Italian football going downhill?

The World Cup 2006 seems like a distant memory, it is hard to believe that the same team that were defeated by Egypt and humiliated by Brazil (again!) actually won the biggest honour; The World Cup. When everyone doubted their honesty and ability, they did it! The feeling I felt when Grosso fired home the winning penalty was pure ecstasy, I was on cloud 9! But even that victory was tainted by “the head-butt” and what exactly Materrazzi said to provoke such a response. Again there were whispers that Italy had cheated by getting the legendary captain sent off, but no one forced Zidane to act the way he did in the final of a World Cup, he did it to himself.

Now it would have been a slap in the face to every critic, if Italy had won the European Cup, the same way France had done in 2000. But that was not the case, they were slow to start in every game and were out of the competition by the ¼ finals against a more awake and more energetic Spain, truth be told I was surprised they made it that far.

They could have still clung on to some pride if they had played in the Confederations Cup. I know they were physically there but I think in their hearts and feet they didn’t feel a need to attend, like the commentator said” they’re probably thinking they should be on their summer vacations”. I can kind of sympathise with the Italian team, to be working hard all year and then having their summer holidays cut short because they had to take part in this meaningless competition, which I think only tires the players even more just in time for the new season.

Having read that Lippi had no regards for the competition and believed that anyone who won The Confederations Cup would go on to lose the World Cup was very disturbing, now let’s be serious, is he seriously doubting that Brazil can win both?!
He is the coach, the person with the most influence, and if he wasn’t taking it seriously then I don’t expect the team to.

I have always believed that every team goes through what the call in the financial sector, booms and recessions, I just didn’t believe the recession to come this fast and hard.