For the FIGC - The Italian FA - the 2009 'Annus horribilis' continues with another national team defeated today at the 25th Belgrade Universiade where the 'Azzurri' students lost to their Ukrainian peers for 2-3.It was the third missed title in three weeks for Italy having the U20 team lost 2-1 to Spain on Saturday in Pescara for the 2009 Mediterranean Games gold medal. A week earlier at the historical Olympia Helsinborg in sunny southern Sweden the 'Azzurrini' U21 of Gigi Casiraghi - the former Italy and Chelsea striker - went out of the UEFA EURO 21 with all the guns blazing against Horst Hrubesch's Germany.
A few days earlier - in the southern hemisphere - Marcello Lippi's Word Champions were also send packing from the 2009 FIFA Confederation Cup following a poor performance against Brazil where a simple goal would have meant for the Azzurri going into the semi-finals. But it was not to be and the senior team, mainly because of the earlier defeat against Egypt went home early causing waves of major concerns for the next year's World Cup title defence at the Italian FA.
Meanwhile Claudio Gentile (Picture courtesy of Wikipedia.org) - Casiraghi's predecessor on the U21 bench - the unforgotten 1982 Italy World Cup winner who last led the 'Azzurrini' to an European title and the only Italian coach to succeed in bringing Italy the 'impossible' Olympic medal like the Athens 2004 Bronze following the only Vittorio Pozzo's Italy 1936 Berlin triumph - keeps winning.
At his first participation at the Long Set Casinò di Venezia Celebrity - a three days Charity invitation tennis tournament, last Sunday - he showed that the spirit and determination that made him a serial winner still possesses him. In couple with former Italy international and Inter Milan's stopper Riccardo Ferri, Gentile beat in the final another 'hard-to-die' opponent like Italy 1970 World Cup runner up striker Bobo Boninsegna who was coupled with 1982 World Cup winner Giancarlo Antognoni (Right - picture courtesy of www.sbngs.it)
Gentile is awaiting the outcome of his legal case against the Italian FA for damages which is at an advanced stage. Following the early 2006 'Calciopoli' turmoil inside the Italian FA his quotations rose in the months before the World Cup to the point of him being expected to be Marcello Lippi's natural successor on the bench of the World Champions team. The favourable winds however changed as the FIGC's (Italian FA) sudden top management reshuffle following the World Cup Berlin triumph brought in new people and with them new thoughts and ideas about the future strategies for the newly four times FIFA World Cup crowned football federation.
Gentile is awaiting the outcome of his legal case against the Italian FA for damages which is at an advanced stage. Following the early 2006 'Calciopoli' turmoil inside the Italian FA his quotations rose in the months before the World Cup to the point of him being expected to be Marcello Lippi's natural successor on the bench of the World Champions team. The favourable winds however changed as the FIGC's (Italian FA) sudden top management reshuffle following the World Cup Berlin triumph brought in new people and with them new thoughts and ideas about the future strategies for the newly four times FIFA World Cup crowned football federation.
The Palace 'coup' saw Marcello Lippi's job - who kept his promise made before the FIFA event to resign in protest following the allegations of wrong doing made to his agent son - going to rookie coach Roberto Donadoni instead than to the former U21 coach as expected by all. Gentile although receiving reassurances about his reappointment - both by President Rossi and by his vice and former AC Milan player Demetrio Albertini - never had his contract renewed and instead assigned later to Casiraghi.
In an exclusive interview with 'Football Report' that will be published here next week, Gentile told our journal how he is still seeking damages for an undisclosed amount having also - in those days of 2006 - to pull out from an agreement for the top post at his former club Juventus.
Today is the 27th anniversary of when he lifted the World Cup at the Bernabeu and after winning the 2004 U21 European Trophy and the Olympic medal on the same year as a coach he feels like about time to take his fellows colleagues Fabio Capello, Giovanni Trapattoni and Marco Tardelli routes into the British shores. ''I have recently received offers from two Serie A clubs and from many East European clubs but - due to the intricacies of the legal case - I had to turn them down'' he said. He then added ''However should something interesting come up from Britain I feel ready to take it on now'' continued the super fit coach who beside winning tennis matches also likes winning amateurs cycling races around the Lake Como routes where he rides surrounded by long time adoring teammates.
Asked by 'Football Report' why he turned down last year's call by former coach and colleague Giovanni Trapattoni to rejoin him with Ireland's World Cup 2010 challenge Gentile said ''I had to decline as at the time I have been appointed by an emerging Lazio's club with the Italian FA's (FIGC) blessing which would have meant sorting out the dispute'' he continued. (Trapattoni then called up Marco Tardelli on his behalf)
Claudio Gentile spent earlier time together with Trapattoni as his vice with Italy qualifications for the 2002 World Cup (Above, picture courtesy of www.sport.it). The FIGC however later in the year pleaded him to pick up the helm at the U21, the 2000 defending European Champions because of Marco Tardelli's departure to coach the Egypt senior team. He eventually led Italy to regain the last Italy's held European U21 title at the 2004 UEFA U21 tournament in Germany adding in the same year the Bronze medal at the Athens Olympics where they were only defeated in the semi-final by Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano's formidable Argentina team which went on then to grab Gold.
In his six years at the FIGC - from 2000 to 2006 - Claudio Gentile collected an amazing record of results beside the trophies mentioned earlier. ''I have brought up the majority of the U21 players who later became World Champions in 2006, the likes of Pirlo, who I tried him out in his current low midfield position, Iaquinta, De Rossi, Gilardino and Zaccardo plus the new breed such as D'Agostino, Pepe, Bonera, Aquilani, Amelia who are making now inroads in the senior team for next year World Cup'' concluded the World Cup winner.
Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992.
In his six years at the FIGC - from 2000 to 2006 - Claudio Gentile collected an amazing record of results beside the trophies mentioned earlier. ''I have brought up the majority of the U21 players who later became World Champions in 2006, the likes of Pirlo, who I tried him out in his current low midfield position, Iaquinta, De Rossi, Gilardino and Zaccardo plus the new breed such as D'Agostino, Pepe, Bonera, Aquilani, Amelia who are making now inroads in the senior team for next year World Cup'' concluded the World Cup winner.
Football Report : From the Publishers of 1st Interactive Journal. Established 1992.
