There you have it, Italy in Group F, drawn with New Zealand, Paraguay and Slovakia. A relatively simple group and one Marcelo Lippi should take the Azzurri through with comfort.

Group F

Italy
New Zealand
Paraguay
Slovakia

They begin the defence of their crown in Capetown at the Greenpoint soccer stadium on June 14th 2010 against Paraguay before traveling to Nelspruit to face New Zealand on 20th June in the newly built Mbombela Stadium and finishing their Group F campaign in Johannesburg at the Ellis Park Stadium against Slovakia on 24th June.

Lets hope World Cup number five is on its way to Rome and Italy retain the trophy deservingly won in Germany.

What are your thoughts on the draw and how do you think Italy will do? Leave a comment below.

This video is popping up over the net and you can find several high quality versions including one at the Gazzetta dello Sport website.  Simply click on the Gazzetta TV icon or view the Youtube version embedded below. 

Official Introduction 

I came across this little gem several weeks ago yet didn’t know how to work it into the site. After writing on Paul Ince’s demise at Blackburn Rovers under, “The Anglo Angle” it now fits in nicely as an English cross-over to the Italian game, or Christmas special for anyone wishing the return of the Sunday morning show Football Italia.

What you’ll see below is Football fan Elvis Costello  joining James Richardson on Football Italia April 30, 1995, discussing the weekend’s matches and the Fiorentina vs Juventus match they both attended.
 
Being a child of the 80′s, I grew up listening to Elvis his songs were a staple food for someone now understood as, an alternative music junkie.  Obviously you can understand how I was grinning like a Cheshire cat after discovering this clip on Youtube which I had never seen before and if you listen closely you’ll hear Richardson mention a familar name to Chelsea fans when he covers the scores of the day with Parma’s victory over Brescia.

This  current season there is no LIVE broadcasts of Serie A football in England and that is a crying shame.  Whilst the 3 million viewing figure of 1992 dwindled to 20,000 in 2006 for Football Italia, the show was loved by many and it has been greatly missed.  Comments attached to the video represent that interest and perhaps there is enough to spur a movement to bring back Serie A coverage to the country.

Here’s hoping football fans of the Italian game in England get their Christmas wish and someone in the glass towers of BBC, Skysports or Setanta wake up and realize the Premier League ain’t the only flame in town.

YouTube Football Italia video with guest Elvis Costello 

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There is a facebook group, Bring Back Football Italia for anyone wishing to join the cause and I’ll quote one member and viewer of the program who writes,  “used to watch this religiously!!!! as a long time Juve fan was the best program on tv, sat morn too gazzette football italia, bring them back 100%”

Catania striker Gianvito Plasmati, dropped his shorts at Torino goalkeeper Matteo Sereni, as team-mate Giuseppe Mascara scores on a free-kick during the Southerner’s 3-2 win.  

Dreamed up by former Italian national goalkeeper Walter Zenga, this tactic was employed to great success against the visitors. Chief executive Pietro Lo Monaco speaking yesterday to RAI said, “This is a strategy that (Catania coach Walter) Zenga tries continually in training.”

Former referees coordinator Paolo Casarin called the move “unsportsmanlike and in bad taste. “It’s a trick that should not be tolerated anymore by the referees” 

Video Highlights of Goals

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(AP photo by Francesco Pecoraro)

OUCH ROMA, what are you doing?  Falling behind to Genoa in the 4th minute the Giallorossi battled back on a beautiful goal from Daniele De Rossi only to be shattered by Diego Milito with two second half goals.  Mr. Milito is certainly making an impact in the early going of this season isn’t he. 

In the words of Gol TV’s Ray Hudson, 

“Call the exorcist! Unbelievable! It seems like there’s a spell over Roma and an exorcist is required in the building…”

Wednesday Sept. 24

Atalanta 1 – 0 Cagliari
Bologna 0 – 3 Udinese
Chievo 1 – 1 Torino
Genoa 3 – 1 AS Roma
Inter Milan 1 – 0 Lecce
Juventus 1 – 1 Catania
Lazio 3 – 0 Fiorentina
Napoli 2 – 1 Palermo
Reggina 1 – 2 AC Milan
Siena 0 – 0 Sampdoria

Original Quotes:

Hudsonia – Barcelona vs. Getafe April 6th, 2008 (68:36 2nd)