Abate finally called up for Italy NT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From goal.com (it's not a transfer rumour, so I figure this is reliable )

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has called up AC Milan defender Ignazio Abate into the national team set-up for the first time, forming part of his 24-man squad to face Poland next Friday and Uruguay on November 15 in Rome.

The right-back has been a consistent performer for the champions since redefining himself as defender under Leonardo two years ago, and his inclusion headlines a number of personnel changes in the squad.

The alterations start in defence, as Andrea Ranocchia joins Abate in replacing trio Mattia Cassani, Leonardo Bonucci and Davide Astori, while Domenico Criscito and Angelo Ogbonna are both named.

In midfield, Juventus' Simone Pepe and Inter's Thiago Motta have been rewarded with their recent upturns in form for their respective clubs by being selected at the expense of Luca Cigarini.

With Prandelli being forced to reshape his front line, due to the absence of Antonio Cassano and Giuseppe Rossi, Juventus' Alessandro Matri has been recalled to the side, while Roma's Pablo Daniel Osvaldo keeps his place.

Mario Balotelli and Giampaolo Pazzini were forced to pull out with injury back in October, but both have been given call-ups once more, although there is no such luck for Udinese star and Serie A top-scorer Antonio Di Natale, who misses out on a place in the squad.

Name Club
Goalkeepers:
Gianluigi Buffon Juventus
Morgan De Sanctis Napoli
Salvatore Sirigu Paris Saint-Germain
Defenders:
Ignazio Abate AC Milan
Federico Balzaretti Palermo
Andrea Barzagli Juventus
Giorgio Chiellini Juventus
Domenico Criscito Zenit St Petersburg
Christian Maggio Napoli
Angelo Ogbonna Torino
Andrea Ranocchia Inter
Midfielders:
Alberto Aquilani AC Milan
Antonio Nocerino AC Milan
Daniele De Rossi Roma
Claudio Marchisio Juventus
Andrea Pirlo Juventus
Simone Pepe Juventus
Riccardo Montolivo Fiorentina
Thiago Motta Inter
Attackers:
Mario Balotelli Manchester City
Sebastian Giovinco Parma
Alessandro Matri Juventus
Pablo Osvaldo Roma
Giampaolo Pazzini Inter

About time to! :mental:

about f**king time

Pepe > Abate

juve_gigi wrote:Pepe > Abate

The 'less than' symbol is the other way around.

Abate's ball sweat soaked shorts> Pepe

And the legacy begins!

juve_gigi wrote:Pepe > Abate

Maybe in some alternative universe where Bonera is the pioneer of classic Italian defending, Pepe surpasses Abate

But, juve_gigi, you're living in Abate's world!

Though The Universe belongs to Abate, there are still some insensible creatures who don't recognize his greatness. By telling Prandelli to pick him in the NT, now people will just be happy to be blessed by Ultra-Abate ray that pierce through all darkness in the universe

About time! Grats to Nocerino and Aquilani for deserved call-ups as well!

Step one is complete.
Let's hope he let's him play

I think he'll do great!Poor Maggio is gonnabe a bench warmer soon

red&blacklegion wrote:I think he'll do great!Poor Maggio is gonnabe a bench warmer soon

In what universe ? Funny how non-Italians pretend to know so much about the national team.

Nice to see two former Juventus players make the list too, hope to see Nocerino and Aquilani do well...but only for Italia.

JNC, if you come in here, you do not come in with your nonsense that only Italians know anything about the national team.

JuvenelCuore wrote:

red&blacklegion wrote:I think he'll do great!Poor Maggio is gonnabe a bench warmer soon

In what universe ? Funny how non-Italians pretend to know so much about the national team.

Nice to see two former Juventus players make the list too, hope to see Nocerino and Aquilani do well...but only for Italia.

Dont worry, Abate will carry them on his back, showing them the world from his perspective, truly making them superior human beings and footballers.

JuvenelCuore wrote:

red&blacklegion wrote:I think he'll do great!Poor Maggio is gonnabe a bench warmer soon

In what universe ? Funny how non-Italians pretend to know so much about the national team.

Nice to see two former Juventus players make the list too, hope to see Nocerino and Aquilani do well...but only for Italia.

Sorry Mr.Trapattoni ! So can u teach us calcio a bit here?

red&blacklegion wrote:

JuvenelCuore wrote:

red&blacklegion wrote:I think he'll do great!Poor Maggio is gonnabe a bench warmer soon

In what universe ? Funny how non-Italians pretend to know so much about the national team.

Nice to see two former Juventus players make the list too, hope to see Nocerino and Aquilani do well...but only for Italia.

Sorry Mr.Trapattoni ! So can u teach us calcio a bit here?

Since you asked.

If any of you have followed Italia in the least, you would be aware that Prandelli has called up nearly every feasible and possible Italian there is for a chance at making the national teem, veering away from what people accused Marcelo Lippi of doing, that is, choosing based on preference and not on ability.

This is evidenced by some call-ups including Pablo Osvaldo, Stefano Mauri, Daniele Gastaldello, Marco Parolo, Alessandro Diamanti, Cristian Ledesma, etc. who would have probably never been called up by virtually any other national team coach.

This, therefore, justifies why Abate is being called up; there are no risk friendly matches, and Prandelli is simply continuing his process of selecting available players. This in no way means he is a starter, which is quite frankly baseless, unrealistic, silly, and juvenile. This means that he was eligible, and he is getting a shot.

Do not count the eggs before the chicken lays them.

Prandelli is doing a very decent job, however the praise he is getting is excessive. Calling up players that would have been ignored by virtually any other national team coach? Parolo, Osvaldo and Gastaldello earnt their call-ups. Diamanti simply never warranted one - so his call-up hardly deserves praise - and Prandelli mis-used Ledesma then dropped him flat - something I was OK with given that his performance was appalling. Aquilani and Mauri weren't treated with the same contempt he was shown however.

Prandelli's only brave call up thus far has been Angelo Ogbonna.

Red and Black legion never implied that he was a starter. If you notice, he referenced Maggio's position only in the future, based on confidence in his ability to perform now that he has been given a chance.

Prandelli's 'experimental' call-ups require time in Internationals to prove their worth, not simply to participate in training. Now that he has the chance to experiment in friendlies, we can see whether he gives Ogbonna and the like the tests that they deserve.

Praising him now is, to quote your good self, counting the eggs before the chicken lays them

dostoevsky wrote:Prandelli is doing a very decent job, however the praise he is getting is excessive. Calling up players that would have been ignored by virtually any other national team coach? Parolo, Osvaldo and Gastaldello earnt their call-ups. Diamanti simply never warranted one - so his call-up hardly deserves praise - and Prandelli mis-used Ledesma then dropped him flat - something I was OK with given that his performance was appalling. Aquilani and Mauri weren't treated with the same contempt he was shown however.

Prandelli's only brave call up thus far has been Angelo Ogbonna.

Red and Black legion never implied that he was a starter. If you notice, he referenced Maggio's position only in the future, based on confidence in his ability to perform now that he has been given a chance.

Prandelli's 'experimental' call-ups require time in Internationals to prove their worth, not simply to participate in training. Now that he has the chance to experiment in friendlies, we can see whether he gives Ogbonna and the like the tests that they deserve.

Praising him now is, to quote your good self, counting the eggs before the chicken lays them

I never said the players never warranted the call-ups, I simply said no other national team coach would have given them one. Lippi dropped Giuseppe Rossi, albeit he claimed it was due to inconsistency which stemmed from him taking an extended leave after his Father passed away, so do you really think any of those players would have been called ? No way.

Well when you say "brave," it is quite brave that he calls up a Serie B player, but I mean, the rest of the players were choices that nobody ever expected, and it has to be said that this aspect shows that he is willing to change and modify formulas regardless of preference or popular opinion.

Prandelli has gone undefeated in Euro qualification, so I would say he has done spectacular considering what Italia did in the World Cup. The real test now is the absence of Fantantonio Cassano...though it is an untimely and certainly unfortunate chance for Prandelli to test himself, given it came at the expense of Cassano. Nonetheless, his system has to change so I will be curious.

No other national team coach? On the basis of what?

Have you seen the call ups of Joachim Low? Del Bosque? In fact, almost any national football team. Comparison to Lippi's draconian final days would make the most stubborn mule look like an open minded coach, however it's being used to hail Prandelli as some sort of heroic figure, when he's simply returning to normal, sane practice.

Choices that nobody ever expected is an incredibly subjective idea, particularly given that of the players you listed, few received much of a chance.

Again, the spectacular failure of Lippi is being used to suggest that Prandelli has constituted some sort of miraculous revival of the nation, bringing out talent that was not previously on show. In reality, all he has done is called up those who deserved to be called up on Lippi, whilst a few players such as Rossi, Ranocchia, Bonucci and Balotelli's natural development at club level is obviously providing a more optimistic outlook based upon the squad.

The World Cup performance could only be used as a comparison if the same core were being used, however at the World Cup, Zambrotta and Cannavaro were still in the backline, Cassano, Rossi, Balotelli were completely absent, whilst Pazzini was permanently benched. Pirlo was injured, Quagliarella and Di Natale benched.

Prandelli achieved what was expected of him with a talented side that had been hidden by Lippi's madness. Qualifying from a group in which they opposition sides regularly stole points from each other to drag down the second placed team shows that he's achieving what he should, not exceeding reasonable expectations.

Now Prandelli has a new and far more important test approaching and it is on this basis that he should be judged. Cassano and Rossi's absence complicates this for him, so we shall see how he performs. I believe he is very capable of meeting this test and I hope that he continues to improve and develop this squad.

Since Prandelli doesnt use 3-4-3 formation like Palermo i see Abate more suited for the RB position!Maggio can be the perfect all purpose box to box midfielder for the azzuri!This is just my opinion !

Napoli mate, not Palermo. :p

Sh#t i always mix up lol theyre both southerner so there u go