in this in this role. I thought he was excellent and and I love that. Again, the fact that Italy have players who can interpret different roles in a really good way is something I really enjoy um and and it makes me happy.
00:31:56
Speaker
um because I think you have to do that. And and also, I don't like to see Bastoni in the middle of that three-man defense because I think he's better in on the left. But I have to say,
00:32:11
Speaker
if he's going to play like that. But if he's going to play like that, then, you know, then you're in the middle and it's like, he was unbelievable. Like we've spoken, you know, we all know how bloody good he is in the attacking phase. His weakness has always been on the defensive side, right? But the last 12 to 18 months, the the steps he's taken in defending the defensive phase are just mind-blowingly impressive.
00:32:41
Speaker
and What a career trajectory he's playing for himself here. And and it's it's becoming like this kind of complete central defender, modern central defender, who can do everything.
00:32:54
Speaker
and and and And it was just I just loved seeing it. ah I really thought it was superb. but um I mean, he was he was magnificent on the ball. But but we know that we know he's brilliant. and But I mean, that's what I mean the with the ball. out But the defensive side, yeah he was outstanding. And again, this is something like I said, we've we've seen for the last 12 to 18 months, he has improved so much defensively.
00:33:14
Speaker
he smelled he seemed in this game he was smelling danger really well like he wasn't just like i don't know whether this would be an accurate way to describe him but i feel like sometimes he's a little bit not standoffish but a little bit kind of hesitant you may be hesitant but but he doesn't feel like he's he's polished that the last yeah year and a half that he's the he's he like he's more aggressive i think more aggressive yeah needs the game like he he expresses his read of the game in a better way than he used to i think is how i put it yeah and and and he's and he's done this for inter as well so this is not just a one-off game yeah it's been consistent and No, I mean, that that I think that's a really big positive for Inter as well, because because they need it. They're going to need the new center center they do a because Achebe's 36, DeVry is past his best as well. and you know there is a There's a gap there. You you you put put him in there and then... But then again, I do love his runs and his crossing, like it's like, and these diagonal balls, you know, Bastoni to Barella. I mean, it's like... Of course, of course. And that's something for Inter to think about, but I think for Italy,
00:34:17
Speaker
same for but for italy when you've got bastani and califuri and then there are two i don't want to say two world-class players but but i think it could soon be that case uh then califuri isn't there yet but no but you know what i mean there's potential for them to both be world-class um and quite soon and and and you're thinking well We've got to find a way to play both of them. And if you're playing back three, this is how you play both of them. And then you've got Bongiorno as well. like But that's good though, because you need you need depth. We saw it in the Euros, you can't have a situation because where there's always going to be injuries, especially with Italy's recent record.
00:34:56
Speaker
you know where we're where obviously we know we've spoken about it, something's not right at the moment with the number number of injuries that Italian players are getting. You're going to have players missing, you're going to have players out, you can't go from having one player out and all of a sudden you've you've got luck we had in the Euros where you you have to rely on players that are not good enough.
00:35:13
Speaker
because somebody's out in in any position, not just the centre back. so yeah I agree with that. what Just one thing I wanted to say finally, and we're talking about individuals before we move on. No, I've still got a few to talk about. Yeah, no, I want to talk about Aspadori. I want to stick with the defence first. I want to go on to Califuri next, but yeah, go on. I want to talk about Aspadori. This is how you use them. Well, let's go on to Aspadori after. let's talk about Let's finish with the defence first, Califuri.
00:35:36
Speaker
um Yeah, like I said, you have to play i mean Bastoni and Calipari together in this game. I thought they were absolutely outstanding. Mbappe couldn't do anything. I mean ah know Mbappe's not been the best for quite a while now, let's be honest. but he couldn't outpace, he couldn't do them for pace because Califiori's got the legs. He couldn't beat them for smarts because Bastani and Califiori are so clever, you know but but the both of the, Califiori especially, so good at intercepting and reading the game aggressively coming forward and winning the ball early. and the The France attackers, couldn't they couldn't do anything, but both of those two together, whatever they did, those two had the answers. but Between the two of them,
00:36:21
Speaker
They've literally got everything. They complete everything, those two. And they're so good on the board as well. And Calla Fury, like... the way that he brings the ball out, like we saw obviously with that famous goal for Italy against Croatia, the way that yeah know he made that goal by coming out of the fence and bring the way that he brings it out of it. But also in this game, we saw tactically how important it is because he was joining to create a two man, like a double pivot with Ricci in the center of midfield, which creates an an extra overload. Italy were completely overloading France in midfield.
00:36:54
Speaker
um And with France having Kante and Faufano already, you can't keep the ball if their life's of hate. Their life depended on it. They're not ball-playing players. That was it for France. Dominate him in field. So what kind of fury can... I mean, kind of fury. Wow. He has to start for Arsenal now. I know he's been bedded in, but just playing now, etc. Enough of this substitute. Well, I don't want to, it depends on where he's going to play him. I don't want to see him wither away as a fullback. I want him to play centrally as one of the, you know, one of the central defenders. I think that should be his role. Well, yeah, I guess, I guess. This is why I don't want Italian players to lead, to go to the Premier League. They can go to Real Madrid and France and Germany or whatever, but don't go to the Premier League. You end up in these situations where they just, I feel played,
00:37:43
Speaker
Well, we'll see how he uses him. I mean, you never know. it wouldn't be I mean, we've seen Arteta drop players that seem like Ramsdale, for example, how it was doing great for Arsenal and then suddenly was dropped and and they brought in Raya. It wouldn't totally surprise me if Gabriel, who has been very good, is dropped and Califiori replaces him next to Salima. It wouldn't surprise me.
00:38:06
Speaker
They do have fantastic central defender options. But they've got options there, haven't they? mean Yeah, so I mean, it would have probably been better, it would have been better for Califiori, career-wise, to to go to Juventus. There's no doubt about that. Well, if he stayed at Inter, Juve, anyway, just stay in Italy, like, it would have been much better. I mean, to be coached by Thiago Mota would have been the absolutely best choice, because that was the coach... I think he will grow tactically under Arteza. I think Arteza is really good. No, I like Arteza. He's a good tactician. He just takes whatever Pep does and copies it, and, and you know... I'm not, I'm not even digging Arteta. I'm just saying that I would have preferred for him to stay in Italy and be continually coached by the coach that unleashed him.
00:38:46
Speaker
Do you have a water from the national? I agree, but more because I think he had the position there down to a tee, you know, all set up for him. But we'll see. We'll see what happens to him. But together, yeah, those two. Fantastic. But let's move on to the attack then. You want to talk about Raspadori first. This is how you use Giacomo Raspadori.
00:39:07
Speaker
This is the role he used to play. You play a prima punta giant, twint ah one of the towers up front, and you let him play off of that guy. that That's when he's at his best, when he can move centrally in between lines and in in between spaces like that and link up and play out wide. He was outstanding. This is Raspador. Raspador is not a soul, not a false nine. He's not a wide player. He's one of the two in the attack next to a big giant like Skamaka or Etegi.
00:39:36
Speaker
That's how you use him. And when when he took out Pellegrini and brought on Raspadori, it was excellent man management or sorry game management. And Raspadori just came on and did.
00:39:48
Speaker
did what we we we know he can do when he's played in the right position, in the right system. And I i was thrilled to see Raspadori, thrilled to see Raspadori, because I really like the player. I think there's a player there. And let's be honest, it's it's it's very much why where does his career go from here kind of situation with him, isn't it? Well, I think that he he he definitely the role for him is in the front two. I think i think that's that's definitely clear now. um you Playing as a wide attacker in a three,
00:40:22
Speaker
or playing as a wide attack in a 4-2-3-1, same thing really, or playing as ah even as a as like a number 10 in a 4-2-3-1, I don't think it's his role, and but also playing as a false nine, which we have seen him do, and do decently for Spoletti, I'm thinking kind of in the winter, autumn, winter of last year, when he did he had a few decent games and in in that role, you're not gonna get, I don't think you're ever gonna get, especially with his size, you're ever gonna get a respiratory that the has has enough of the attributes to be the player that's needed if Italy are going to be what Italy should be. um And need for Raspadori to become the player, that you know he has got there's no doubt this talent there, this quality there, there's there's no doubt about that.
Italy's Attacking Options and Player Improvements
00:41:04
Speaker
he has He has technical qualities, but I think that
00:41:07
Speaker
he has to play in a front two to to be able to to show the best of him and unfortunately in modern football not many teams play front twos but but two of them that are going to be played a front two now are the two teams he plays for it's the national team and Napoli under well we think Napoli under Conte the problem is that obviously the front two for Napoli are going to be cavara and lukau so he's not going to get a starting shirt for or three four two one so if he does he has to play as one of the two behind well yeah yeah it's gonna be the most deal that's gonna be the most interesting thing because i believe in antonial content when it comes to
00:41:41
Speaker
being able to get the best out of his disposal when his back is against the wall. Well, his back has been against the wall since the minute he sat foot in Naples. And so I have faith in both Bongiorno and Raspadori. But above all, to end the defense discussion, I have faith in the Lorenzo as a right center back. I really do. Antonio Conte will fix that right. Okay. Well, I want to talk about Did our ends in a minute when we talk about the negatives from from this game, and but just to finish off on the positives on the individuals I just wanted to say again with let's agree and I thought he was I thought it was very good again in this game um I you know, I think that
00:42:21
Speaker
he has already, this season, and grown so much as an all-round player. We know he's a great goal scorer. We know he's great in the air. I mean, a great goal scorer, a great finisher. um But, you know, from everything we'd we've seen up until this season, his all-round game, his link-up with teammates, playing with the back to goal, his top first touch,
00:42:41
Speaker
You know, they they weren't good enough. I'll be honest with you. They are now. Not good enough, but we've seen it. I mean, it's still ah too much of a small sample size. It's still too much of a small sample size to to to say definitively. 100%. But what we've seen in these first few weeks at Atalanta, first few games at Atalanta is a player that so far in the games he's played this season is holding it up really well, is protecting it with his back to goal really well, is linking up with his teammates well. His touch seems to have improved.
00:43:10
Speaker
he's been he seems to be smarter as well, like he's winning free kicks as well, he buys time for his team, which he did in this game as well against France, ah and he's dangerous, he's dangerous. um i leave in the penalty area I have to say, i didn't you know i didn't see him I didn't see this game in him, and um' um'm i'm actually I've gone from being quite hopeless with Rettigy to actually, again, hope is the word of today, actually starting to feel quite hopeful. I've got to be honest with you, I agree with every single thing you said and I never saw that but but he had these things you mentioned in his game either. I always saw him as a killer in the box, that this is a guy you give a chance
00:43:53
Speaker
he'll kill it. Like that's what he is. And that's why I had him as Capo Canoneer in Serie A because Atalanta obviously creates so much and he's a killer. So, you know, but I'm also very positively surprised by all the things that you excellently just detailed right there. And I agree with every single one of them adding to the end. It's too early. It's too soon, but the start to say anything definitively, but the start has been wonderful for both club and country.
00:44:22
Speaker
It really has. It really has. And it just shows that sometimes it's just, you know, give these players a chance and and you don't know what will come out of them. Well, just give them a chance, but give them the chance in the right environment. with them In the right environment, yeah. to I mean, that that's what I mean, look, putting Rategi with Atalanta is just, it's such a smart career move.
00:44:45
Speaker
It's a smart signing. It's a smart career move, and Italy will benefit from it. And I'm just hoping to see what Gasperini can do with Bella Nova, because then you've got another guy on the, because I mean, we have a sport for choice on the left wing. Well, if belan if he can unlock Bella Nova's potential, then you've got Cambiazza and Bella Nova on the right, the midfield, the defence. It's starting to come together. Yeah. And hope is the word, like you said.
00:45:11
Speaker
Yeah, no, absolutely. um But moving from all the positives, because I don't think we've we've spoken so positively about the Italy first. your the euroly one gros like it's It's just been nothing to talk about. It's been three years of abject misery.
Challenges and Improvements for Italy's Defense
00:45:30
Speaker
ah this what it just has ah yeah I agreed yeah and just want to touch on the negatives very quickly. and There was really one negative in this game.
00:45:41
Speaker
I didn't think Pellegrini had a particularly great game, um but you know nothing could lie him in there. But Di Lorenzo, of course, he's had a shocker here. and The goal that but Italy conceded, again, just another unforgivable mistake from Di Lorenzo that we've we've seen now, not just for for Italy,
00:46:01
Speaker
But she pens the handle. That's all I'm going to say. He'll fix that. He'll fix it. Don't worry. Don't worry. Antonio will fix that. Antonio antonio from Lecce will sort that out. Give him a couple of months. I promise you. like In the meantime, in this couple of months, though, he shouldn't play for Italy. Should should Italy drop him now? No, I think so. i think But it's not going to happen at the same time, yes, you can say that.
00:46:27
Speaker
But at the same time, he's Spaletti's guy. And if Spaletti wants him in the team because he trusts him, he loves him, they love his his son, then he called him his son. I mean, you can't demand, like if if it's, you know, of course there's going to be a point where Spaletti is going to be, I'm sorry, Giovanni, but You know, but again, I'm not worried because he's got Antonio Conte at club level. So I'm not, it would have been, if he was playing in a team where they play with the back four and he was a fullback, I'd be more worried. But since he's got Antonio Conte there, Antonio Conte just needs time to mold him into that role. And that's the role he's going to play for the national team as well. So all I'm going to say is.
00:47:14
Speaker
stay calm and give let Antonio Conte take the wheel. this This is the biggest weakness that is the biggest weakness the biggest weakness with Diorenzo even when he was at his best was he doesn't smell danger um and you know even if you go back to the Euro 2020 final and Diorenzo had a great tournament in that tournament. Look at the goal that Italy conceded in the final from Luke Shaw. He's there at the back post dealer end zone. He's just got no awareness or smelling any of the danger that's behind him with Luke Shaw. I think that's a little bit unfair. well you know You know that when you play against a team that's 3-5-2, that man, that extra man... yeah Exactly, that's my point. you know yeah but it's difficult he doesn't he doesn't barely even look around to see sure behind him i mean as ah as a defender as a fullback you've got to be aware all the time you've got to be looking you've got to be you've you've got to be you've got to think of is the possibility of a player coming and you've got to look around in it and he was that's what I mean but he doesn't smell danger the weing is in that game in that particular I understand what you're saying and and I get it but I just think that example to me is a little bit unfair because that's the advantage of playing a three five two against the team with a bag four is that you've got that
00:48:25
Speaker
you know you need your midfielders to help out and drop deep so and be good in the air so that you can push out wide and when you're on the transition like England hit Italy it's it's that that that goal will always come or that chance will always come but I get what you're saying I do feel that sometimes he's not as... He doesn't get tight on his man, he doesn't stop crosses in, he doesn't, he's not... No, those are those are true but at the same time he's he does have a very high footballing IQ and I do think that like the way that he should be utilized
00:49:02
Speaker
is yeah I think Spalletti is the right man. Spalletti and Conto are the right men in charge of that particular project. um Or if we want to use a a medical analogy of that patient, because it's clear that the patient, Giovanni di Lorenzo, is sick. And who else, in in footballing terms, well, who do who would I trust to cure the patient? Well, no one more than Antonio Conto and Luciano Spalletti.
00:49:26
Speaker
honest to God. And I i see the there's this the the sicknesses that you're saying, and I kind of agree with them. But I do think that, look, there are also some of it is down to form and confidence. He has had a torrid year. um He has had a horrible 12 months. And that kind of thing bites, you know, niggles away at your confidence. I think he just needs to find himself again. And I have no faith, no no doubts that he will. I really don't.
00:49:53
Speaker
Yeah. Who would you who would you replace him with in the in the time being? like who who Who would who is there for the rights in their own? Obviously if s Scalvini was was wasn't ACL'd, he would be the probably the object.
00:50:07
Speaker
I'd play Gianluca Mancini there. over guti yeah I think Mancini has shown maturity over the last two a couple of seasons, especially as you know to the right of a back four as well as to the right of a back three that I think he deserves it. I really do. I think he's polished away a lot of the nonsense that we were all very critical of. And I also think that he's a very, very underrated passer of the ball.
00:50:32
Speaker
um and But with the difference, of course, being that he's very good in the air. So I would play Mancini. And there's also he he is a mean s SOB. He gets in people's faces. And I don't want too many good, good choir boys, nice, good, clean cut choir boys in my defense. I want pricks. OK, I want I want douche bags. Every defense needs a douche bag.
00:50:54
Speaker
um and and And I think Mancini for me should be, should he ticks all those boxes um and also because I think he's much more polished than he was a couple of seasons ago. I think it would be unfair to him to say that this is a Gianluca Mancini of two, three years ago. I think it's a much more polished and mature player. um So for me, I think he should be in the squad as well and he should be a rotation player, absolutely.
00:51:18
Speaker
perhaps even a starter, I think of all the players that we've discussed, based on merit and form alone, I think Manchin is probably the closest to the lineup, when everyone's injury free that is. Yeah, yeah.
00:51:30
Speaker
Yeah, whenever you use that choir boy reference, I always think of the Godfather and the I'm no band leader.
Critique of France's Coaching and Future Directions
00:51:36
Speaker
Quite from, from what was his name? Whoops. Where he goes, I'm no band leader. I always, I don't know what but that why. I thought you were going to say the horrible scene when, when Michael is, is, is, you know, accepts to be Godfather. And, you know, that scene where he says, do you denounce Satan and all his you know, whilst he's ordered the hit of the heads of the five families. One of the greatest scenes of all time in cinema, by the way. there's So many of them. So many of them. um Yes, right. Let's move on then to from the Godfather. Well, first of all, before we get to Richie, I do want to say though,
00:52:19
Speaker
France's performance was was really, really bad. yeah i as as As much as we praised Italy, um I think France were were also played a part in that. um Tactically, they were a complete mess, I thought, in this game. like They did have a few players missing, but they still had most of their starting 11 there. um I do think Deschamps has stayed too long now. I think it's just gone stale now. I think they they should have changed him. I really do. I think he's he's We saw at the Euros that that, I mean, they were awful, awful at the Euros. But the the the one thing I did want to talk about is France, like for as much as we praise France for but producing probably like no other nation over the last 10 years and still today, no one produces as many top quality players in Europe as France do. is It's unbelievable the abundance of players they have, but they they they don't
00:53:12
Speaker
They don't produce ball-playing sentiment in fielders. We saw that in the Euros. They're just athletic runners, athlete athletes that run and press good defensively, ah strong and powerful. But when you when they've got the ball at their feet, they they can't do much with it. They can't control possession. They can't create. They can't really you know create chances or or oh break break the lines with passes and and we I think we saw that again in in this game and the the performance from an Italian Serie italianeria point of view, the performance of Profana
00:53:52
Speaker
was really, really, if I'm a Milan fan watching that game, for Fana, your big centimetre field sign, he was horrendous. The amount of signs... Did you see that report, speaking of Milan, did you see that report about Mike Mignon in the dressing room, apparently allegedly saying that, oh, Italy only have two players that get into our team? I did see that, yeah. I don't know how true that is, but... Well, Fafana and Kante definitely wouldn't get in the early team, nor would Klaus at the right back. And looking at our centre defenders, I don't think Konate certainly wouldn't get into our back. I mean, I think that's exaggerating. Saliba to the right, but as a right back in a back three, give me, give me now. Oh, for sure. Even he was terrible in this game. I mean, he's defended on the rest of the day. It's exactly like you said, you're spot on about that. He's been there for what, 10 years now? 12 years. 12 years. I mean, it's time to move on. You've won a World Cup. You've been in another World Cup final. You've been to the Euros. You lost that final. Like, it's time for someone else to come in. And to me, there's only one candidate, and that's Zidane.
00:54:55
Speaker
like There's only one is that has been there waiting for for he has been patiently waiting. He has been very patient I mean, I'm like he's been I'm just wondering when the head bots coming out because because he has been so patient He's like the last three tournaments. He's basically waiting to take over. It's been like, oh go on I'll stay dish um like i'll stay on for for another couple of years another couple of years he's like Very very calmly waiting there. No, I think I think Zidane should take over I think Zidane commands the respect of the players and and also we've you know Yes, he took over a fantastic team at Real Madrid, but he still did win that many Champions League wins in a row. You can't take that away from him.
00:55:34
Speaker
and And that to me suggests that, you know, you that he does have some. He is not. He is good. at um A bit like a lot. He's good at handling a a dressing room full of superstars and and being able to command the respect and control. I think that is the one thing that he is good at for sure. so and i And I think also that what he's able to do is he's able to also build a system where stars all kind of put the best of the team ahead of their own good. I don't think Bichamp can do that. I feel this notion of playing Mbappe centrally come hell or high water.
00:56:13
Speaker
is not good for France and it makes France unbalanced. I don't know if this system is the right way. if Is it a formation issue? Is it an identity issue? Well, the shop has no attacking identity for starters. friend gareth selfgate Yeah, exactly. I think that's actually a very good analogy. I think it's spot on. It's vibes. Hey guys, here's the ball, go out and have fun. But Zidane wouldn't do that. We know he wouldn't do that.
00:56:42
Speaker
but I also don't think he would have he would allow Mbappe to walk around the pitch either and look as disinterested as he does. and And that, I think, is the kind of thing that, you know, I think if Zidane took over, he probably wins so much with them that he'd probably stay there for as long as he wanted. to Nobody would remove him. He's already Zinedine Zidane with the French public and and the French players. He's an icon.
00:57:11
Speaker
So I really think for France's sake, they get rid of, well, for France's sake, if I've got my French glasses on, I'd say I hope they get rid of the champs as soon as possible. If I'm wearing my Italian glasses, I hope the champs stay there forever because they're not going to win anything with them anymore.
00:57:26
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. So yeah, I agree. um Let's, let's do this profile then on Samuel Ericchi or Samuel Ericchi, who was the ah breakout star, let's say of this of this win against France in Paris, his first competitive start for for the international team, only his third cap for for Italy.
Samuel Ricci's Potential and Transfer Speculations
00:57:47
Speaker
He was absolutely magnificent. So he's 23 years old. He's a central midfielder, very complete midfielder, very tactically versatile in the midfielder. And you can play as a holding midfielder, almost like a regista, like he was in this game. But he you can also play as a Metzala, which is often played for Torino.
00:58:07
Speaker
and but he's he is quite complete, he's good technically, he covers the ground, he's good positionally, he can tackle and duel, but he can pass well, he can do a bit of everything, he's well built physically, he's over six foot, um he's he's got personality which we saw against France, you know he always wants the ball to take responsibility, um very very complete, the only thing really missing I think in terms of completeness is he doesn't doesn't score enough and he's not enough of ah of really enough of a goal threat in terms of goals and assists. But in terms of you know not basic attributes, technically and physically and and like probably even mentally, i think he I think he ticks pretty much all the boxes, don't you don't you say, Nima?
00:58:47
Speaker
I absolutely love this little guy. He's not little, but I call him little guy because he was a little kid when I discovered him at Empoli. He is from Tuscany. He's born in near Pisa and he was just he came to he came to pe he came to Empoli in 2017.
00:59:08
Speaker
um ah when when he was just 16 years old. um And of course, at Empoli, he found the perfect environment. um And it's funny because even though he's been you know his role on the pitch, he's been you know compared to Sandro Tonali or Pirlo in terms of being in Metzal or Regista, he's on the record as saying that his his um his idol or his inspiration is Ronaldinho.
00:59:37
Speaker
um i I think he's for me is more Georgina than he is any of those players. If I'm going to make any comparisons and you know, I don't really like doing these comparisons. He's the secondary assist man. He's not one that will score a lot to goals and assists, but he's the one that starts makes that secondary assist before the goals or assists are played are made. um I think he's got an incredible life football IQ. I love how patient he is with the ball.
01:00:06
Speaker
um No, I ah really, really, really like him. um and And he also has a very good, like he can shoot from distance. maybe does and but He But but lot unlike Georgina, he can be physical as well. like he He competes, doesn't he? likewise and he's And he's obviously, I'm not saying he's quick, but but he can get around the pitch. He has dynamism. Yeah, whereas Georgina can't get around the pitch. Obviously, that's has always been his weakness. A bit like Lebokka, over short distances, he's he's
01:00:39
Speaker
he's very good in tight spaces but I think Richie is good in tight spaces but what I mean is that he's good over you know he can he can get across the pitch which is important I think and and that's something and we obviously were lacking in the in the euros we were lacking pace and legs let's say in the team and yeah ah very very very impressive performance for for Richie and um he yeah like you said he started his career at Emply who have an amazing youth academy to develop so many talented youngsters in in the last years. I mean, and just in na just from their academy, I mean, Fatsini, Baladansi, Aslani, Hamid Traore, and then if we're going further back, players like Dinatale, Montela, I mean, these are just the academy players, but then we're not even talking about the young talents that have kind of passed through and become stars thanks to
01:01:28
Speaker
thanks to Emply. In recent years, we're looking at Benecer and Vicario and Parisi. I mean, that's just three recent examples. So he's just another, isn't he, from Emply? Oh, he is. And Alessio Dionisi coached him in Serie B, and he was actually named the the player of the Serie B of that season when they won promotion.
01:01:47
Speaker
yeah So, no, yeah em look, Empoli and Atalanta, Italy should really thank these these two clubs for for for for giving Italian players a chance and not just giving Italian players a chance, but creating an environment where young Italian talented players can express themselves, can play themselves, can improve and take the next step. um When he you know he moved to Torino, and I think together it's i think it's this is his third season, but i that duo eli and I love that. I honestly think that right now, watching those two play in central midfield is probably what I enjoy the most about the Serie A. Just the way that they complement each other in central midfield is just truly wonderful to watch.
01:02:35
Speaker
Yeah, no, they they are they are they are definitely two players that are set for bigger clubs and and that raises the question of kind of what is the future for Richie? If there's any club screaming for him, it's Mila. Well, I'm glad you mentioned them because Milan did try to sign Richie when he was at Empoli before he joined Torino.
01:02:58
Speaker
And they were, again, heavily linked. I don't know how concrete the interest was, but they were heavily linked with him at Torino, even going into this summer. Not so much during the summer, but kind of like earlier on in the year, like end of last season when they were looking ahead to this summer, he was linked to to to to two two Milan. Obviously, eventually, they've gone for Fafana.
01:03:20
Speaker
time will tell on on how well Fafana does. so He was horrendous for Fafana in this game um and Richie outplayed him in this game, so you know I'm not going to judge on one game. But in that as well, I mean, Cela Noglo ain't getting any younger.
01:03:36
Speaker
And if... Inter and Napoli have been linked with him. Beppe Marotta's reportedly a a big Dan. But obviously the big one this summer was Lazio. Lazio tried to sign it. to yeah and they had their um They had an offer of 18 million rejected. And Cairo, the Torino president, was asking for 25 to 30 million.
01:03:54
Speaker
But having said that though, Richie's contract runs out in 2026. That makes it clear. Please don't sign a contract extension. That's what I was going to say. It's pretty clear. He either signs a contract extension between now and the summer, next summer, or he's going to leave. um That's obvious. He's footballing God. Please hear my call. yeah Two things.
01:04:16
Speaker
So Ricci, don't sign a contract extension with Torino because otherwise Cairo will sell him to the Premier League, which is my second thing I want to ask you of. Please do not go to the Premier League. Go to Spain, go to France, go to Germany, stay in Italy. Do not go to the Premier League. The thing is with Ricci is you wonder after performance like this on the global stage, everybody would have seen this this this this win, this performance, um you know, whether is this Is there the risk of of him doing a Cala Fiore where this was the opportunity for the Serie A clubs to sign in this summer and now his his price is going to skyrocket? i mean I think there's less chance of that because the the Euros is such a huge stage. It's a tournament.
01:05:01
Speaker
and whereas UEFA Nations League qualification group games are not are not that and nor is Serie A so I think that that and also with his value of his contract running down which wasn't the case of Califiori I think that probably eliminates that but you know Serie A teams the point is that Serie A teams have to act before the Premier League teams come in because once they come in then it's game over, basically. and that's why and if you Even if he went to bloody Spain, I'd rather see him go there because he's... I think that kind of football suits him better, you know? um I want to see him go to a step up to one of the bigger Serie A teams. And that's why, you know, again, listen, it's one game. We can't get carried away. We need to see him doing this over, you know, I want him to stay in the team now for Italy. I want him to get a little run of games. I'm glad Spelletti gave him the chance.
01:05:53
Speaker
because these are the kind of players that Splitti should be testing and bedding into the the national team. If they don't work, they don't work, but we're better off trying them than going back to to known players that we know are not good enough. Christante, there's just no point going back to Christante. We know he's not good enough. So what is the point? You might as well test out a player who is a bit of an unknown quantity, maybe hasn't had the chance to play on a high level,
01:06:17
Speaker
ah And it's a case of well play him if he's not good enough. He's not good enough, but at least you've tried Rather than playing a player like Cristante where you know, they're not good enough and you're not you're just you're not gonna learn anything and you're not gonna progress um and that's why I'm glad Spelletti played him and I think yeah, let's hope that he he gets a run in the team now and and and yeah, we'll see because it's really really could do with we've said haven't we I Italy need a register will we are missing a register we don't have even though the time it sent me feels that we do have like that i like to gnarly. I'm not registered they're not the jesus they not natural registers that's what we need we need it and then Richie Richie can be that man potentially can't you know so.
01:07:00
Speaker
um yeah im umm Again, i'm um um I'm excited and hopeful to see where Richie goes from here. I just think that from Milan's point of view, you see a performance like this and you think, why didn't they go for him this summer? You know you went for Forfana again, another foreign player.
01:07:16
Speaker
um Again, time will tell with Fofana, but ah right now, after this performance, people are going to start asking the question, why did you sign Fofana instead of Richie? Yeah, but that would be too that would be a little bit too reactionary, wouldn't it? It would be, yeah. It would be. I'm only posing the question. I'm not like'm not not i'm not saying it. I'm not saying that's what I believe. I'm just raising that question. That's all.
01:07:41
Speaker
But i hope um i hope I hope that it's right, because if it's right, it means that that Ritchie has goes on to to to have a great career and and and become a yeah mainstay of Italy and join a bigger club, than then and yeah, I absolutely hope that. um Okay, right. um Okay, the show's been quite long today, so we'll go... Today, that's what we do now.
Serie A Transfer and Team Analysis
01:08:03
Speaker
we're essential like we We do these two-hour lectures.
01:08:07
Speaker
I know, I know. Just very, very quickly, two two issues. First of all, Osseman has joined Galatasaray since our last show. One year loan, 10 million, and but well paying the 10 million in in salary that that would be owed to him. No transfer fee, release clause halved.
01:08:24
Speaker
I mean, this is a disaster for Osseman, it's a disaster for Fonapoli. Osseman can praise Galatasarayna Turkish League as much as he wants, but Osseman in the prime of his career, 25 years old, moving to Turkey for a sit but to play out a season because he couldn't get a move to ah to a big club. I mean, what a mess. And what a mess for Fonapoli, no transfer fee. He just has to play another year um but where, okay, they're paying his salary.
01:08:50
Speaker
his his value is not going to increase playing in Galatasaray. I mean, it's ah it's ah it's just a shambles. Yeah, no, absolutely. um But they're, this is, it's quite, um I mean, they had to do something. got they can't You can't have us sitting on the bench but for however long and you can't afford to pay his wages. So they just made it easy. Don't pay us anything. Just take his wages off our hands for a year.
01:09:14
Speaker
It's up to Osmond to show that he can do something and then get sold next summer, because it's an absolutely ridiculous situation. Maybe even in January, who knows? But I doubt it. I don't think anyone's going to spend that kind of money. I mean, who knows? You know, Premier League side, he has a good time. You know, he he does well and in in for gala and and and and in Europe. You know, who we'll see.
01:09:37
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. And Humos and Hamaza both joining Roma, both free transfers. Did Manelas complete as well? I don't think he did. No, I don't think he did. That would have been really weird, signing three free transfers. But yeah, i don't I don't think so. No, he's sort of a free agent.
01:09:54
Speaker
yeah yeah What do you make of Hummels? We know Hummosa will be a steady option but what do you make of Hummels 35 going to Roma? I think it's ah it's an look it's ah it's it's a leader. you're You're bringing a leader into the dressing room. You're bringing incredible experience um and you're bringing in someone who can be you you know if if If having an experienced striker to lead the the the younger troops is the Milan model, well, based on ah Chris Smalling, aka Smoldini, then um you know this this is the Roma model, to bring in someone experienced to lead the young younglings from defence, from the back.
01:10:37
Speaker
um and it's ah I think it's a smart, smart signing, even if he doesn't play a minute, because Matsumel is Matsumel. He's one of the greatest defenders of this last generation.
01:10:50
Speaker
look at everything he's done, look at everything he's won, look at how important he's been and how in and so many important teams. He will bring experience, and he will bring leadership to that team, which sometimes we've discussed can be a little bit lack that defensively. So I think De Rossi's brought in a character more than anything.
01:11:11
Speaker
um he also i think is ah very is a very I think he's going to start. i mean There's no doubt about that. <unk> It's looking good defensively for Roma now, I think. It's interesting because they've got four four really kind of good centre-backs now for for two positions if they're playing a back four. on this that You play three then. Yeah, that's what I wonder. That's what makes me think, or maybe maybe he he alternates. that that That does make me think they may might go to a back three because you've got four starters there, really. and I don't think any of them are going to be happy if they're not playing regularly, to be honest with you. Mancini and Indica.
01:11:48
Speaker
Andica, the other one. Andica, Hermoso, Mancini, Humans. To me, that's got back three written all over it. whether it's a 3, 5, 2 or 3, 4, 2, 1 remains to be seen. I think so. But I think there's a potential of that. But I mean, the team, Roma's already played like that and they've done so really well. And and if you want to get the best out of Pellegrini and Di Bala, I think that's what you got to do. thank you I mean, I don't know.
01:12:13
Speaker
possibly to to get the best out of Di Bala possibly but then how do you again how do you get him and Sulay in the same team whatever system you play um right point that's a good point yeah um okay but like you said he could alternate so yeah for sure okay Nimmer has um has uh strong armed me into into my revised Serie A predictions because I did mine I'll be totally honest with everybody listening I've done no preparation for this I was ah going to prepare for it just before we went on and then there was a massive thunderstorm here in in Bedford and the power went down and everything was chaotic for a while. So I lost the time but I was going to use to prepare my prediction tonight. So I haven't done it. I'm going to have to do it now on the fly. So if these go horribly wrong, I've got an excuse that thunderstorm. How on God's name are you blaming us? thunderstorm people seriously listen listen if emply if emply can blame can blame that they can say they didn't have enough time to get their pitch ready from june to to august then i can blame the thunderstorm for not oh my god this is becoming one of those like madzari blaming and then it started to rain like iconic when he when he started blaming diarrhea and rain for losing um
01:13:25
Speaker
ah It's just a bit of fun. Come on. Give us your give us your your prediction. Okay winners Okay, right winners. I'm gonna have to go for inter and because for reasons I've said probably last week I I think that you mentors are Definitely ah can definitely challenge them and I do think Napoli as well because they're playing once a week I do think you enters in a Napoli can challenge but I mean if if you're sitting here now and you have to pick a winner, you go for Melinsa because they've got ah they've got the best team, they've got the best squad, they've got the deepest squad, um they've got a fantastic manager and but they've got more importantly, they've got the experience um and they've got the players at the right age as well and and you know for that reason, I think you have to go for Inta but I do think that Juventus are going to have a very good season. um I think the Napoli as well
01:14:13
Speaker
playing once a week and with kte and with lukaco you can already see what he's going to the I mean, I don't want to be a prisoner of the moment and go for, and say Milan, I'm not going to stop. Well, I'm going to stick with Milan. I'm going to stick with Milan for now. I think that they're going to have to turn it around. It's only still very early in the season. If Fonseca gets that, someone will come in. I think that's sort of it. Mavi Tossavi just moonwalks in there and starts turning around. But listen, if Maratha was to get a serious injury, then maybe I might start wondering. But yeah, I think Milan fourth.
01:15:02
Speaker
Atalanta 5th, Roma 6th. So it hasn't really changed that much from my predictions through the Joseph Elgar. 7th though is so difficult. It really is difficult. I mean, I think I've said that. I think that the the points tally for 7th is going to be one of the lowest that we've had in in in in recent seasons. I think whoever comes 7th is going to lose, a is is going to drop a lot of points. So for that reason, I think that there is always the possibility of ah of a surprise team coming seventh, you know, a team that maybe we didn't expect. um But from what I've seen so far,
01:15:38
Speaker
I probably would go Lezio actually. I probably would go Lezio for 7th year. I'm just trying to compare our comparison. I've got Juve, you've got Inter for winning. We've got the same top three. Yeah, we have the same top four. But who have you got fifth? Did you say? Afsalanta. Okay, I've got Roma. And sixth, you've got Roma.
01:16:06
Speaker
six i've got ror
01:16:11
Speaker
the the the the the the the the
01:16:17
Speaker
and know go i've got them eight cent toino nine and then boom yeah yeah i'm not going to do my whole twenty what about who you got but for relegation we'll do i do relegation um for for relegation i'm thinking at this moment venezia for sure for sure deb sha venetstzia um
01:16:39
Speaker
Who else? o I've got Empoli and Cormo, 2019 and 2018. And it's the last, then Empoli, then Cormo. Yeah, because the Empoli have started well. Yeah, they have. They've started well, Empoli. I'm looking at the teams, looking at the quality of the team. I have to go Empoli. I have to go Empoli.
01:17:03
Speaker
Based on the team now, right now, again, I would have to go Kormo. But but um' um you never i um'm naming I'm saying that with the caveat that I expect them to to spend like mad Salen Itana style in January. and And so let me just say that I see Kormo in the relegation zone in in January. let let Let me say that. and then And then we'll go again at the end of January and then pick half three really good. Who's your cup will come on yeah couple Couple Kenoniele is, um you know what?
01:17:32
Speaker
feel i feel I feel like Mikkel Arteta here um and Nimra's Pep Guardiola. I'm to think Retiki might be the top scorer.
Predictions for Italian Football Competitions
01:17:45
Speaker
ah I might have to copy you on that one. I'm Michael Arteta here. I'm Mr Bean in in the in the exam in the exam episode. Or Papizzio Romano in the transfer market. I'll watch it. He might send you an angry DM. I think Rettiger. You know why? I'm also looking at this from ah yeah from a logical point of view. He'll take the penalties.
01:18:11
Speaker
whoever wins the ka canan era usually takes penalty yeah as well well except yeah except for latado he often and and he was crapppping them but i know yeah and also general aantha going to create so many chances like that he's they're going to create so many chances and you know when you play for Atalanta, that you're going to get lots of bites a goal. And if you are a killer in the box, just by... Realistically, I don't think there's that many that could be top score this season. I think you're looking at Lautaro. I know you think Taram could be. Yeah, Taram. Because I think Lautaro is going for the champ. I think Champions League is on his mind. Well, OK, let's say an inter striker, Vlawovic, if you can get it together, Lukaku, if you can get to go. And I guess you could maybe add Kvara to that. And then apart from that, I think Rettigy is really the only other one that you could probably throw in there because I don't think you could make a case for.
01:18:57
Speaker
for a Milan player. I think Liao will get it together and then he will get it together. i've never yeah I just don't ever see the consistency of Liao to ever be a top scorer in the league, but you know, who knows? Apart from that, you know, Roman, no, I don't see someone from Roma scoring enough goals. No, I think Dovbik. Dovbik could if they played to his strengths, but they're not at the moment. I'm a little bit worried about Dovbik. I'm thinking he could be a flop of the season.
01:19:25
Speaker
He will if they carry on playing the way that they're playing. but yeah that I don't think De Rossi's stupid. I think he know he's not he knows what topic, what he needs for topic. I think now we'll start playing trying to play to his strengths. So who have you got as Coppa Italia winner? I've got Inter for Coppa Italia and Super Coppa. Oh, Coppa Italia.
01:19:41
Speaker
um
01:19:45
Speaker
Napoli. Coppa Italia and Napoli, because I think that they're not playing in Europe. Conte likes playing his full-strength team all the time and I think he'll play his full-strength team in Coppertalia. I think he'll go for it. What about SuperCoppa?
01:20:01
Speaker
A super copper, I mean, who cares, but... Last season, the Saudis cared. They were furious when the Serie A sent Fiorentina, Lazio and Napoli, and they were expecting Inter Milan and Juve. And they were like, what are these doing here? They were really pissed off. They weren't quite sure about how the format worked. And they were like, why have you sent these two? We asked, we want Inter Milan and Juve. You've only said Inter. It was very, very, very funny. Inter, I'll go with Inter. A breakout player, Dennis Mann, I've got.
01:20:33
Speaker
yeah pardon yeah and from what we've seen so far it's hard to argue with that and but just to add a second one i think i did say my prediction i did say mali who who didn't say liberalli
01:20:48
Speaker
but He was one of my five. Yeah, he was what he was one of my five But I mean he they have
Young Talent and Breakout Players in Serie A
01:20:53
Speaker
to play him. Do you know what I mean? And now they're you got who have you got a Shanini is Yeah, that's a good shot as my other as my other one and I think I've almost that's almost been proven correct already Whatever happens now, he's he's ah he's he's already playing for a talent and he's got his cap for Italy He's in the Italy Nationals. How old is Bush? I mean again, he's about 24. I think yeah, so who you have your under 21 Breakout player. I've got Fazzini
01:21:16
Speaker
Breakout or or best player? I think... No, breakout. Breakout. Who did you have? Fazini and Empoli. Oh, good. Okay. the Because of the thunderstorm, I'm doing this on the flight and the fly. Because of the thunderstorm! Carlo Mazzari. Who else is there? I mean... fun Well, you had Lee, you could have Lee, but Ali, but they need to play him. But yeah, coyote, if they need to play him, I've got him, I've got coyote as my MVP. Cause I'm trying to shoehorn him into, I'm trying to talk it into existence that they play the guy. I'll come back to, I'll come back to under 21 in a minute. and What about you old city art MVP. I got a cup minus cause I think you were going to win. And usually the winner of the league, I'm going to go. kovada
01:22:06
Speaker
but Even if you think Inter are going to win and not Napoli. Well, he's my MVP. He's not the leak's mvp i mean i like with the league's The league's MVP, they'll always pick the winner. So so yeah for in that case, that's that's why I picked it. to cop winner I'm going to go for, um I'm going to go for Clara. He had about 12 shots in the last game. So that shows how, how, how how involved he's going to be. yeah he's He's going to set a record. He's set like a a league record. and um What about dark horse to win the Serie A? I have Atalanta.
01:22:35
Speaker
ah go Basically, if we have a surprise winner, which team has the best chance? How many categories have you got? ah Two more, three more. We're this properly. It's serious stuff, Karla. I mean, yeah, i mean this you can't call Juventus or um Milan dark horses, so you have to go out of Atlanta, don't you? Just by default, really, yeah.
Italian Teams in European Competitions
01:22:56
Speaker
but some yeah What about which team in the Serie A do you think will go the farthest in the Champions League? I've got the Inter-Natalanta quarterfinals. We're going to do a preview show on on Monday, so I don't want to give away everything. We did a preview show on Monday for the for the Champions of League stage, so I don't want to say any more than that. and What do you think of Fiorentina and Roma's chances in Europa League and Conference League? Fiorentina and Roma will be dependent on who they play.
01:23:23
Speaker
um because last season they got to the final playing badly throughout the whole competition, but because they they were playing against you know Bedford Sunday league teams, they they managed to they managed to to get all the way to the final.
01:23:36
Speaker
and bitsam yeah so they They probably could still do well, even though i mean they were awful. They they got outplayed by by ah by an art academy. in the in the in the in the of me they got Did you watch those two games? They got outplayed. yeah The second leg, they were absolutely outplayed. They were so lucky to win the game. De Gea saved them. um But you know you think they'll improve. That's a sentence you don't want to be saying in 2024. De Gea saved them. yeah He did. I know, it's true. But I'm just saying, if you're a Fiorentina fan, that's not the sentences you want to be uttering not in the other season.
01:24:12
Speaker
So cool. Yeah. What do do you do? I still have the 20 ones I will i'll go with. them Hang on. Let's have a look. I'm going to pick an Italian. Sorry, I apologize to everyone that this is very, very improvised. Yeah. And I'm professionally done. We're all usually very, very well organized. But yeah, I mean, this is this I think people appreciate this too. Well, that's why they like the Q and&A episodes, aren't they? Everything is done improvised. Let's have a look.
01:24:43
Speaker
No, Fadzini I think is God. I think Fadzini, I want to pick an Italian player because I, you know, I'm looking at the other Italian under 21 players that could break through. I mean Savona, Juventus could potentially be one. Yeah. And what's it like in Bangula could be one? Yeah, I'm not sure he has the quality in Bangula, but Savona has been quite good so far, actually. Surprising, very surprisingly. He's 21. Savona, no, no.
01:25:11
Speaker
Ruggieri's 22 and he's probably already broken out. We'd say Pizzilli maybe. Pizzilli could be one at Roma to to to watch out for. Go for it. Go for it. Maybe Meretti. Meretti at Genoa could be somebody to... I'm glad you just didn't say Fagioli or anything like that. Fagioli's older than that though. Yeah, you're right. yeah sorry i was doing i was just I was just fooled by um the cits I mean, I think Conseil Sal is still 21, isn't he? yeah events but He's almost a lot too well known to to call a breakout. yeah And he's injured for a month as well. Typical, eh? He sounds so much sad when you say that. Right. Oh, dear.
01:25:57
Speaker
Yeah, that's great. That's our predictions. Make sure to remind us of them. I put all mine out in a tweet so we can compare at the end of the season. Oh great. um Fantastic. yeah come on Anyway, right. I'll read out the prefectures for the weekend because we won't be doing another show. We won't be doing a preview show for the weekend. We will be doing a big Champions League group stage preview or competition show, which is going to be, I think, everybody will like. That will be coming out, I think, on Tuesday this week.
01:26:33
Speaker
and we've also got a few other little bits and pieces as well, but not a preview, not like a show like today that we do in the middle of the week. And also we also did an interview with Maduka Okoye which we put out like on Friday last week, or sorry this week we recorded this on a Sunday, the days are just muddled for me. Two days ago we put out an interview with Urinese's Maduka Okoye which has been very widely reported all over in Italian media. So make sure to check that out. It was a really nice interview. He's quite a nice guy, very little relaxed and chilled out. fun Very, very chilled guy. Yeah, very chilled. It's fun to hear him talk about his idols. He's very outspoken. Let's put it that way. He doesn't like he's he's very just he' very honest. Yeah, very very honest. Yeah.
Serie A Fixtures and Trivia
01:27:14
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Honest is a good one. Honest, not outspoken because he nothing was mean. and No, no, no, it was honest. Yes. It's a better word.
01:27:21
Speaker
common bolonna emuventus millananezia genoaroma atallano ferentinina torino led a calorie nappoli monzain um with de nee laio veronna Those are your fixtures for the weekend. um Now let's finish off with Badjo, Primface and Celia, Ass of the Week.
01:27:37
Speaker
So bad Joe, I mean I guess we could we could have the the whole Italy team really other than, apart from the Lorenzo. That goal, that team goal for me, that move, the reaction, I mean it's just... oh Magnificent, yeah. The cambiaso to Di Marco, to Tonali to Di Marco, it was just... beautiful Absolutely beautiful, but um if I'm going to pick out two individuals, I think I'll go Richie and Tonali. Richie would have kind of been a breakthrough performance for him. And Tonali, for you know without playing for a year to come in and produce a performance like that, and that was... you know
01:28:12
Speaker
showed just what a great player he is and what we've missed and my other badge over the week is a non-football one um and I'm risking jinxing this so we'll put the we'll put this to the test on this so recording this before the US Open final between Yannick Sinner and Fritz. That's it. I could have forgotten his first name. I knew what I learnt the other day. Did you know that Sabatini's aunty Gabriela Sabatini? Gabriela, the tennis player. Did you know she dated Donald Trump in the late 1980s? Did you know that? Get out of here. I'm serious. That was my reaction when I saw the news as well. Yeah.
01:28:56
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. I'm absolutely stunned by that. ah yeah Brilliant. I saw that the other day and I thought like when I get an opportunity to mention that on the podcast, I'm going to do it. And there you go straight away. You give me the opportunity. ah ka somebody yeah yeah Could have been Mrs. Trump. No. Brilliant.
01:29:16
Speaker
Yeah, can imagine could you imagine a tennis player? Imagine if they they they had a tennis, but they produced the tennis player, Trump and Sabatini. Could you imagine? It'd be like the next McEnroe, wouldn't it? Oh, hilarious. I did not know that about Gabriella Sabatini that she dated on Trump. I'd never heard that. Yeah, they true story.
01:29:34
Speaker
um Yeah so so we i hope I don't jinx this but yeah Yannick Sinner for winning the US Open. There we go. oh that's There we go. Prim face of the week. and
Offbeat Stories and Legal Controversies
01:29:50
Speaker
I don't really have a premise, really, other than just the whole furore in the British press about Lee Carsley not singing the the English national anthem. and true who the iin gay I mean, it's 2024. I mean, are we really are we really still there about singing national anthem? Who cares?
01:30:12
Speaker
How is this and it's also pretty self-explanatory he played for either national team I mean what do you expect I was gonna say is any of Irish descent. yeah So what do you want him to do? It's childish. But that this is just again what what the English means. They blow up, they make a mountain out out of... Absolutely nothing. It's not even a molehill. It's nothing. It's nothing there. It's flat. It's asphalt. like There's nothing there.
01:30:39
Speaker
Completely just who gives. you know He's already been very respectful. I said this is the greatest honour of his professional career. That's it, but everyone has to debate this. Ooh, let's all get outraged. Who cares? Yeah, exactly. Celia Ass of the Week. Oh, i this is so funny. I don't know if you saw it. I tagged you on Twitter. Yeah, I did see it. Tell me the full story. So basically, again, I just want to make this clear.
01:31:07
Speaker
of course they have a, Juventus have a legal right to do this, but the fact that they actually put their lawyers to do this is hilarious to me. So one of our patrons, Art Morelli, he's been like, since he they had their third child, he's been, you know he and you know, his wife went back to work, he's just been, you know, filling his days taking care of the kids, doing funny, you know, putting putting together like the but you know selling t-shirts which he gives away like 10, 15, 20 percent to charity. so It's not like he's making money off of it. He's just doing it to his friends and followers and he's just you know having fun with it. Juventus lawyers sent him a letter which can be described as a cease and desist letter. They they sent it to um
01:31:55
Speaker
to what's it called to um to to to the platform where he's um where where he's hosting his t-shirt business.
01:32:06
Speaker
and it's like <unk> it's um I can read it here. it's It's a letter before action. Dear Sirs, we write to you in order to, and it's it's it's got the Juventus lawyer, um and and it's got like they've sent it to to to the platform. The host said and says, Dear Sirs, we write you in order to report a merchant agreement violation by the website, and then they've linked to it. um And then they've said, we sent this letter only to your attention given that said website does not include any information on the identity of the individual that actually runs it. um The website is currently offering for sale products that infringe Juventus' rights. And then they've like literally sent like screenshots and links. And it's a five page long letter of screenshots from Art Morelli's internet shop.
01:32:58
Speaker
of t-shirts he sold 21 of them like you know I mean there's no volume here and then like they're really like you know going down you know and they signed that the lawyers and chief legal officer and legal manager of Juventus therefore Juventus without prejudice to all its other rights requests you to immediately take down the pages and it's like I couldn't stop laughing because of course they have a legal right to do it but I'm like, how can you care? Like, it's not like he made, he sold thousands or even hundreds, he sold 21 shirts to his friends, of which he gave away most of the money to charity anyway. yeah It's like, this, oh God. Unfortunately.
01:33:45
Speaker
I mean, is is listen, first of all, like well done to Art, for yeah it's great that he's doing stuff for charity. i mean that's That's fantastic. um Unfortunately, though, you know I've i've seen this um've seen this so much with with with small businesses, um you know really tiny businesses, like the size of of of a of of arts, you know, this this is what these these corporations do everywhere, not just in the football world, we've seen it with websites, football websites, as we're talking about football, football websites, ah YouTube pages, tiny YouTube pages, like the smallest people that have locked got like, not even like 1000, have got like 1000 YouTube ah ah subscribers and and you get clubs. I mean, unfortunately, they're very, they're just very aggressive with this. And you just think that, you know, a lot of it is unnecessary. But
01:34:33
Speaker
I mean, yeah, it's just how it is. I mean, were we're but we're very we have to be very careful like with our cake shop. Like, you know, when we do if we do cakes, you know, football themed cakes and stuff. Yeah. You know, we have to be very, very careful. You know, we can't advertise to sell any or or try and, you know, even though we know we're just a small business, it's just yeah, it's just it's just. um But it's childish. Like, here's the thing. I think it's just.
01:34:57
Speaker
to me it's ridiculous because yes I'm not again I understand how copyright law works but the very idea to me that the chief legal officer and the head of legal at Juventus spent time to put this document together. No, that that that for sure is ridiculous. The way that they've gone and made the way that they've made made not no one says such a big thing but that they've gone through such trouble with and to present it in such a such a big way.
01:35:29
Speaker
and that is ridiculous the fact that that art has received this is nothing unusual about it no of course it's not there's nothing and not and even the fact that he's so small and he's only sold what was it 27 21 to Juventus fans and there's no there's there is no so there's no surprise now because i've seen it i've seen it with so many small businesses look that that we deal with you know that of course that happens but all the time it's just the way that they probably the way that they that thank you The way that they've presented it is a bit ridiculous, but I guess, you know, it's just... That's how I feel about it. That's exactly my point, because I know for a fact that these companies all scour the internet. They have they have legal teams to scour and protect their brands. and blah I get all that, right? But, like, everyone understands that. myish My issue is, he sent us the letter and he gave me express permission to read the letter on the pod, because I asked him.
01:36:22
Speaker
um And it's just, i can't laugh I can't stop laughing that they they just, the document, it's like, that someone would take so much, like, how how is this harming Juventus? Like, do you know what I mean? Like, it's just, I just find this a gross overreaction. And if anything, sorry, but like,
01:36:43
Speaker
The logos he's used are logos. They're not new logos. They're like, we're talking these ancient retro stuff, because that's most of the stuff he does. It's like really old school retro, but with a flavor, like with a new twist to it. Do you know what I mean? Like, it's not there is the Juventus have really not suffered any damage here. And it's not again, it's not about Juva. It's just this this overreaction.
01:37:09
Speaker
to something which is just a bit of a laugh and what i would say is this we were in reference to italian football um is i mean if they would spend half as much time an effort on things that are things that really really i mean listen you know um you know what you know what art marelli could could have his could have his have his ah could could rip Juventus off and make like £10,000 a month on his sales and Juventus would still be making more money if they if they actually did the all the other things that are missing in Italian. But when I just mean Juventus, I mean everyone every everyone everyone did the things and they would increase their revenue. They wouldn't have to worry about Art Morelli's
01:37:48
Speaker
Art Morelli's business out out of his basement. you know it's it's Literally a ah fun hobby project out of his basement whilst he's taking care of his kid while his wife's wife has returned to work before the kids can go back to school like or to to preschool. like it's just but we have a We have a saying in Swedish that accurately i think describes this. It's called ah filtering mosquitoes and swallowing elephants. That's what this is. like you You're so worried about the tiny stuff, you're not even bothering to fix the big problems. And this is this is just such an Italian football problem. And and that letter just sent me into another dimension with laughter.
01:38:29
Speaker
so silly so so silly yeah yeah absolutely right um let's leave it at that as i said we will be back on i think tuesday
Upcoming Podcast Announcements
01:38:40
Speaker
um where we will have a ah champions league uh preview show um so um we will be basically previewing the whole Champions League tournament, kind of like what we did before the Serie A season started. And the Euros. And what we did before the Euros, you know, that kind of show where you'll see me and them are on camera and we'll break down and go through everything with all the Italian clubs, their chances, squads.
01:39:06
Speaker
probable teams, predictions, you know, all that, basically everything. and And so we'll do that. And then later in the week, we'll also have a few little bits and pieces as well. And so there's plenty, plenty more. We'll be previewing the first games of Inter Milan Juve.
01:39:24
Speaker
I guess, is that what we could say? Not you, Vey. We're doing the big games. ah and In the preview show, yes, in the preview show. Yeah, in the big preview show. And make sure to check out the Maduka Okoye interview, both on YouTube and on Patreon, or if you're a subscriber and also on but wherever you listen to this part. It was a good interview. Really proud of that one. And it's got really it's gone it's got it got picked up quite a bit by Italian media as well. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. OK, right. Let's leave it at that. Thank you everyone for listening. Ciao ciao.