Lippi’s Italy squad for Confederations Cup 2009 in South Africa

Below the official Italian Squad for The Confederations Cup 2009 in South Africa chosen by Marcello Lippi:

 

Goalkeepers:

1-Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)

12-Morgan De Sanctis (Galatasaray)

14-Marco Amelia (Palermo)

Ferrara to Juventus, Labbadia to Hamburg, Zenga to Palermo, and Gergucci to Atalanta

Young Italian manager

 

This summer turn to be one of the busiest summers in Managers transfers…..

Ciro Ferrara (Italy / 42 years old)

The great former Napoli and Juventus defender Ciro Ferraraofficially is Juventus manager for the next 2 years. after sacking Ranieri before the end of 2008-09 season Ferrara took as a caretaker for two games (he was Marcelo Lippi assistant at Azzurri) but now he will have his first debut season as head coach at The Old Lady team.

Official: Chelsea new manager is Ancelotti

 

Blues I'm here

 

Finally Chelsea-Ancelotti story ended happily, it is official Carlo Ancelotti is Chelsea new manager for the next three years (£ 6.5 million per year) and will start next 1st July, 2009. According to Chelsea FC website:

Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce that Carlo Ancelotti has agreed to become our new manager. He has signed a three year contract and will start on July 1, 2009.

 

Chelsea FC Official Website

Ancelotti if the figures up was accurate will be the highest paid manager in the English Premier League, and now the second Italian to manage an English club as Zola is currently West Ham manager. Maybe the number will jump to three if the reports suggestion that Roberto Mancini on verge to coach Sunderland.

Juventus says good bye to “the Tinker man” Ranieri

Good Bye Juventus

 

The Tinker man Juventus days is over after a bad spell of results in the last seven games in Serie A they lost one and draw in 6 make their third place in danger as Fiorentina one point less than Juventus and still two games in the season. Juventus known of his stable managerial history not like for example Real Madrid sack caoches during the season, the Old Lady since 1970-71 season they didn’t sack a manager during the season only Didier Deschamps in (2006-07) season particulary in May 2007 too and the second incident was Ranieri sake this season.

What surprising about Juventus management decision to sack Ranieri is the timing rather than the decision because Ranieri looked during this season in shaky status, his record don’t support him only won the Italian Cup and super cup once each with Fiorentina in 1996. To be fair not all blame laid on Ranieri shoulders the management at Juventus appeared to be struggling in transfer decisions and managing the team affair.

Now former Juventus defender Ciro Ferrara will be caretaker in the reminder of this season, as many lining another former Bianconeri star Antonio Conte (now with Bari) to be their next manager.

Claudio Ranieri vs. Guus Hiddink

The Tinker Man

 

 

Claudio Ranieri

Date of birth: 20 October 1951

Nationality: Italian

Playing career: AS Roma, Catanzaro Calcio, Calcio Catania, US Città di Palermo

Coaching career: Cagliari Calcio, SSC Napoli, ACF Fiorentina, Valencia CF (twice), Club Atlético de Madrid, Chelsea

FC, Parma FC, Juventus

 

Guus Hiddink

Date of birth: 8 November 1946

Nationality: Dutch

Playing career: SC Varsseveld, De Graafschap, PSV Eindhoven, De Graafschap, NEC Nijmegen, Washington Diplomats, San Jose Earthquakes, De Graafschap

Coaching career: De Graafschap, PSV Eindhoven (assistant), PSV, Fenerbahçe SK, Valencia CF, Netherlands, Real Madrid CF, Real Betis Balompié, Korea Republic, PSV, Australia, Russia, Chelsea FC

 

Background:

 

The first league at the Stamford Bridge ended with narrow win for Chelsea by Drogba’s goal.

 

Juventus possible lineup:

Buffon – Zebina – Chiellini – Mellberg – Molinaro – Marchionni (Salihamidzic) – Poulsen – Marchisio – Nedved – Del Piero – Amauri.

 

Chelsea possible lineup:

Cech – Bosingwa – Terry – Alex (Carvalho) – Cole – Essien (Mikel) – Lampard – Ballack – Malouda – Kalou – Drogba.

 

Tactics:

 

Still not sure if Ranieri will start with 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, in my opinion the Italian man will stick with more conservative approach fielding Marchionni (if he is fit) as right side midfielder while Poulsen and Marchisio forming screen in front of the back four. Trezeguet will be the offensive card for Ranieri, this match need patience with a lot of tactical flavor.

 

Hiddink talked about attacking mind and will continue using Kalou and Malouda to partner Drogba in 4-3-3 formation, if Anelka not fit. Essien, Lampard, and Ballack should prepare for a fierce midfield war against Juventus midfield, close eye on Poulsen ability to build up attacks from deep positions. Chelsea ability to do counter attacks is vital here.

 

Key men:

 

Juventus: Nedved, Buffon and Del Piero

Chelsea: Drogba, Lampard, and Terry

 

My Choice for the main man is:

 

Poulsen is the man for Juventus to set the rhythm and build up plays for the team, and Cech from Chelsea to play important role if the game head toward penalties shootout.

Best  

Hiddink’s Chelsea story writing underway

The Dutch Master

So the Dutch master blue adventure started, I’m big fan of this man especially when I look to his CV and accomplishments

 

 

Hiddink words:

 

Chelsea asked me to help out till the end of the season, I have my work with Russia, which I will fulfill.

 

I have just done it because of the strong links between the Chelsea owner and the Russian federation.

 

I am not just here to pass the time until the end of the season. That is not in my mind. My priority is Villa Park, first – the next game. The next battle is Villa.

 

We know the situation at Chelsea. They are in three competitions – the FA Cup, Champions League and the league,  Chelsea are 10 points down on Man Utd, which will be very difficult, but we will give it a try.

 

Realistically it is difficult. But in the history of football there have been changes in the final minutes.

 

Chelsea don’t just have to win, but United have to lose as well. On the other two competitions, Chelsea are of course in the race. That is why it is a challenge.

 

Tony Cascarino thinks that Hiddink task with Chelsea is hard:

 

Hiddink has a difficult task. Chelsea have been too bland in recent months, lacking creativity, and their wide options aren’t great. Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou aren’t top quality and I don’t think Ricardo Quaresma is the answer

 

Martin O’Neill also think Hiddink have tough job to do with Chelsea:

 

It is incredibly hard, I think there might be a reason for doing it on a short-term basis, not overall. I think it would be very hard to combine an international management role with one in the Premier League over the fullness of time

 

Eventually, when you lose a game or two, someone will accuse you of not spending enough time in one particular camp. I think it is exceptionally difficult (for Hiddink).

 

His first game will be against Aston Villa (3^rd with 51 pts)

 

Chelsea now fourth with 49 pts, will face at the Villa Park their direct rivals Aston Villa so what changes we will saw Hiddink will do in his starting line-up.

 

I remembered Russia under Hiddink during Euro 2008, he use full-backs to make an attacking width for Russia Anyukov (right back) and Zhirkov (left back), Hiddink maybe have better two full-backs (Ashley Cole and Jose Bosingwa)

 

He love to have athletic team with attacking minded playing style plus he like to keep pressure on the opposite team.

 

Anelka and Drogba should start both as pair strikers; with the players in his disposal 4-4-2 is the formation Hiddink will apply, relying on full-backs to add width.

The question is who will play in the central field (Ballack – Lampard – Mikel – Deco) maybe all of them? Or (Quaresma – Kalou – Malouda) two of them will feature in Aston Villa game.

 

I like Norman Hubbard from Soccernet.com thoughts about what formation could Hiddink choose:

 

Hiddink, unlike the majority of his peers in the Premier League, has rarely used an orthodox 4-4-2. That ultimately worked for Ray Wilkins at Watford on Saturday; however, a shortage of natural wingers and a surfeit of central midfielders make it hard for Hiddink to deploy it with his new charges. Like many Dutch managers, he is no stranger to 4-3-3, but Chelsea has stagnated in that system.

 

We should wait and see although my opinion Hiddink will not make drastic changes and he may try to save his tactical options for the Champions League match against Juventus especially Champions League is the real reasonable title they can challenge as Chelsea is 10 points less than Man United.