South Africa Call-Ups, Or: Throwing Rosina a Bone
By: Martha | October 14th, 2007
[ETA: Traveling Monday; if all goes well, normal posting will resume Tuesday.]
As Francesco mentioned in the comments last night, Roberto Donadoni has called up a very different team for the upcoming friendly against South Africa than he fielded against Georgia. Among other things, this approach allows him to finally give Alessandro Rosina the call he deserves, thus shutting people up without actually, you know, picking the lad for a real match. (Hopefully this is a sign of what’s to come for Rosina, but since Donadoni has carefully ignored him so far, it’d be wise not to count those chickens just yet.)
Also in the team for the first time are The Little Cannavaro, Antonio Nocerino and Andrea Dossena, while Cristian Zaccardo, though apparently not good enough to play even when the entire pool of centerbacks is broken, has finally been recalled, as has Alberto Gilardino, who’s clearly being called in as a result of his brace against Lazio (and because we all know the Don’s needs at least two Milan players around at all times). Others receiving what are probably only token looks are Franco Semioli and Angelo Palombo; the former has been called a couple times before but never appeared for Italy. Honestly, as well as Semioli is playing, he still shouldn’t be allowed to make his Azzurri debut return with the appalling facial hair he’s currently sporting — now is the time for Donadoni to grow a pair and make some rules. Ahem. Finally, Gigi Buffon has been sent home, which probably means Marco Amelia (whose last appearance was in the friendly loss to Croatia) and Gianluca Curci, who would be making his first Azzurri appearance, will each get a half.
The match is Wednesday in Siena; the full roster is after the jump.
Keepers: Amelia, Curci;
Defenders: Zaccardo, Mesto, Bonera, Gamberini, Paolo Cannavaro, Chiellini;
Midfielders: Dossena, De Rossi, Palombo, Montolivo, Nocerino, Semioli, Foggia, Mauri;
Strikers: Rosina, Lucarelli, Gilardino, Iaquinta.
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Comments
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Semioli actually played for Italy once. If you look back to the 3-1 disaster loss in Paris in September 2006, Semioli started that game, and didn’t do too well. He never appeared for Italy again.
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yee yeee yeee yeee 4 rosinaaaa finally!
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