Italy call for Nesta comeback

Italy call for Nesta comeback
Friday 24 August, 2007
With Marco Materazzi and Fabio Cannavaro injured, will Italy convince Alessandro Nesta to come out of international retirement?

The Azzurri are facing a crisis ahead of the most important game in Coach Roberto Donadoni’s career so far, the September 8 Euro 2008 qualifier against France at San Siro.

Materazzi is certainly ruled out after suffering a freak thigh injury during Wednesday’s 3-1 friendly in Hungary that almost ended his career.

Now captain Cannavaro is also in doubt, as he picked up a nasty knock during training with Real Madrid and has been left with a suspected sprained ankle.

The situation in defence is increasingly tense and the alternatives for the central roles are lacking in international experience for such a crucial match.

With this in mind, a newspaper campaign is mounting to bring Nesta back into the Italy fold, even if only for September’s qualifiers with France and Ukraine.

The Milan man retired from international duty this month, stating he was no longer physically able to sustain all his club and Azzurri commitments following a series of injuries.

However, it is still possible he could be coaxed back for just two decisive games in their hour of need.

It would be an intriguing exchange, as Materazzi was the man who stepped in during the 2006 World Cup when Nesta was injured – proving to be one of the leaders in that tournament.

Retiring at age 31, Nesta notched up 78 senior caps for his country, making his debut in a 3-1 victory away to Moldova on October 5, 1996.

Why so desperate? Yes, Nesta is a class defender and a true loss, but isn't that the area where Italy traditionally is very strong anyway?

blutgraetsche wrote:Why so desperate? Yes, Nesta is a class defender and a true loss, but isn't that the area where Italy traditionally is very strong anyway?

traditionally yes, but not anymore.

Beyond Materazzi and Cannavaro (who are both 34 anyway) we only have Barzagli as a realistic option (maybe Bonera but he hasnt played on the NT for a couple of years). Hardly convincing is it?

We actually NEED Nesta. We don't need Totti though

But do you really think that a unmotivated Nesta, who is not the youngest anymore either, is the solution? Let's say he helps you out in the crucial qualification matches ahead, and then? Can't see him playing another major tournament, going by the reasons for his retirement, so what will you do in Euro 2008?

I find it hard to believe that there are not more class or at least talented defenders in Italy. Maybe you should give the youngsters a chance? Sooner or later you have to make the transition anyway, Matrix, Cannavaro and co. can't play on this level forever.

blutgraetsche wrote:But do you really think that a unmotivated Nesta, who is not the youngest anymore either, is the solution? Let's say he helps you out in the crucial qualification matches ahead, and then? Can't see him playing another major tournament, going by the reasons for his retirement, so what will you do in Euro 2008?

I find it hard to believe that there are not more class or at least talented defenders in Italy. Maybe you should give the youngsters a chance? Sooner or later you have to make the transition anyway, Matrix, Cannavaro and co. can't play on this level forever.

Well Zidane, Makelele and Thuram did it, why not Nesta?

I see your point that the youngsters need to be blooded in and it would be ok if only one of Canna and Matrix were injured. But having 2 young guys in Barzalgi and Bonera in the middle would be worrying. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Well, I'm kinda old school on this, it's about principle. To be frank, I hate it when players retire from international football early, for no convincing reason. It's about pride, it should be an honour to play for your country, your country should never be in a situation that they are desperate and dependent on a single player.

Schuster, our best player of his generation, retired early, way too early, from international football, for various reasons (his wife... ). He always regretted this step, and tried to convince Vogts later to call him up for the 1994 WC squad. Vogts did not, out of principle. A similar case, albeit for different reasons, is Effenberg.

No player, no matter how good, should be 'above' the national team.

blutgraetsche wrote:Well, I'm kinda old school on this, it's about principle. To be frank, I hate it when players retire from international football early, for no convincing reason. It's about pride, it should be an honour to play for your country, your country should never be in a situation that they are desperate and dependent on a single player.


Schuster, our best player of his generation, retired early, way too early, from international football, for various reasons (his wife... ). He always regretted this step, and tried to convince Vogts later to call him up for the 1994 WC squad. Vogts did not, out of principle. A similar case, albeit for different reasons, is Effenberg.

No player, no matter how good, should be 'above' the national team.

Well i want Nesta back, i dont think he shouldve retired, he couldve lasted till euro 2008 and most importantly, italy actually need him.

What happened with Effenberg? i remember he gave the middle finger to the crowd in WC94 and Vogts sent him home. Did he just not play after that?

Also what about Basler? did he retire aswell?

Effenberg only played a couple of friendlies a few years later, ironically under Vogts who had sent him home. Vogts and the German FA banned him for the middle finger affair indeed. When Vogts retired, Effenberg retired with him. Funny how things work out sometimes...

Basler did play both the WC in 1994, and EC 1996, which he won as a squad player. There was no scandal as far as his career in the Mannschaft was concerned (a miracle, if you consider his career in general...), he just wasn't called up anymore.

Nesta is 3 years younger than Cannavaro/Materazzi. He can easily last till Euro 2008, and actually last year I was hoping that Italy "retire" Cannavaro and Materazzi and slowly ease in a few youngsters along with Nesta.

One of the main problems Italy has faced over the last 10 years is that Nesta+Cannavaro have virtually monopolised the CB spots for the azzurri, hence no one else really got the experience. I remember Materazzi at his peak looked like a novice in WC 2002 coz he had hardly played for the azzurri before!!

Can Barzagli, Bonera, Ferrari, Moretti step up? I doubt it, these guys have got no experience at that level coz of the above 3, and their generation of defenders has been wasted as a result. And the younger ones like Gamberini, Andreolli, Bovo, Mantovani, etc are way too young. Also, it is very worrying that Italy do not have the quality CBs like Nesta, baresi, cannavaro, etc anymore.... instead, Italy have so so many talented strikers!! How things have changed!

Donadoni needed to test new players (IMO Barzagli & Bonera) during the friendlies and the easy qualifiers, but he has been too scared and insecure of his job to do so... now he is in big time trouble, as he will have to throw these players in the deep water against France and Ukraine, not the best games to "test" two new CBs at this level!!

For donadoni's sake, I hope nesta agree to come outta retirement for just these 2 games.... Nesta+Barzagli should be good enuf.

BoBo Vieri wrote:

blutgraetsche wrote:But do you really think that a unmotivated Nesta, who is not the youngest anymore either, is the solution? Let's say he helps you out in the crucial qualification matches ahead, and then? Can't see him playing another major tournament, going by the reasons for his retirement, so what will you do in Euro 2008?

I find it hard to believe that there are not more class or at least talented defenders in Italy. Maybe you should give the youngsters a chance? Sooner or later you have to make the transition anyway, Matrix, Cannavaro and co. can't play on this level forever.

Well Zidane, Makelele and Thuram did it, why not Nesta?

I see your point that the youngsters need to be blooded in and it would be ok if only one of Canna and Matrix were injured. But having 2 young guys in Barzalgi and Bonera in the middle would be worrying. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

What happened to Cesar Bovo or Andreoli(sp?) or Gamberini(if even he was in the competition at all).

blutgraetsche wrote:Why so desperate? Yes, Nesta is a class defender and a true loss, but isn't that the area where Italy traditionally is very strong anyway?

They need to just get on with it like all other nations. Getting Nesta out of the mothballs now isn't going to do their defense much favours on the long run either. Now is the time to give others a chance; giving it to Nesta would be doing precisely what in Bue9 was ranting about Cannavaro monopolising the CB spots. The solution isn't in getting Nesta back - you'd just be stalling the inevitable (=young ones stepping up).

And it isn't even as if they don't have any talents for that spot.


We lost Bergkamp in his prime, Stam with many good years left etc. (and they were the best players); England Shearer; Germany has their examples too and so have Brazil - no one is crying a river.

Nesta is still the best CB in the world IMO. Even though he had only just come back from injury, he was absolutely immense in the final stages of the CL.

England -Scholes

Well, thats the end of that.

I must admit, even tho I have been advocating the blooding of young talent since WC2006, I am a bit disappointed at this. With the serious injury crisis the azzurri are facing (noteably Cannavaro and Materazzi) ahead of very crucial games against France and Ukraine, Nesta should have come back for just 2 games. These games are not the right time to blood new talent, Donadoni is an idiot for not giving them some games before this.

I have a very bad feeling about Italy's qualification now. The azzurri need AT LEAST 3 POINTS from these 2 games...

Nesta Turns His Back On Italy Return

Amidst rumours that the Azzurri are attempting to convince Alessandro Nesta to reconsider his international retirement, the AC Milan midfielder reacted in a negative fashion...

Alessandro Nesta emphatically ruled out a stop-gap return to the Italian national side, even in the face of a serious injury to Marco Materazzi that will keep the Inter star on the sidelines as the Azzurri take on France. Nesta said, "I have already spoken about the national team, and don't have anything else to say. Don't you [journalists] have something else to ask?"

The AC Milan defender continued, "I don't see why the press persist with this... I've already said that I won't return to the national team, and I will not do so." Many thought that Nesta could be persuaded to don the blue shirt once more following the declaration from AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti that a return to the national side for Nesta is not beyond the realms of possibility.

Alessandro himself, though, feels differently."Ancelotti says my return is not out of the question? ... I have taken a decision, and won't go back on it." Nesta won 78 caps for Italy between 1996 and 2006, concluding his Azzurri career with a World Cup winner's medal.

Why doesn't he want to help his country. Zidane, Makelele, and Thuram did this before the world cup and things changed positively. Has Canna retired as well?

Quite agree, stop the rot. I have everything to fear from a Cannavaro-Nesta reunion next summer but this is a worrying and deeply rubbish trend...

Canna is injured, not retired but 3 years older than Nesta.

Alive and Kicking wrote:Why doesn't he want to help his country. Zidane, Makelele, and Thuram did this before the world cup and things changed positively. Has Canna retired as well?

This is exactly what I meant earlier, a country should never be in the position of 'begging' a player to come back. I'd be seriously pissed off if I was an Italy fan. Nesta is just being consistent, so you can't really blame him for his words, but i'd never want any player to turn down our national team like that.

And I hope that I never will have to witness anything like that.

I can understand him wanting to keep his word. But he could have at least helped us out in a time where it's important.

You fucker Nesta...

I guess Bonera it is...

EtheringtonForEngland wrote:I can understand him wanting to keep his word. But he could have at least helped us out in a time where it's important.

You fucker Nesta...

I guess Bonera it is...

I heard a rumour that it maybe Panucci, and failing that Chiellini

BoBo Vieri wrote:

EtheringtonForEngland wrote:I can understand him wanting to keep his word. But he could have at least helped us out in a time where it's important.

You fucker Nesta...

I guess Bonera it is...

I heard a rumour that it maybe Panucci, and failing that Chiellini

why not give him a chance? he's a good young defender from what i have seen.

Or Gamberini, thats another name doing the rounds.

Panucci has a CB would be catastropic.

Chiellini, I don't know... like I said before, he reminds me so much of Materazzi, I am convinced he can be a very good CB... only he has never played in that position that I am aware of, and to start his CB career in a WC qualifier may not be prudent, specially against a team like france, and in the company of another international rookie Barzagli

BoBo Vieri wrote:

EtheringtonForEngland wrote:I can understand him wanting to keep his word. But he could have at least helped us out in a time where it's important.

You fucker Nesta...

I guess Bonera it is...

I heard a rumour that it maybe Panucci, and failing that Chiellini

Barazagli is fine for me...always liked him, and him playing would fill me with confidence. But his partner is the worrying thing.

I think I'd have to go with Bonera...

Has Dainelli been called up? I rate him...

Barzagli is fine by me too, but only with an experienced partner.... Barzagli+Bonera looks too rookie for moi.

Dainelli would be a good idea IMO. Or if Cannavaro is fit, that will be just fine.

EtheringtonForEngland wrote:Barazagli is fine for me...always liked him, and him playing would fill me with confidence. But his partner is the worrying thing.

I think I'd have to go with Bonera...

Has Dainelli been called up? I rate him...

Barzagli



He wont play anymore this EC!

Fey wrote:Barzagli



He wont play anymore this EC!

Yep, i heard he got injured in training.

He will end up being like Ferrari/Legrottaglie.