Donadoni Opens Cassano Door – Good Or Bad Idea?

voldemort · 12-05-2007, 10:47 AM

Fantantonio is one of the most naturally gifted players that the Italian game has produced in years, however his wild personality means that he has never fulfilled his prodigious talent.

Cassano famously burst onto the scene in 1999, when as a 17-year-old he scored a stunning goal for hometown club Bari against Inter Milan. In 2001, while still a teenager, he moved to A.S Roma for a monumental £20m.

During Italy’s ill-fated Euro 2004 campaign, Cassano was arguably the Azzurri’s best player along with Gianluca Zambrotta, scoring two goals in as many starts.

The youngster was then expected to explode onto the world scene, with French star Thierry Henry labelling Cassano as one of the few players he would pay to watch.

However since then the flaws in his character have got the better of him and he was soon frozen out of the Roma squad after arguments with coaches Rudi Voller and Luigi Del Neri, as well as club symbol Francesco Totti.

He moved on to Real Madrid in 2006 and despite scoring on his debut and occasionally showing glimpses of his undoubted genius, disciplinary problems again caused him to be frozen out of the first team squad.

Having barely featured for the Spanish-giants during a miserable 18-month spell, he moved back to Serie A this summer on a one-year loan deal with Sampdoria.

Cassano has endured an injury-hit start to the season, however on Sunday he produced a magical performance during the 3-0 win over Reggina.

The 25-year-old was at times unplayable, going on numerous mazy runs and creating Claudio Bellucci’s opener with an exquisite pass.

After the game the 25-year-old told Donadoni that he would be delighted to return to the Azzurri fold.

“For sure Donadoni would have been happy with how I played,” said Cassano. “If he decides to call me I will be so happy.”

El Pibe de Bari has not featured for Italy since the 3-1 defeat to France in Paris in September 2006, however Donadoni has not ruled out the chance of a return.

“Cassano? It depends solely on him,” said the ex-Livorno tactician.

“Antonio is a boy that has top-class technical quality, however he is lacking continuity. He should transform his promises into certainties.”

Many people believe that the main weakness in the current Italy line-up is the lack of a top-class creative support striker, in the mould of a Francesco Totti or Roberto Baggio.

Cassano certainly ticks this box if fully fit and in form – however will Donadoni take a risk on a player who may damage squad harmony?

The Azzurri are renowned for their mental strength and team spirit, and indeed one of the main reasons Marcello Lippi froze out the likes of Cassano and Christian Panucci during his time as Italy boss was because he wanted to create a “healthy club atmosphere” around the camp.

Cassano is a liability in this respect and indeed he was substituted on Sunday after swearing at both the referee and Reggina boss Renzo Ulivieri, following the failure to award a penalty for a foul on him.

What are your views on this topic? Could Cassano return to the Azzurri fold and make the difference at Euro 2008? Or would his inclusion be a risk not worth taking? We want to know what YOU think.

source:goal.com

12-05-2007, 10:47 AM	#1 (permalink)
voldemort Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 8,186	Donadoni Opens Cassano Door – Good Or Bad Idea? Fantantonio is one of the most naturally gifted players that the Italian game has produced in years, however his wild personality means that he has never fulfilled his prodigious talent. Cassano famously burst onto the scene in 1999, when as a 17-year-old he scored a stunning goal for hometown club Bari against Inter Milan. In 2001, while still a teenager, he moved to A.S Roma for a monumental £20m. During Italy’s ill-fated Euro 2004 campaign, Cassano was arguably the Azzurri’s best player along with Gianluca Zambrotta, scoring two goals in as many starts. The youngster was then expected to explode onto the world scene, with French star Thierry Henry labelling Cassano as one of the few players he would pay to watch. However since then the flaws in his character have got the better of him and he was soon frozen out of the Roma squad after arguments with coaches Rudi Voller and Luigi Del Neri, as well as club symbol Francesco Totti. He moved on to Real Madrid in 2006 and despite scoring on his debut and occasionally showing glimpses of his undoubted genius, disciplinary problems again caused him to be frozen out of the first team squad. Having barely featured for the Spanish-giants during a miserable 18-month spell, he moved back to Serie A this summer on a one-year loan deal with Sampdoria. Cassano has endured an injury-hit start to the season, however on Sunday he produced a magical performance during the 3-0 win over Reggina. The 25-year-old was at times unplayable, going on numerous mazy runs and creating Claudio Bellucci’s opener with an exquisite pass. After the game the 25-year-old told Donadoni that he would be delighted to return to the Azzurri fold. “For sure Donadoni would have been happy with how I played,” said Cassano. “If he decides to call me I will be so happy.” El Pibe de Bari has not featured for Italy since the 3-1 defeat to France in Paris in September 2006, however Donadoni has not ruled out the chance of a return. “Cassano? It depends solely on him,” said the ex-Livorno tactician. “Antonio is a boy that has top-class technical quality, however he is lacking continuity. He should transform his promises into certainties.” Many people believe that the main weakness in the current Italy line-up is the lack of a top-class creative support striker, in the mould of a Francesco Totti or Roberto Baggio. Cassano certainly ticks this box if fully fit and in form – however will Donadoni take a risk on a player who may damage squad harmony? The Azzurri are renowned for their mental strength and team spirit, and indeed one of the main reasons Marcello Lippi froze out the likes of Cassano and Christian Panucci during his time as Italy boss was because he wanted to create a “healthy club atmosphere” around the camp. Cassano is a liability in this respect and indeed he was substituted on Sunday after swearing at both the referee and Reggina boss Renzo Ulivieri, following the failure to award a penalty for a foul on him. What are your views on this topic? Could Cassano return to the Azzurri fold and make the difference at Euro 2008? Or would his inclusion be a risk not worth taking? We want to know what YOU think. source:goal.com