Posts Tagged ‘Italy’

Farewell to Zeman

Posted: February 5, 2013 by onefootinthegame in Uncategorized
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Zdenek Zeman: enjoying a cigarette, probably not his team's defending

Zdenek Zeman: enjoying a cigarette, probably not his team’s defending

After Roma sack manager Zdenek Zeman following a turbulent and brief return to the club, our writer asks, ‘Failure? What failure?’

It’s been pointed out many times what you get with Zeman. But here’s a reminder if you’ve a short memory or aren’t familiar with the individual style of football he’s lived and died by for over 25 years.

You get a stubborn adherence to 4-3-3, played at a high tempo with relentless pressing and a suicidal high line/off-side trap. Possession is considered pointless. The sole focus for his team is to score more goals than the opposition, while on the bench, Zeman surveys the action puffing one cigarette after another.

The results, while not always successful, are usually spectacular.

So, last summer, when the Roma crowd grew tired and frustrated with Luis Enrique‘s attempts to turn La Magica into the crazy ‘keep-possession-at-all-times-Barca-boring-style’ I suppose it made sense to give the job to a guy who would play an attractive game.

Step in Mister Zeman Unfortunately, all the excitement at the fantasy football we were going to see blinded us to his all too familiar failings.

Sure, there were certainly plenty of goals. Problem was they just weren’t all in the right net.

I recall a game away to Genoa, where we went 2:0 down after 15 minutes, before coming back to win 4:2. More painfully, I remember leading Bologna 2:0 and losing 2:3. Even a 4:0 thrashing of Milan, and what should have been a comfortable victory, turned into a nervous wait for the final whistle when two late goals left us hanging on for the win.

Unfortunately, after being drunk on the excitement some fans began to sober up. They remembered that Zeman hardly ever wins any trophies. That his success is mainly with smaller provincial teams such as Foggia, Lecce or recently Pescara, and apart from a second place finish with Lazio he’s had no success with the big guns of Italian football. And when they looked at the table and saw Roma in eighth place, without a chance of even reaching a Europa League spot.. well, it just looked embarrassingly predictable.

Win or lose though, it’s not been dull. Francesco Totti has been playing some of his best football ever, aged 36. Zeman has also continued his track record of bringing through unknown youngsters (Lamela scored in 7 games in a row, and another Florenzi has been capped by Italy already after breaking through this year). Plus you always had the never ending speculation of falls outs between Zeman and Danielle De Rossi or Maarten Stekelenburg.

Am I happy Zeman has gone? Well eighth place is no better than Enrique, but the way we got there was so much more exciting. While Roma were in possession it was beautiful to watch, it’s just that when we weren’t in possession it wasn’t usually long before Roma were lining up for another kick-off.

So when asked to give my opinion about Zeman’s failure, I say what failure? He did exactly what he is known for – scoring lots of goals and conceding plenty. And I loved every bit of it. Long live Zeman. In Piacenza, Atalanta, Albinoleffe….

Written by Vil Palac

Five things we really don’t want to hear at Euro 2012

Posted: May 16, 2012 by onefootinthegame in Championship, England, Euro 2012, Euros, International
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1) “England are one of five or six teams with a realistic chance”

Ever since I was old enough to comprehend a football commentary, I’ve heard this mantra intoned with a confidence normally reserved for a fundamental law of physics. So immutable is this law, that even when England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 we technically still remained “one of a handful of teams that could win it”. The fact that England have rarely troubled the latter rounds of this tournament remains an inconvenient detail which is best ignored.

2) “I don’t know much about this team.”

Little Englander attitudes have generally disappeared over the years. Globalisation has exposed us to a myriad of different cultures and broadened our horizons. However, there remains one last bastion of narrow sighted nationalism, where international ignorance is casually accepted with diffidence: football punditry.

Qualification may have finished 9 months ago, providing ample time for leisurely research, however, unfortunately our pundits will have been too busy working on their golf games than swotting up.

Players with long established careers in major European leagues like Serie A or the Bundesliga (even our boys are now aware of La Liga) will be labelled as “surprise packages” for simply having failed to make it onto Mark Lawrenson’s football radar.

And expect to hear complete ignorance of the current tactics and style of any team disguised with such blandishments as: “They always make it through” or “It wouldn’t be a tournament without them.”

3) “I just wish Italy would attack”

Usually heard on ITV, commentators and pundits bemoan that Italy, with all their talent, are never allowed off the leash. Usually followed by; “oh the Italians – so cynical and dogged in defence”. They seem to forget the 2006 semi-final, where Italy went toe to toe with Germany, and with the game stretched decided to bring on another forward rather than to shore up the midfield. Or what about the 2000 Euro final where Italy dominated the match, only to lose on a Golden Goal. It’s also worth noting that for a team supposedly obsessed by ‘catenaccio’ the Italians averaged the 3rd highest total of passes in qualifying, and usually play with 3 forwards with one of whom is Mario Balotelli. It’s not 1982, get with the script.

4)  That Denmark came off the beaches in 1992 to win the Euros

If you mention Denmark most pundits and commentators cannot avoid mentioning the beaches. You’d think the Danes victory looked like the Normandy landings, with Peter Schmeichel leading the Laudrups and trusty corporal John Jensen to battle. In reality, it was more Club 18-30, than June 1944.

Tiresomely, despite being 20 years ago, the Danes beach sortie is likely to be mentioned by pundits contractually obliged to find reasons why England could win the tournament. Yes, the Danes won the Euros, yes they’d been on holiday, but don’t let that trick you into thinking that a lack of pre-tournament expectation translates automatically to a winning formula.

5) Spain have no Plan B

A charge that English football pundits have taken to hysterically shouting at the current Spanish team a bit like that crazed bloke you get in sci-fi films who’s trying to alert the world to the fact it’s being quietly taken over by aliens. The fact remains that Spain’s Plan A has successfully secured both the last European Championship and the World Cup. The last thing we need is for Spanish football tacticians to invent an even more sophisticated plan for world domination, so for God’s sake men, stopping harping on about it.

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At her Majesty’s pleasure: Footballers in prison; Thomas, Storey, Higuita & Moreno

Posted: December 10, 2011 by onefootinthegame in FIFA, International football, Sepp Blatter
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In a week which has seen ex-Manchester United footballer Ronnie Wallwork jailed for selling stolen car parts and former Premiership player and jailbird Lee Hughes arrested, we thought it’d be a good time to have a look half a dozen who’ve all been detained at Her Majesty’s Pleasure.

Frank McAvennie

The former West Ham and Celtic forward enjoyed scoring off the pitch as much as he did on it, spending much of the 80s splashed all over the tabloids as they lapped up his champagne and shagging lifestyle.Frankie Mac found himself back in those same tabloids in the 90s. Though this time it was after being stopped by UK Customs for trying to drive to Holland with £200,000 in cash in the boot. Strangely the Magistrates Court chose not to believe Frank’s story that he was off to by a boat to salvage gold from a sunken treasure ship, and satisfied themselves that he was actually off to finance a drug deal.

Mickey Thomas

Welsh wing wizard Mickey Thomas dazzled at Manchester United, Chelsea and Everton in the 70s and 80s before playing down the leagues. Back at Wrexham in 1993 Thomas – then 37 – was found to be laundering counterfeit money via – a nice touch this – the club’s trainees. Thomas was duly sentenced to 18 months in chokey. Now a pundit and speaker on the after dinner circuit his favourite joke remains: “Roy Keane was on 50 grand a week. So I was I until the police found my printing press.”

Peter Storey

The Arsenal hard man played for England and won the double as part of the club’s 1970/71 side finally retiring from the game in 1978. Whilst most ex-pro’s of that era contented themselves with running a pub or sports shop, Storey decided he’d be better off running a brothel. While he was only fined on that occasion he was subsequently jailed for 3 years after putting up the money for a counterfeit gold scam. He was back inside 10 years later after being found trying to smuggle pornographic videos into the country which he’d hidden in the spare tyre of a car.

Rene Higuita

The former Colombian goalkeeper personal life has been almost as colourful as the shirts he used to wear. And given their eye-bleeding properties that really is saying something.El Loco (The Madman) spent 7 months inside for his peculiar involvement in a kidnapping case. Acting as a go-between for drug barons Pablo Escobar and Carlos Molina, he secured the release of Molina’s daughter by delivering the ransom money. Quite why Higuita was mixed up in all this is baffling, however, by accepting payment for his services he was deemed to be profiting from crime and locked up.Whilst not relevant to this piece I can’t help but point out that goalkeeper Rene Higuita has more international goals (9) than Emile Heskey (8).

Byron Moreno

Given that their profession involves upholding the laws of the game you’d think referees would be amongst the last people in the football community to get into trouble. But there’s always an exception to the rule, so step forward Byron Moreno.

Moreno first came to the world’s attention for, how shall I put it, a rather eccentric performance during a quarter final at the 2002 World Cup. Hosts South Korea beat Italy in a match riddled with so much controversy that the Italian media felt the game had to have been fixed. The match saw Moreno award a controversial penalty to South Korea, send off star player Francesco Totti, and rule out a gold goal winner for Italy for offside.

After the global stink caused by the match you’d have though Moreno might choose to keep a low profile. Not a bit of it. Later that year, back in his home country of Ecuador he was suspended for 20 games after playing 13 minutes of added on time, only ending the game when one of the team’s had scored the two goals they needed to win the match.Seeming to learn no lessons Moreno was back in trouble immediately after his suspension ended, suspiciously sending off 3 players in one match. Now with more baggage than a hotel porter Moreno decided it was time to retire from the game in 2003.

The quiet life wasn’t for him though. It wasn’t until 2010 that Moreno was finally dismissed from the playing field of life, when he was shown the red card and sentenced to prison for two and a half years for trying to smuggle heroin into the United States.

There are lots more we’ve missed so tell us your (least) favourite footballers in the comments…

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Top football celebrations ever

Posted: October 28, 2011 by onefootinthegame in Awards, Champions Leuage, Championship, Championship playoffs, England, FA Cup, International football, La Liga, League One
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After Super Mario’s ‘Why always me?’ T-shirt last week we then saw those crazy Scandinavia chaps trying to teach some pub team the fishing celebration and it got us thinking about celebrations. So many to choose from, impossible to order them. But here are some of our favourites:

Marco Tardelli, 1982 the passion of being the best in the world

The passion, the tears, the beating of the arms like king kong, the relief of months of stress.

Italy had taken a huge beating from the media pre tournament and had gone into media blackout. Rossi was back and misfiring in the early group stages where Italy drew their 3 games (sound familiar?). After beating Argentina and arguably the best Brazil side ever, Italy beat West Germany in the final. Tardelli eyes bulging lets off months of stress in what, in my opinion is the great celebration ever. Still makes the hairs stand up on end.

Honourable mention for Grosso Semi final 2006 too. Oh and the phenomenal pass from Pirlo.

Robbie Fowler lines it up…

Robbie Fowler in his pomp. Cheeky, bending over infront of Le Saux and banging them in for fun.

This celebration would probably lead to 4 weeks suspension and a sending off nowadays. Back then it was just great fun (this blog doesn’t promote drugs in any way).

Best bit about this celebration was that manager Gerard Houllier, suggested it might be a Cameroonian grass-eating celebration, picked up off team-mate Rigobert Song. Yeah…right.

1994 World Cup…Stand up (or knee down) Mr Finidi George.

The 1994 World Cup was full of great celebrations. Maradona (see below) and Bebeto’s now legendary baby swinging celebration (the baby that celebration played for the Brazil U17’s last month).

But our favourite was Finidi George, scores a goal for his country and then goes to the corner flag to urinate like a dog. Unbelievable stuff.

Henry’s arrogance

I didn’t like the vast majority of Henry’s celebrations, actually I hated them all. But something about this celebration was great.

About 35 yards out the referee is telling Henry to put the ball further back, after swinging in a fantastic goal he stands still, Ballotelli like and just asks (shouts) at the ref – is that enough? Is that enough.

Diego smacks it up

As mentioned above 1994 had so many great celebrations, this was probably one of the defining moments in Maradona’s footballing career.

After shedding weight and getting back into the team, Maradona picked up where he left off in 1990. Little did we know he was high on a cocktail of drugs.

The celebration was a hint though…

Sticking a flag in hell

Before he was a mild manners pundit Souness was not only a great player but also a less good manager. This celebration wasn’t after a goal he scored but after the Turkish Cup Final against the bitterest of bitter rivals Fenerbache.

Most people would want to get in, get the result and get out. Not Graeme. Souness decides that putting the Galatasary flag in the middle of Fenerbache’s pitch was the best way to play down the tension…Fantastic to watch though.

Gazza

So many Gazza celebrations, so little time that it could be a blog on their own (tweet us if you want to write it).

Here are our favourites:

Euro 1996

FA cup Semi Final

Lazio madness

But the most contraverisal…against Celtic because someone told him…Gazza celebrates with a loyalist gesture. Oh Gazza.

We’ve missed loads so get over it, but link your favourites below.