Now even none-Palermitani want Amauri for the Azzurri.
By: Steven | December 13th, 2007
What will happen to Italy at Euro 2008 if something happens to Luca Toni? There has been a lot of speculation about it, because next to Toni, no one seems to be getting to the required level of play. Di Natale is doing well, Quagliarella did some great stuff in the Azzurri-shirt, but there’s no one left like Toni. SerieAmerica did some great work looking up the possible strikers for the Azzurri, and the result is: if Toni’s gone, we’re fucked. Seriously, Di Michele?
Palermo-fans have been yelling at the Don to include Amauri in the team. And now even Football Italia’s Antonio Labbate agrees with us.
Let’s handle the most heard comments:
* He’s not Italian, he’s Brazilian: True. So was José Altafini. And Camoranesi is an Argentine, as was Omar Sivori. The guy never played for Brazil and has been playing in Italy for ages, why not give him a chance?
* He doesn’t score that much: True again. He’s no Toni or Trezeguet. But unlike Trezeguet, he delivers some crucial last passes, and isn’t being a Pippo-bitch just waiting at the post to tap in a loose ball. He’s a worker. He’s the guy to give that last pass to Toto or Quaglia.
* It’s not fair to the real Italians: So? If they would play better, there wouldn’t be any need to bring in Amauri. So who’s to blame then?
* It’s not fair to the other countries: 10% of the France-squad comes from overseas territories, half of the Holland team comes from Suriname, and a big part of Portugal’s is either from Angola or Mozambique. Hell, they even have a Brazilian on the team. And let’s not forget Japan’s three Brazilians.
Altough getting an Italian passport in june 2008 might be the end of Amauri at Palermo (Spanish teams are going to be after him like Bobo after 15-year olds, because now he’s finally an EU-player), I can’t wait for my Boy from Brazil to be playing in that wonderful Azzurri-shirt…
Category: Team News
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Comments
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Hey Steven, It’s true that there’s nobody like Luca Toni. Even when he’s not scoring, he’s a complete menace to the opposing defense, and subsequently, he’s opening things up for everyone else. He’s just so damn much to handle.
I guess the closest thing we have to a Toni (6′4″) height-wise is Quagliarella (5′11″), but even that’s a stretch, no pun intended. Plus, Quagliarella plays with an entirely different style.
Lucarelli is close in height, at 6′2″, but he’s 32 years old at this point. Unless he escapes… um… leaves Shakatar (or however the hell you spell that team’s name) in the January transfer window and all of a sudden starts tearing it up for some other team, I don’t know that I’d expect Toni-level exploits from him.
Still though, the situation wouldn’t be good if Toni couldn’t play… but it wouldn’t be a disaster either. I think that Quaglia, at 24, is still developing into a powerhouse of a striker, and while he may not be able to do what Toni does, he brings a whole new set of tricks to the game. (That whole back-to-goal 20-yards out turn/shoot/score within a half-second thing that he does is just freakish. Nobody else in Serie A does it, and the thing is, it’s not just a one-time deal. Quaglia does this from time to time when nobody’s expecting it. If he keeps doing it, he’ll have the defense wetting their shorts and/or positioning themselves stupidly when he gets the ball anywhere within 40 yards of the goal.
About Amauri… I’m still not keen on Brazilians on the Azzurri, although Dunga would be a complete jackass to not take Amauri for the Selecao, and if he doesn’t take him, part of me thinks Dunga should pay the price for his stupidity… but still… a Brazilian? That doesn’t sit right. Camo at least has Italian ancestry. Amauri? Not so much.
Thanks for the link to serieAmerica, by the way!
Posted from
United States
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i honestly think that if someone goes through with the process to become a citizen of a country, that they should be considered. Thats just saying something, when you are dedicated enough to have dual nationality. Its like with Taddei, he is eligible for the azzurri, but he says he wants to play for brazil. I think both players could do wonders for italia. thats just my two cents though.
Posted from
United States -
Camoranesi is about as Italian as McDonalds. Amauri, I’ve known many Italians with the name Mauri so it’s not a far stretch to say he could have some Italian ancestry. The name also sounds Portuguese and could even be Spanish so I really don’t know. If you listen to him in interviews he speaks very nice Italian! I want him on the NT and I think either him and ToTo or him and Toni would be magical.
Posted from
United States -
I’ll take Amauri over Lucarelli any day. But aren’t we forgetting about Iaquinta?
Posted from
United States -
Ia-who? No, really…I still believe Iaquinta is a great striker, but he’s not Azzurri-level. I’d take Lucarelli over him anyday. That, and i don’t like his ego.
Vin, i agree on Quagliarella needing time to get to his final form, but he’s the Toni of the future. I love him for shooting from just about anywhere. If we’re really desperate, how bout Pazzini? Or Cacia?
And you’re welcome…
Posted from
Belgium -
Palladino is a nice player as well.
Posted from
United States -
I would start the euros with a 4-3-2-2 formation. with the main guys at the back then in the mid you got pirlo, gattuso and de rossi, then you got two widemen di natale and iaquinta who also get back and work, then you have amauri playing just behind luca toni…to me thats pritty much unstoppable…you got camo on the bench, quagliarella, pippo, ambro… alot of solid depth on the bench… i dont see whos gonna challenge us other then france and germany
Posted from
Canada -
4-3-2-2 is too many players unless you plan on playing without a keeper…Iaquinta is nothing special in my mind. Nice player on the club level but would he even be getting a sniff for Spain, Brazil, Germany, Holland etc. Probably not. 4-3-1-2 with Amauri and Toni is probably the best, Di Natale as the trequartista.
Posted from
United States
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