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Euro 2012 Comment: Marcello Lippi Was Away With The ‘Faroes’ Not Taking Italy's Antonio Cassano To The World Cup
'Talentino' once again showed what Italy were missing in South Africa, comments Goal.com’s Carlo Garganese…
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Sep 8, 2010 12:30:00 PM
By Carlo Garganese
I wrote in my post-match Estonia editorial on Saturday morning that it is still far too early to judge Cesare Prandelli’s Italy and this has not changed despite the emphatic 5-0 thrashing of the Faroe Islands in Florence last night. The real acid test will arrive next month with the tricky away trip to Northern Ireland and the hosting of one of la Nazionale’s notorious bogey sides Serbia.
What we have learned though – as if we didn’t know it already – is just what a fool Marcello Lippi was in snubbing the mercurial Antonio Cassano during the 2010 World Cup campaign. In two Euro 2012 qualifiers, Fantantonio has scored twice, been man-of-the-match twice, and assisted in three goals, two of them direct assists – one of which was a genius backheel for the winner in Estonia.
Last night, with the legendary Roberto Baggio watching in the stands admirably among the Italian delegation, Cassano put on a clinic with a series of tricks, flicks, 360 turns, and twisting dribbles. Talentino’s goal was also a trademark Baggio strike as he cut in from the left just outside the area and fired home into the goalkeeper’s left hand corner.
While doubters will rightly point out that a masterclass against a nation with a population the size of the Stadio Franchi is nothing to get excited about, there is no doubt that if Cassano had travelled to South Africa he would have torn up an extremely weak group containing New Zealand, Slovakia and Paraguay, and would have had few problems dismantling Japan in the second round. Who knows what would have been possible thereafter.
The newfound maturity of Cassano on-and-off the pitch is clear to see, so much so that he refuses to blame the stubborn Lippi for his international exile.
“If my Azzurri adventure has been disastrous up until now I only have myself to blame,” Cassano stated a few days ago.
“I intend to make up for the lost time, however. There is no use looking back and I’m aware of the chaos I caused in the past. Since meeting [my wife] Carolina, I have seen my life change.”
And Italy’s fortunes will continue to change for the better too if Cassano continues this stunning form.
What we have learned though – as if we didn’t know it already – is just what a fool Marcello Lippi was in snubbing the mercurial Antonio Cassano during the 2010 World Cup campaign. In two Euro 2012 qualifiers, Fantantonio has scored twice, been man-of-the-match twice, and assisted in three goals, two of them direct assists – one of which was a genius backheel for the winner in Estonia.
Last night, with the legendary Roberto Baggio watching in the stands admirably among the Italian delegation, Cassano put on a clinic with a series of tricks, flicks, 360 turns, and twisting dribbles. Talentino’s goal was also a trademark Baggio strike as he cut in from the left just outside the area and fired home into the goalkeeper’s left hand corner.
While doubters will rightly point out that a masterclass against a nation with a population the size of the Stadio Franchi is nothing to get excited about, there is no doubt that if Cassano had travelled to South Africa he would have torn up an extremely weak group containing New Zealand, Slovakia and Paraguay, and would have had few problems dismantling Japan in the second round. Who knows what would have been possible thereafter.
The newfound maturity of Cassano on-and-off the pitch is clear to see, so much so that he refuses to blame the stubborn Lippi for his international exile.
“If my Azzurri adventure has been disastrous up until now I only have myself to blame,” Cassano stated a few days ago.
“I intend to make up for the lost time, however. There is no use looking back and I’m aware of the chaos I caused in the past. Since meeting [my wife] Carolina, I have seen my life change.”
And Italy’s fortunes will continue to change for the better too if Cassano continues this stunning form.
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Goal.com Poll
Poll runs from Sep 8, 2010 to Sep 10, 2010
Poll runs from Sep 8, 2010 to Sep 10, 2010
How Would Italy Have Done At The World Cup With Antonio Cassano?
Quarter Final
40.09%
Semi Final
21.57%
Winners
16.65%
Last 16
11.61%
Group Stages
5.98%
Final
4.1%
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