Expert Blogs

Arriverderchi Italy, it was mostly horrible while it lasted. Which wasn't very long. Even the brilliant, dramatic, final game is no saving grace. All it does is underline just how desperately, tragically pathetic you have been in all the other matches.

Even the brilliant, dramatic, final game was not an entire game - it was, rather, just a momentary reaction that was ultimately worthless. Too little, too late. A reaction that, despite the wonderful goal scored by Fabio Quagliarella, was punctuated with dire defending, and a lack of creativity or guile. Yet again.

The Slovakia goal that finally killed them off summed it up. The defence that only conceded two in the whole of the 2006 World Cup let in its third of the match - from a throw in, for goodness sake.

Before the World Cup, Marcello Lippi admitted: "I know perfectly well that if we lose in South Africa they'll massacre me."

They might as well drive him straight to the Coliseum and bring out the lions. They might as well send in an angry mob too, armed with very sharp knives. Italy didn't just lose in South Africa, they were humiliated.

Lippi went off at the end of the game in a huff, refusing to shake handswith Vladimir Weiss. While not quite as un-edifying as Raymond Domenech's performance three days earlier, he showed a surprising lack of class.

Lippi had reasons for being annoyed: after all, against Slovakia Italy had a goal disallowed for an offside that was very tight indeed, another one ruled out for a foul that looks rather soft, and they also felt they should have had a goal that was cleared off (or over?) the line.

There are grounds to feel a bit sorry for them too in their opening two games: Paraguay and new Zealand both scored with their only shots on target.

But, then, read that paragraph again. Slovakia, Paraguay, New Zealand. New bloody Zealand! And Italy could not beat any of them.

Lippi might blame the referee and the linesman, his players might too. But they can only blame themselves. This much of a humiliation was unexpected but an embarrassment
of some sort wasn't.

"Italy don't look too good, they look old and have difficulty imposing their game," ran the opinion of Gazetta dello Sport before the tournament. "It's hard to see a repeat of Germany 2006," added La Repubblica, "the players are older and less hungry."

Old is not the half of it.

Italy are an ancient team. Iaquinta, Di Natale, Gattuso, Camoranesi, Zambrotta and Buffon are all in their 30s. So is their most important ball playing midfielder Andrea Pirlo - and, more to the point, he wasn't even fit. As for Cannavaro, he's 36. And at times looks it.

There was a kind of confidence that came from being the current World Champions but that confidence was misplaced. Four years later, you can't expect the same thing from the same players. Mostly, they were getting on a bit back then too.

It was not just physical freshness that they lacked, either, but creative spark too. Lippi  take Totti, Balotelli, or Cassano, Aquilani or Rossi. "In a World Cup collective strength is more important than talent." He insisted.

How ridiculous that sounds now.

Italy were supposed to be in an easy group. Actually, scrap that: Italy most certainly were in an easy group. Probably the worst group of the tournament. And they were the worst team in it. Slovakia, Paraguay, New bloody Zealand!

And still they were nothing short of pathetic. Still they came last. Last!

If it had been a Chamions League group Italy wouldn't have sneaked their way into the Europa League via the back door.  Which kind of says it all.

Arriverderchi, Italy.  Good-bye.  And good riddance.