Italy's Azzurri need to redeem themselves
By MORRIS DALLA COSTA -- London Free Press
There are times it's embarrassing to be a sports fan. For the last four days, it's been embarrassing to be an Italian soccer fan.
We all know this is going to generate all sorts of vitriolic response. After all, nothing brings out patriotism (or should we say utter blindness and contempt of facts) as much as soccer. That's especially true when the event happens to be of the magnitude of the Euro 2004 tournament.
But even the most ardent Italian soccer fans have to shake their heads in amazement at the antics of their high-priced, child-like, spoiled millionaire soccer players.
Italy entered the Euro 2004 tournament as one of the favourites. The team supposedly had it all, a strong defence, a creative midfield and a handful of strikers that could put the ball in the net. Expectations are great, not only in Italy but throughout the world thanks to the great number of Italian immigrants.
The Italians disappointed in their first game with a 0-0 tie against Denmark. That's not unusual. In most tournaments the Italians usually start slowly. If they manage to survive, they become more dangerous.
But what has become intolerable for some fans of the Azzurri is their actions and attitudes during and after the game against the Danes. Always known as a team with players of great ego -- egos which often overshadowed talent -- the Italians did their reputation no favours with their unprofessional attitude.
It has been years since I have watched a team that looked as unhappy and miserable as the Italians against the Danes. Striker Christian Vieri looked disinterested and "the most important player Italy has," according to coach Giovanni Trapattoni, Francesco Totti, seemed shocked the world didn't open at his feet. He had no interest in working any harder than necessary.
Totti is the glamour boy of Italian soccer, someone who talks about himself in the third person, someone who is brilliant when things are going his way but petulant when they aren't. Of course, when things go badly, nothing is ever his fault.
We may not be seeing any more of Totti because, in typically selfish fashion, he decided to spit on another player and was slapped with a three-match suspension. Good riddance. One can only hope the appeal will go nowhere.
After their poor performance, it would have been refreshing if the team had shown some sort of humility.
As it turned out, it wasn't the fault of the Italians they played poorly. It was the heat, the shoes and the socks.
Totti said Nike had given him a new pair of cleats for Euro 2004.
"It was very painful," he said. "I have two big blisters, one on each foot."
Defender Christian Panucci said his socks were a problem.
"I had blisters at the end of the game on my heels," he said. "The thread that these socks were made with is too rough."
Perhaps the players kits should come with a more suitable piece of equipment . . . a pacifier.
Defender Alessandro Nesta was afraid all the sock and shoe talk would make people think his team was crazy.
"I don't even want to talk about it," he said. "They're going to take us for being ridiculous."
It would have been so refreshing if they had acted like professionals and stated the obvious.
"We stunk. We played like crap. We didn't show any emotion."
The Italians will play Sweden today. Who knows how they will play. But as a longtime soccer and Italy fan, I can only hope they redeem themselves.
And it isn't about winning. It's about acting and playing like the highly paid, highly visible professionals they are supposed to be.
