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Italians Shocked, Disappointed Over World Cup Elimination

   Sabina Castelfranco | Rome 25 June 2010
   Italian  football  fans react during the public viewing of the group F
   World Cup football match between Italy and Slovakia, in Naples, Italy,
   24 Jun 2010

Photo: AP

   Italian  football  fans react during the public viewing of the group F
   World Cup football match between Italy and Slovakia, in Naples, Italy,
   24 Jun 2010

   Disappointed  Italians  voiced their unhappiness at the Italian team's
   poor  showing at the World Cup championship in South Africa. The cups'
   defending champions were booted out after a humiliating defeat against
   Slovakia.
   It was Italy's poorest show ever in a football World Cup championship.
   The team did not win a single game and came last in its group. Italian
   fans were angry and shocked.
   This  is a country that takes pride in its football history. Italy has
   won  four  World  Cups including the last championship in 2006. People
   remember the enthusiasm and celebrations that followed that victory in
   Germany.
   This  time  everything  was  different.  Newspaper headlines showed no
   mercy  saying  Italy's  worst team ever was out of the World Cup. They
   spoke of the shame and tears.
   Fans complained about the choices made by Italian coach Marcello Lippi
   and  the  poor  effort  by  the  players.  They  said the game against
   Slovakia was so bad it could not be watched.
   One fan said he was extremely sad and bitter, but knew Italy would not
   make it.
   Many  said  they  did  not  expect Italy to get very far, but they had
   hoped  for something more. The team should have made it past the first
   round.
   Coach  Lippi  took full responsibility for the team's failure. Italian
   Football  Federation  President  Giancarlo  Abete  called  for serious
   analysis of what he says is a structural crisis in Italian football.
   Valerio  Piccioni  works  at  the  Gazzetta  dello  Sport,  one of the
   country's  sports dailies. He says the problem is Italian football has
   not moved with the changing times.
   In  Italy,  he  says, there is such a hurry and no desire to invest in
   young  players.  Often  foreign players are bought, because we need to
   win  immediately.  There's  no  patience.  He  says  waiting for young
   players is decisive for the future of the Italian team.
   There  will  be  no warm welcome when the team comes home on Saturday.
   Many  Italians  say they will continue to watch the World Cup and hope
   the winner will be a South American team.

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