Wembley Treasure Wasted The National on Trial

From European champions to the second consecutive exclusion from the World Political Begues and an expired technical level at the base of the Italian failure

Between London and Palermo there are eight months, 2,730 km and two Italies. The first, exciting, is that of summer 2021; the second, depressing, we saw her squander a treasure, get beaten by Macedonia and greet the World Cup for the second time in a row.

And this time there is not even the head of Giampiero Ventura to give to the crowd to appease it: it happened in 2017 after the shock with Sweden. The then coach and his federal president (Carlo Tavecchio) proved to be perfect punching bags. The first is inadequate at certain levels; the second just inadequate. Now the situation is different, the European title won at Wembley on July 11th protects Roberto Mancini from tomatoes, even virtual ones, but seen now it seems an aggravating circumstance. We were unable to secure that gem found in the desert, we did not realize that behind the facade there was little or nothing. As if it were a Cinecittà set.

Our football has remained the same as before, it has not learned anything. Not on the field and not even outside. We are the ones who whistle the opposing anthem, the ones who shout “shit” (revised and corrected on Thursday evening but little changes) at each postponement of the opposing goalkeeper. Those of capital gains and balance sheet adjustments; those who choose a decrepit and indecent stadium like Barbera for such an important match and “thanks to the splendid Palermo audience”; those of the Superlega; those of the championship that expires in level but going down to 18 teams remains a blasphemy; those for whom the national team is a nuisance, but then if the European championship wins the market value is enjoyed by the clubs; those that the League does not postpone the championship day (“I can’t do anything about it, it’s a separate body” says Federal President Gravina) to facilitate the preparation of the playoffs but how is it possible that everything happens without him being able to touch the ball?

In the darkest night of the national team, two images struck us: the shining eyes, bordering on tears, of Roberto Mancini and the out-of-sync attitude of the federal president. That, let it be clear, he is not at fault if Berardi pulls towards the Macedonian door as if he were in the public gardens, but that he cannot shield himself with the beauty of European success and shift attention from the disaster to the political causes of the disaster. To question oneself, at least in form, seemed to us the minimum wage after such a mess. And instead: “I remain and defend Italy”. We will see how and if.

We lick our wounds and while not convinced that he will, we vote for Mancini to stay in his place. He asked for and obtained so much if not all from the Federation, but he gave so much. “Luck is not if you enter” said Maestro Tabarez, yet there was a moment during the European Championships when it seemed that the coach could also have good luck. Then we started to climb the credits, and missed a match (with Bulgaria) and the two penalties (with Switzerland) but the alarms never sounded. Or they did it in vain.

The coach seemed to have lost the magic touch by choosing the team for gratitude and not for form. And he was wrong. But he is the only one to have believed in an idea that has become a blue cornerstone. We thought we had champions and instead we found ourselves Champions: a paradox that did not help, but rather deluded us that we were on par with other countries. Instead, they continue to look at us from very far away.

We skip another lap and it was not expected, but in addition to winning a European title we did nothing to avoid the crash.

Surprise: we thought it was love, but instead it was a gig. –