Don't bother watching Italy's 'match of the day'

In that case you should watch more Italian football :)

You've clearly not watched it for a while if you still hold this opinion. The League has evolved and it's still very tactical, but it's also more attacking and quicker, over all a lot better then it has been.

Inter are just terrible at the moment.

I'm willing to put money on it being dressed up by Sky as the strength of the League tbh, would show how good and close all the sides are :p
 
When I used to watch Football Italia on Ch4 I don't remember it being all that dull in the first place to be honest, remember some classics like Sampdoria vs Lazio, Milan against somebody, Baggio, Weah, Batistuta, Maldini, Del Piero, Nedved, Zidane these were not boring players to watch.
 
robfosters said:
No Tummy. It's bad, and if it happened here it would not be dressed up by Sky. The media and fans would never fall for it.

Italian football has just got too defensive over the last few years. A prime example was mancini's original defensive tactics that he brought from Serie A to Man City. He has only learn't these last few months that these tactics will do you no good in the Prem and will not be accepted by fans. He has changed, and Man City have changed for the better.

If Italian fans are happy, then all well and good for them. But the more boring a league gets, the less interest there is worldwide.

I just don't think Italian football is in great shape atm.
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Were you born blind or did someone poke you in the eye?

English people in the main cant grasp Italian football because of the simple aspect of 'passing' and 'patience'. In England if you dont lump it and round around like a lunatic, then you are not trying hard enough... and yes for all the foreign influence in England, the game is primarily based on direct football, getting it to the final third asap and then hoping a fancy foreigner does something pretty.

If you like football played as it should be, to feet, with patience and in the end a purpose... you may like Arsenal as ill admit they try to do this... but Italian football is where its at.

As for football fans not sucking up to Sky, 99% of those people who watch the game now probably believe Sky invented the game. Anything said on Sky Sports News is a fact and Andy Gray with his little discs was the tactical genius everyone should have at their club. Sky is a horrible tack on to football and it inflates peoples egos as they can quote a sky pundit and believe they know everything, when infact most people who work for sky know about as much about the sport as I do in my little finger.

Serie A is strugglign financially and still has the Calicopi hanging over it... however if you actually watch it, the league is strong and getting stronger than ever. Some of the bigger teams are coming back to the fore ie Napoli, Genoa, Lazio, Juventus etc... and at the same time it has teams outside of the traditional powerhouses able to challenge for the Champions League ie Udinese.

Its a fantastic league to watch, it still houses some of the best players in the world and has more parity than most at this stage, coming off the back of the Inter era 'generated' by the match fixing scandal.
 
It is my opinion and I am entitled to it. I will go to the opticians just in case, but I doubt that will change my view of Italian football.
 
mehuk said:
Were you born blind or did someone poke you in the eye?
however if you actually watch it, the league is strong and getting stronger than ever. Some of the bigger teams are coming back to the fore ie Napoli, Genoa, Lazio, Juventus etc... and at the same time it has teams outside of the traditional powerhouses able to challenge for the Champions League ie Udinese.

Its a fantastic league to watch, it still houses some of the best players in the world and has more parity than most at this stage, coming off the back of the Inter era 'generated' by the match fixing scandal.
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i think its you that has eye troubles, "the league is strong and getting stronger than ever" are you serious ? the late 80's and early 90's standard is a million miles away! not sure if you are old enough to remember "The deadly Dutch trio"

the league is way off the pace, and i would argue that the German League is now stronger, possibly the French as well, an-ways they are way off the English and Spanish.
 
Anyone remember that CH4 Serie A program thar used to be on sunday mornings? I loved watching that back in the day when Ronaldo was at Inter.

Good days. :(

Have to say that Napoli and Udinese have really been impressive this season... I can see Napoli being a team that struggles to hold onto their big players though. Watch Man city steal one of them.
 
Cool. Selective quoting!

Italian football is very good, one off run of results at the weekend doesn't some how mean the League is suddenly terrible.
 
Robert1986 said:
Anyone remember that CH4 Serie A program thar used to be on sunday mornings? I loved watching that back in the day when Ronaldo was at Inter.

Good days. :(

Have to say that Napoli and Udinese have really been impressive this season... I can see Napoli being a team that struggles to hold onto their big players though. Watch Man city steal one of them.
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Used to watch Trans World Sports on a sunday I think. Always seemed pretty exotic seeing sport from around the world.
 
_Jimlad_ said:
i think its you that has eye troubles, "the league is strong and getting stronger than ever" are you serious ? the late 80's and early 90's standard is a million miles away! not sure if you are old enough to remember "The deadly Dutch trio"

the league is way off the pace, and i would argue that the German League is now stronger, possibly the French as well, an-ways they are way off the English and Spanish.
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Of course I remember AC Milan, it was a golden era for them... and also for Serie A, but Italian Football really peaked in the mid-late 90s; they dominated European football... Juve, Lazio, Milan, Inter, Parma all won European trophies iirc ... sidesl ike Vicenza had long runs in Europe, Fiorentina, Roma.. 'big name' clubs fell like Samp, Napoli, Genoa and we had smaller teams come up and play a role as money was flashed around in a crazy fashion.

For me it was arguably my favourite era, not just because it was entertaining but also because it was more accesible... Gazzetta Magazine, TV, Internet etc

And although it slumped as ive mentioned, its back as strong right now.. theres parity in many teams... Italian players are coming through at all clubs that are talented. The foreign imports are again younger, talented and at the top of the game... you can go through the squads and find a lot of quality spread around again, and this is shown in the games.

German football is good, French no where near... although the league will either respond to PSG and raise its game ie Lyon, Marseille etc spend to bring in better talent/keep players in France... or fall into another era of 1 team dominance.

Italian football is also not as far behind the Premier League as you make out, id agree it has fallen a bit behind, but 2 European Champions in the past 5 years shows that the teams are still competitive at the top end. However as the real discussion was about the quality of the football, its there in abundance in Italy and you get better matches than you ever will in the Premier League for quality, its as simple as that.
 
fez said:
Used to watch Trans World Sports on a sunday I think. Always seemed pretty exotic seeing sport from around the world.
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Lol i remember thinking, WOW DUTCH FOOTBALL, AJAX!!

and brasilian stuff... except now i have dutch football on ESPN and ill do virtually anything to avoid it:)

For me the italian league was last strongest when you had Batistuta at the Viola, Edmundo sniffing aroung on break from prison. Manuel Rui Costa strutted his stuff in the intendo sponsored jerseys of the viola...

Even the medium rated teams had good players. AC milan were in transition up front with Kluivert stinking up the place and George Weah causing havoc.. etc..
 
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_Jimlad_ said:
i think its you that has eye troubles, "the league is strong and getting stronger than ever" are you serious ? the late 80's and early 90's standard is a million miles away! not sure if you are old enough to remember "The deadly Dutch trio"

the league is way off the pace, and i would argue that the German League is now stronger, possibly the French as well, an-ways they are way off the English and Spanish.
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Woo more selective quoting.

The Italian League isn't nearly as bad as you're making out. I'd put it on par with the German League at the very least. Remember there is a more recent Italian Champions League winner then Premier League winner.

The French League? Really? LOL do you watch French football?

Italian football has a different style, it's more tactical, slow and passing style of play. The German League is similar to the English "kick and rush" but a trademark of the German League is wingers who enjoy cutting inside, as opposed to the English who prefer a cross.

If you don't watch Italian football, don't read good football journalism then yeah, it might appear to be as bad as you seem to think it is, however if you watch it and pay attention to it, it's really not, it's an urban myth and a very stupid one at that.

Slower? Yes, better standard of football? Maybe, far better technical ability and tactical awareness then the English league.

Spain > England > Italy > Germany > France, imho, as far as the major five European Leagues go.
 
Tummy said:
Cool. Selective quoting!

Italian football is very good, one off run of results at the weekend doesn't some how mean the League is suddenly terrible.
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German football (Bundesliga) is better than Italian football, and yes I've watched a few matches of both leagues on ESPN.
 
No, I think it's more entertaining as the Germany League (Bundesliga) is played in a very similar style to the English league.

I think the quality of football is far better in Italy.

Don't get me wrong, I do love German football, I'm planning a visit to watch some soon too :) Really do think it's up and coming, has everything in place to be an amazing league. I still think the Italian league is ahead of it, I'll agree not by a massive margin, but it's still ahead.
 
I been watching Italian football for over 15 years and I don't agree with it bring a poor league and a bore fest. Every league goes over blip now and then, but the tactical side is very good. I remember players like Baggio and Ronaldo who had that flare and also the great defences. This season will be very interesting as Juventus are getting stronger, and the league still hold great players. I do understand that it's not everyone's cup of tea.
 
Last time I watched a full match was back on Ch4 on Sundays years ago.

Boring league, boring players, dont think I could name a world class Italian player that is on form right now, boring managers, probably still corrupt and racist.
 
cheets64 said:
Last time I watched a full match was back on Ch4 on Sundays years ago.

Boring league, boring players, dont think I could name a world class Italian player that is on form right now, boring managers, probably still corrupt and racist.
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World Class Italian players.. there are plenty, they had a great era which passed where by they won the World Cup in 06 and have been in a transition since (unlike England who have been in transition since 1966 albeit with a fabulous league to watch) ... anyway without digressing, the current National team has plenty of top quality players and Buffon is still arguably the best keeper in the world despite recent injury problems.

You also have Chiellini at the back that would grace any team, Marchisio is really maturing in the middle of the field and Cassano one of Italy's talents that they also seem to produce seems settled at Milan and as such is on the top of his game again.

The main problem is one of two things:

1 - The stigma surrounding Italian football given to it from a different era of the game.
2 - English fans as a general rule not accepting that anything other than direct football is entertaining.
 
cheets64 said:
Last time I watched a full match was back on Ch4 on Sundays years ago.

Boring league, boring players, dont think I could name a world class Italian player that is on form right now, boring managers, probably still corrupt and racist.
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You not including Balotelli in that? As he's Italian and on form right now.

There are lots of very good Italian players, they seem to have won a World Cup much more recently then England and have much better International ability then England.

As you said, you watched it "years ago", get your head out of the sand, stop listening to bile that people are sprouting out about it being dull and boring, one bad weekend does not make a League. Italian football is very good, albeit not quite as exciting as the English league (better football) and obviously not as good as Spain, but has a good technical ability up there with the Spanish.

Pato is one of the worlds most exciting young players and is playing in Italy too. I'm a big fan of Pato :) There are plenty of other World Class Italian footballers, there aren't many World Class English footballers either, the word is over used and has lost it's status.
 
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