Totti Gets Bionic Boot, Teases Azzurri Return

By: Martha | November 29th, 2007

Bionic Er PuponeNext time you see Francesco Totti on the pitch, he could well actually be hovering right above it: The crack (I might mean that literally, given how long it’s taking their charges to recover from injuries the season) Roma medical stuff have built him a “special boot,” one that will apparently render the captain impervious to both pain and injury. (Now if only they could construct a team set of body suits of the same material, Roma will really be in business.)

The training staff’s goal is to have Er Pupone back to full Yeah! strength by the December 5 make-up match against Cagliari, and you can tell they’re not messing around, because this is the first time they’ve offered a date for his return since he went down more than a month ago.

Totti, meanwhile, is also talking about injuries, albeit not his. In a recent interview with the Italian GQ, the retired (over and over again) Azzurri captain started out poo-pooing the idea of a return to the national team, insisting that “it’s only right that the 22 or 24 players who earned qualification should go.” He found a retirement loophole soon enough, though, selflessly offering himself up should the Azzurri face some sort of epic injury crisis that kills every non-retired attacking player. Isn’t that sweet?

I tend to be pretty cynical about The Great Totti, but my guess is that what he actually said is probably at least a little different than what Channel 4 are reporting. There are convenient ellipses at the end of their quote, which strongly hint at removed qualifying statements, if not a “but it doesn’t matter, because I’m done,” perhaps at least a grumpy “but only if Donadoni is gone.”

ETA: See? He was totally kidding! Such a joker, that guy.





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Comments  

  • chris |  November 29th, 2007 at 12:24 pm

    cornercorner

    Cynical? You? Naw…

    He’ll be back, but not for the Euros. 2010.

    Posted from United States

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  • Martha |  November 29th, 2007 at 12:58 pm

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    He and Old Man Panucci can join with Bobo and lead the most geriatric team ever to WC victory. (Is 2010 after the expiration date his wife set, though?)

    Posted from United States United States

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  • chris |  November 29th, 2007 at 1:11 pm

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    Think Zidane, minus the headbutt.

    Posted from United States

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  • Martha |  November 29th, 2007 at 1:26 pm

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    And with more hair.

    Posted from United States United States

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  • Mike |  November 29th, 2007 at 3:21 pm

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    and italian!

    Posted from United States United States

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  • Marco |  November 29th, 2007 at 4:01 pm

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    This Totti-Azzurri story is rapidly taking the turn of an ugly on-again-off-again love relationship à la Days of our Lives. Somebody please turn off the TV…

    Posted from United States

    cornercorner
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