North London is a place of polar opposites this evening. On one side, the perennial contenders Arsenal are licking their wounds after a shellacking at the hands of Europe's best, Barcelona. But on the other side of North London, the noisy neighbours are making a ruckus tonight. Tottenham Hotspur, the new kids to the Champions League have advanced to the quarter-finals in a competition few thought Spurs would ever see.

Displaying a knack for doing something they rarely do on the domestic front, defend, Spurs were able to weather an AC Milan storm in the first half and dealt admirably with Milan's sporadic forays in the 2nd half. While clearly the more attacking of the two, the Serie A leaders were at a loss for ideas in the most critical moments. Mercurial striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was once again leaving fans in England wondering what the big deal is about him as he produced little by way of chances, leaving it to Robinho and Pato to produce the goods. Both were unfortunate not to score, with former Gunner William Gallas (wow, what a signing he's turned out to be!) clearing off the line in the first half to preserve the scoreless draw and keep Spurs ahead on aggregate.

What this night really was about was a coming of age for this team. Spurs might not be back next year, as their rivals in London, Chelesa, have splurged almost $80M dollars to make sure they qualify for Europe, but what they've learned in beating both Milan clubs is something that money can't buy. They've developed a resolve that only very few clubs possess. They've learned how to win tight games and how to play on the road in Europe. They've learned how to play a more continental style and to be patient in your build up. While the outcome of the result at White Hart Lane was probably the opposite of what many expected (a goalless draw?), it will be welcomed all the same by Spurs fans.

And what about the Italian visitors? It was a valiant last gasp effort, much improved over their performance at home three weeks ago and miles ahead of their capitulation to Manchester United last year, but that probably won't be much of a consolation. Still leading the Serie A and on pace for their first Scudetto in almost 8 years, the former European champions still have much to play for. But this is a club that is in transition and needs to both spend and develop. With Andrea Pirlo and Clarence Seedorf likely playing out their last year in Milan, a dynastic midfield is coming to an end. Rino Gatusso can't be too far behind and star defender Alessandro Nesta is showing his age. He was knocked off the ball regularly against Spurs and made several miscues when in possession.
There is promise in Thiago Silva, Boateng and Pato, but Milan are 3-4 players away from getting back to the pinnacle they so routinely occupied during the 90's and first half of the last decade.

Their counterparts on this evening might not know what it's like to win the European Cup 7 times, but for now, the joyous feeling of a quarter final birth is pleasure enough.

In a raucous night at Stamford Bridge, here are12 Yards thoughts on the night that was:

 

 

The 4-game ban handed to Rino Gattuso today was fair and Gattuso deserved it. He accepted like a man and will learn from it. However, I feel that the way this whole drama played out is unfair to Rino Gattuso. Gattuso was wrong, admitted to it and received a hefty ban which will accumulate to five games when it is eventually served. The person who gets away scott-free (no pun intended), is Joe Jordan. When Gattuso's career is over, he will be remembered as a World Cup winner, a man who left his heart and soul on the field every game and had the upmost respect for his opponents and vice-versa. Joe Jordan? Anything but that. Jordan was coined "Jaws"- a reference to the fact that he played without two front teeth- he was ruthless and played with reckless abandon. On top of that, he is famous for a hand ball in the same ilk as Thierry Henry helping Scotland win a birth to the 1978 World Cup (I credit Kenny Hassan, a Scot himself, from World Football Daily for this). My point? Jordan also deserves all the unfair titles that Gattuso received by the British Press the day after last week's chaos along with some kind of touchline ban. Jordan was calculated in provoking Gattuso and will get away with his hands-clean, apology free. Mark my words, this will add fuel to a fire that doesn't need fuel in the second leg. This is unfair and has set the precedent that coaches are given the green light in provoking players while "hot" from their technical areas guarded by shining armour.  I think this is grossly unfair.

I would like to share the email I wrote to World Football Daily on February 15, the night of the Milan-Spurs game, sharing my thoughts on the situation which Kenny Hassan decided to read to his audience agreeing with me (I'm sure he also did so to try and provoke audience reaction, but that's besides the point). After all is said and done, Jordan does not receive a ban but Gattuso does. Do we remember the Materrazzi-Zidane fiasco? Did Materrazzi come away hands clean? Answer: no he didn't. Here is my email which touches on all of the above:

"I'm not sure what commentary you guys received for the Spurs-Milan match but we here in Canada received a feed in which Ray Wilkins was doing the colour commentary. I want to discuss his biased and narrow-minded thoughts on Gattuso at the end of yesterday's game and pretty much throughout. It was a joke. He made an absolute fool of himself and made a villain of Gattuso which I don't think is fair. Something has to be said about the lack of class on the part of Joe Jordan; I feel he broke a code. A code which ensures coaches don't provoke players on the opposing team as it is a cowardly act by a joke of a man. 

 

With news that Liverpool and Spanish international star striker Fernando Torres handed in a transfer request, albeit one that was subsequently denied, it reminds me of the differences between European football contracts and their counterparts in North America. For fans of the big leagues on the west side of the Atlantic, the idea of one team publicly claiming that they're interested in player X and then making a "bid" for him is a totally foreign concept. Tampering, as it's called in North America, is a serious offence and is often punished by the loss of draft picks and financial penalty. But in the Premiership, it's all too common place now. Just in the past 4 months, we've heard Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, Fernando Torres and Charlie Adam (OK, he's not in the same class as the other 3) hand in requests to leave their respective clubs, with no shortage of suitors lining up for their services. While players in American sports often refuse to play or ask for a trade, it is usually at their behest and related to some off-field issue with the team or its management. It's unfathomable to think that the Los Angeles Lakers would come out and say "We want to sign Tim Duncan in the offseason". That's not how it's done. Contracts are by and large honoured. However, not so back in the homeland. The best players in the US stay with their teams for long times, as collective bargaining agreements have created an environment where it's easier for teams to keep their star players. The irony that the capitalism-loving US has much more socialistic sports labour agreements than socially minded Europe is probably lost on many.

John W. Henry himself remarked during his first days as new boss at Liverpool that contracts aren't honoured in England as they are back in the US with his Red Sox. And it's made the idea of loyalty between a fan and her club's players a seemingly quaint and outdated concept. No fewer than three times this year did Torres espouse his love for the Kop and its faithful, and yet word that Abramovich was in South Africa "tapping" Torres up with the idea of a move to London means that perhaps Torres was just doing what was easiest. Rather than out and out saying that he'd consider a move, he said "Who me? Never." And so this soap opera continues to play itself out, with the fans of Liverpool and Torres, unsure of who or what to believe.

The realization that more and more, footballers are just independent contractors for hire means that the shirt they pull on is merely a detail. Today a fan from Arsenal might curse a blue streak in the direction of Gareth Bale; tomorrow should Bale become a Gunner, he'll be a beloved legend at the Emirates. Such is the fickle nature of fandom.

As comedian Jerry Seinfeld once quipped, we cheer for the jersey the player wears, not the player himself. Torres in red is a hero at Anfield. Torres in blue is a villain. And so as quickly as you can put pen to paper on a new contract, you can change the colour of your shirt. Until of course, the next change of heart, the next new contract, and the next new jersey to wear. It's a good thing for club owners that fans don't sign contracts and change their stripes as often as the players they root for.

           

 
The Oscars Del Calcio are awards given voted on by the Italian Footballers' Association which will be presented on January 24th. 12 Yards would like to share our picks for the awards which will be awarded next week:

 

If you are to believe the rumours, the tweets and the talking heads on TV, reigning LMA Manager of the Year, Roy Hodgson, is on his last few legs as manager of Liverpool FC. A bizarre appointment when it was made, his tenure has been a tumultuous one, taking two steps back for every one step forward. Between upheaval in the board room, a great win against Chelsea, dropped points to Blackpool, Wolves and Newcastle and confusing press conferences, Hodgson has proven to be out of his element in managing a top side, let alone a top side that is mired in a slump. Since Rafa Benitez took the club to its best points total in the Premier League era, Liverpool have been on a steady decline and to his chagrin, Hodgson hasn't been able to reverse this course.

Certainly all involved at LFC would now admit that he was never the right man for the job. His LMA award was essentially an award for keeping a mediocre team, Fulham, mediocre. As he has proven this year and as others such as Scolari have proven with Chelsea, not anybody can come into a big club situation and win. What Ferguson and Wenger do year in and year out is hard - damn hard. In truth, it is they who should win the LMA award.

But what has been curious about Hodgson's reign has been the out-and-out fury shown by the LFC faithful. Losing the dressing room is one thing, losing the support of the fans seemingly en masse is something else. Fans are always opinionated, always playing the role of armchair quarterback, second guessing every move and decision. That is both the beauty and annoyance of sports fans, especially ones as enthusiastic as Liverpool's. And as they did so vocally in voicing their hatred for the previous American owners, the LFC faithful have been instrumental in sending a message to NESV that it is time for a new manager. It's been cruel and ugly and dare I say unfair to Hodgson, but this is the big leagues, and it comes with the territory. It never seems like he was welcome and now as quickly as he was hired, he's been shown the door. Cries for the return of Kenny Daiglish echo through Anfield. To that I'd say, be careful what you wish for ....

Now make no mistake, I have no doubts that Hodgson is and was the wrong man for the job. He has never had success with a big club, and is not in the same league as the other Big 4/5 managers in England. But in his defense, Hodgson was given a poor team. Yes, yes, I know, X players on Liverpool played in the World Cup and Y players have done this or that etc. If we're being honest and objective, Liverpool have 3, maybe 4 players who could crack the squad at Chelsea, Arsenal, United or City. The club has 0 depth. A key injury here or there and their season sputters. Rooney has scored 1 goal from open play this year and United are first. That's depth. Hodgson had to resort to signing Joe Cole, Meireles, and Poulsen, while sending Mascherano, Insua, and Aquiliani out the door. My theory is that any new football manager, just as in business, *has* to make changes here or there, just to stamp his authority. Otherwise, if he doesn't change anything, why is he here? If Hodgson had done nothing, the knives would have been out just the same.

The fact of the matter is that no matter who replaces Roy Hodgson, be it Kenny Daiglish or a manager from the Bundesliga, they too, will be faced with the same problem. A thin squad, aging players at key positions, and owners who are committed to building long term, rather than taking the City approach of win now at any cost. That means that Liverpool won't win today, tomorrow or the day after no matter who is at the helm. It will be a long road back to the top, if they ever do reach the summit again.

My only hope is that the same fans who have been all too eager to throw Roy Hodgson under the bus will show a bit more patience for his replacement, who no doubt will also experience growing pains and failures while he tries to win with a subpar squad.

After 17 Weeks, AC Milan sits atop the table while Napoli and Lazio trail not far behind. Roma and Juventus are beginning to make their stamp at the top of the table while Inter are falling further and further behind. Here is 12 Yards' evaluation of the Serie A clubs at the top of the table. 

 

AC Milan- 1st Place, 36 Points

Grade: A- 

With out a doubt, AC Milan had made the greatest splash  in the summer with the signings of Zlaten and Robinho along with the loan acquisition of Prince Boateng. These three players have been important pieces to AC Milan sitting atop the Serie A table. As arrogant as he might be, Zlaten is true when he states trophies follow him. As 12 yards predicted earlier in the season, Ibra has been the difference in games against inferior clubs as he is scoring and creating goals at will. Last weeks poor 1-0 loss to Roma was the first game in which Milan was held scoreless since the week 2 debacle against Cesena: this team is scoring and they are scoring at a tremendous pace thanks to the help of summer signings Ibrahimovic and Robinho. In the back, Milan has found a new anchor in Thiago Silva. Silva, has been Milan's best defender and Alessandro Nesta has passed on the torch to this young yet mature kid who has been an integral part in keeping the ball out of the Milan net along with veteran keeper Christian Abbiati. Why is a first place club who won the derby receive  an A- rather than an A+? Well, home losses to both Juventus and Roma have shown been major bumps in the road that need to be smoothed out in the new year. 

 

Coach: Max Allegri- Allegri has changed the philosophy at Milan with a new 4-3-1-2 system which seems to work. The three bulldogs in the middle allow Seedorf or Pirlo to sit in the trequartista role and help the ball find the strikers. The system has worked and Allegri's real test will to keep these players focused for another 21 games. He needs to keep the competition in the squad and find a way for new arrival Antonio Cassano to assimilate. 

 

Best Player so far: Zlaten Ibrahimoic. Has been the inspiration for the club since his arrival in August. 

 

Napoli, tied for 2nd Place, 33 Points

Grade: A-

The club from the south are having a ball this year as they sit three points off the lead and have the most dangerous striking trident in Serie A. Lavezzi, Cavani, and Hamsik have made for some entertaining football and are causing headaches in cities all over the peninsula. Cavani has shown to be one of the better if not the best signing of the summer as he has inspired Napoli to the top of the table and dreams of 88 begin to appear amongst the Napoli faithful. Although one of the more entertaining sides in Serie A, they have not been blowing clubs out of the water but have been finding a way to win in difficult match-ups (seven one-goal victories is proof of that). While Napoli sit comfortably in second place, the clubs true test will come in the new year as they begin the new year away to the newly crowned World Champions and then host Juventus in an always hotly contested battle at the San Paolo. The next two weeks will be a huge test for Napoli and will determine whether they deserve an A- or an A+. 

Coach: Walter Mazzari- Using an unorthodox three-man back system which seems to be working. He has gotten the best out of his top players and is always colourful on the bench. Poor results against Lazio and Milan will be forgotten if they come away with a minimum of 4 points in the next two games. 

Best Player: Edison Cavani 10 goals is a no-brainer. 

 

Lazio, tied for 2nd Place, 33 Points

Grade: A

Lazio receive the highest grade amongst the three top teams in the Serie A: Why? Simply because it is a remarkable story that they have held their spot and it does not look like they will be losing it anytime soon. What is amazing is the shared responsibility the team has taken in the goals department. Leading scorer is Sergio Floccari with 5 while Serie A surprise Brazilian midfielder Hernanes matches his 5. Lazio are a team playing as a unit and have core players helping the club along and as long as they continue to share a common belief they can retain their spot at the top of the table.  The Scudetto is a far-fetched goal for the club, however a Champions League birth is possible and would bring the club a much needed financial boost (hopefully owners have learned their lesson from previous years). Against the big clubs, Lazio have faired well as they defeated Inter convincingly, picked up an industrious tie against Milan and lost it late last week against Juventus. The loss that hangs dangles in front of the supporters is the loss in the Derby which Lazio will attempt to avenge in the new year. 

Coach: Napoli cast-off Edy Reja has been exceptional at the helm. Should be in the running with Max Allegri for coach of the year. 

Best Player: Brazilian midfielder Hernanes. He is the engine that keeps the Biancoceleste running. 

Juventus, 4th Place, 31 Points

Grade: B+

This season marked the start of a new era in Turin: new coach Gigi Del Neri waved good-bye to the old guard and welcomed the new guard with confidence and trust. Early on Juventus supporters were afraid that this was a team that was a mirror of last season's horror show, however Del Neri seems to have the pedigree to ensure a second half breakdown doesn't occur again. The most colourful of additions has been the Serb Milos Krasic. A Nedved doppelganger, Krasic has been one of the most exciting players in Serie A with his blistering runs down the right-side; his winner against Lazio was his plea to Italian football that he is a star to stay. Expect Juve to continue to fight for the Scudetto and a Champions League spot while being anchored by Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonnucci. The arrival of Bonnucci has helped Chiellini reach the status of premier defender, the player that many were waiting to see for so many years. Supporters of the Italian national side should be excited to see that a formidable pairing is developing between the two while Rannochia develops in Genoa for Inter. Juve have faired well against the big sides as they tied both Roma and Inter and waltzed out of the San Siro with a 2-1 victory. The presence of captain Alex Del Piero has helped the side in these large occasions and throughout the season as Del Piero has shown his class and that he is truly in love with the Old Lady. Don't discount the importance of other key players such as Claudio Marchisio, Simone Pepe, Fabio Quagliarella, and late signing Alberto Aquilani. 

Coach: Gigi Del Neri, has put on his stamp on the team and is finding ways to achieve important results. 

Best Player: Although on the surface, Krasic seems to be the MVP, Giorgio Chiellini has put in a tremendous performance and is the glue that keeps the team together week in and week out. 

Roma, 5th Place, 29 Points

Grade: B-

After another poor start to the season, Roma can consider themselves lucky to be 7 points off the pace. After a remarkable victory against Milan at the San Siro on Saturday, Roma have climbed back into the thick of things and will claw tooth and nail to the end. A C+ was the grade I had prepared for the club until they pulled off a remarkable victory over the Scudetto leaders. Consistency has been their enemy and they need to find their best form earlier than they did last season as a late-season home loss to Sampdoria deflated them and was the first step to Inter's treble. As evidently shown on Saturday, captain Francesco Totti is beginning to accept a lesser role and has lost his sense of entitlement to a spot on the starting eleven. With that being said, if Ranieri is provided the opportunity to coach Roma will have a chance to challenge for the title come May. What will work against Roma is a long Champions League run; if the club find themselves battling two fronts for too long their Scudetto hopes might slowly wash away. Ranieri will have to determine his priorities and govern accordingly. 

Coach: Claudio Ranieri, an excellent coach who has a knack for finding ways to lose trophies will have a changed reputation if he can lead this club to the glory land this season. Unfortunately, it might be too late due to a poor start and such a close race at the top of the table. 

Best Player: Jeremy Menez has been a force and is finally finding his true potential, however summer loan signing Marco Borriello (who was treated unfairly by the Milan faithful) is just scoring important goals when needed. A great signing who seems to be finding a place in the hearts of the supporters. 

 

 

Palermo, 6th Place, 27 Points

 

Grade: B

Palermo come into the winter break at an expected 6th place. With the sale of Cavani, the club have continued to be a top tier club who will compete for a Champions League spot year-in and year-out however cannot find the consistency to consider themselves title contenders. Palermo are the last team that coaches want to see on their calendars. The club comes with a bag of tricks that includes Serie A career goal-scorer Fabrizio Miccoli, a promising young talent in Josip Ilicinic and the next up and coming Argentinan superstar Javier Pastore. Pastore is adored by the Sicilian supporters unfortunately his talents are just too good for the mid-table outfit and Palermo's ruthless President Maurizio Zamparini will have to ship him off and cash-in eventually. Until then, Serie A fans should take every opportunity to watch this kid because he is a true natural talent. Pastore is one of the reasons why the club will continue to fight for a Champions League spot for next season. The most disappointing loss for the Palermo side came two weeks ago against Napoli; the game, although full of excitement, is a microcosm to where Palermo stand: they will sit amongst the top clubs but will have difficulty competing against them and unfortunately they are one step behind title contenders such as Milan and Napoli. 

Coach: Delio Rossi- with Zamparini constantly sharpening his axe, Rossi should sleep with one eye open. However, the club has performed as expected. No better and no worse. That might be the exact reason for an early departure. Otherwise, to the rationale eye Rossi has done a good job thus far and is helping in the development of Pastore who will make the club a boatload of money one day. 

Best Player: Pastore, no doubt. 

Inter Milan, 7th Place,  23 Points (2 games in hand on other clubs)

Grade: C-

Injuries. Treble hang-over. New coach. Missing the Special One. Lack of identity. These are all reasons/excuses the current World Champions can use to describe this year's campaign thus far. However, what all the players, coaches and management will agree on is that so far these results are unacceptable. The unacceptable results is what's leading to turmoil amongst the President and coach; as Benitez pleads for patience, the club fall further and further behind city rivals each week. Inter have suffered from an array of injuries but the spirit in the club that was so present last season seems to have been left in Madrid. A club that won everything that can be won a year ago look tired, depleted, and lack the drive and hunger they had just a season ago. While Benitez has tried to incorporate some young talent with the veteran talent, nothing can really explain the poor start to the season Inter have had. Can they be taken out of the discussion for Scudetto contenders? No way. This club until mathematically eliminated cannot be counted out as they proved last season. At this point last season, Milan looked the more promising side and Inter walked away with all the hardware in May. Inter have the talent to dig themselves out of this mess and if they do, they will truly show why they are World Champions. 

Coach: Rafa Benitez has had a horrendous start to the season while his predecessor laughs it up in Madrid. Benitez needs to get this team playing the football it played a year ago and being so far behind the leaders, it will need to be flawless. If Inter do not play flawless football until May, Rafa will need to polish off his resume for the 2011/2012 season. 

Best Player: Samuel Eto'o. He has been the only player who picked up this season where they left off last season. Eto'o has been the only positive element of this club. He has demonstrated why he needs to be considered amongst other African football legends such as George Weah. 

 

 

Sampdoria, tied for 7th, 23 Points

Grade C

The team that has not failed to make the headlines this season started their campaign with a heart-braking last minute loss to Bremen to eliminate them from the Champions League. Since then, they have dipped down to 7th place, been eliminated from the Europa League and lost their star player to a personal dispute with the owner. Supporters of the club must be confused and at the same time furious for the turn of events. The team and supporters had hopes for big things this season as they had one of the best striker tandoms in Serie A and a spirit of unity amongst them. Ironically, that all changed and the player who turned into a symbol of the club is in the midst of turning his back on the club. This time, Doria fans should question the owner as surely the fire didn't need to spread to the depths it did but egos allowed it to. With all that has happened off the pitch, the club sitting 7th place isn't too bad and if they can find a way to come together they have the depth to challenge for a Champions League spot and at the very least a Europa League position. After the sale of Cassano, the next order of business needs to be to keep the teams leading goal-scorer and leader, Giampaulo Pazzini,  tied to the club for at least the remainder of the season. That's the least chief Darlo Tosi can do for his supporters. 

Coach: Domenico Di Carlo- Has had a tough run and an unfair situation to have to deal with. Not all coaches deal with star players having fallouts with owners but Di Carlo has done a good job of not getting in the middle of the scuffle and doing his best to keep the team focussed. 

Best Player: Captain Palombo and Pazzini have been the rocks and the leaders for the club through the turmoil.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is with great pleasure that 12 Yards Footy introduces the next guest in our Interview Series: Paul Visca. You might know Paul as the Serie A English Commentator who has a unique style of commentary that integrates colourful imagery, vivid metaphors and most importantly passion. Paul is an expert of Italian football and he shares his knowledge with an in-depth podcast titled “Calcio and Coffee” which can be heard on the World Football Daily network. The show is a blast as it combines wit, humour and insight to the Italian game: it’s a must for Italian football enthusiasts. 12 Yards Footy is honoured and excited to have Paul and talk all things Italian football, enjoy! 

12 Yards: I would like to start by asking you a question about how you found yourself as the lead English commentator for Italian football. I can remember a few years back when I first heard yourself and Richard Whittle’s voice and I was super-excited by the fact that Serie A was committed to providing English commentary of their games across the world. Not only did they provide us with English commentary, but also the commentators were professional, knowledgeable and most importantly entertaining! How did you find this gig?

Paul Visca: The adventure starts from a decision I took as a teenager after I witnessed my father gesticulating to the factory he worked in that I would strive to find employment I enjoyed; so, off I set until I reached Milan, the hub of sports broadcasting in Italy, at the turn of the millennium. I came across a job advert for English-mother tongue sports enthusiasts interested in Italian football. I applied and voilà, or as they say in northern Italian ‘toh’, here I am.

12 Yards: Many viewers are interested to know whether you are commentating in the stadium or from a central studio?

 Paul Visca: Why unveil the illusion? Now you see me, now you don’t. The truth is I don’t move from the comfort of my own smartphone and simply pre-empt the flood of tweets from enthusiasts’ world-wide every Serie A match.

12 Yards: A black-eye for Italian football seems to be the lack of modern stadia throughout the country. When these archaic stadiums are being flashed on television screens across the globe alongside modern stadiums in England, Germany, and France, the Serie A loses credibility and more importantly very often reduces the sense of atmosphere in the stadium to the viewer. Beyond that, attendance has been dwindling for many years because of this very reason; can you explain to the casual viewer why Italian stadiums seem to be so behind in comparison to the rest of Europe.

Paul Visca: One major issue is that the stadia are owned by the local authorities who lease the grounds to the clubs, which results in the situation that the clubs are reluctant to spend their hard earned cash on renovating structures that do not belong to them. Juventus have been the first to take act of this situation by building their own stadium, after some useful financing from central tax funds, however. (Torino were not so fortunate.) The Della Valles at Fiorentina and Garrone at Sampdoria are threatening to leave Florence and Genoa in order to avoid the red tape that has halted any attempt to follow in Juve’s footsteps. Bureaucracy in Italy is stifling, to the point that even knocking down a wall in one’s own house requires official documents to be assessed, verified, stamped, re-verified and re-stamped. Imagine the planning of infrastructure over and above the building of the stadium itself- enough to keep a local authority clerk in a job for centuries.

However, another aspect which cannot be overlooked is the paradoxical promotion of pay-per-view matches which is supported by the clubs to get their hands on the mountain of cash from television rights and in order to keep the TV broadcasters happy the less people who go to the stadium, the higher the number for TV subscriptions.

Lastly, as can be seen with the Bologna case, there is not that much money circulating. And here I must confess I don’t understand elitist thinkers like Milan’s vice president Adriano Galliani who are determined that the top four or five clubs take a disproportional slice of the TV earnings. This process, taken to its logical conclusion, will see Milan, Inter, Juve and Roma (if they manage to find a buyer) play a mini-tournée to decide who is Campione d’Italia.

12 Yards: Which is your favorite stadium in Italy to watch or even call a football game and why?

Paul Visca: The San Siro – no longer a five-star stadium for UEFA (Galliani and Moratti are at work though to make improvements so that the city hosts the Champions League final in 2015 to coincide with the worldwide Expo in Milan) – is still a magnificent stadium both to commentate and watch a game from.

12 Yards: Results are starting to show that the Old Lady of Italian Football is on the rise and will return to prominence very soon. With a young talented squad, a front-office who seem to have their house in order and a brilliant new stadium to open next year, is Juventus on track to returning to their rightful place as a world-class club and brand?

Paul Visca: I have one major reservation over this Juventus project: their embracing of the Triad. Andrea Agnelli has stated he respects Luciano Moggi – does this include the practice of winning at all costs no matter the method? Captain Del Piero has declared he regards the two league titles stripped from Juve as rightfully his (I agree that the 2006 Scudetto should not have been and not be assigned). Vice-captain admitted he first met Andrea Agnelli through Moggi. Juventus want to win and feel they must win, but please not at the cost of the sport itself again. Another system irrespective of whether the clubs involved are Juventus, Milan, Lazio, Fiorentina that guarantees a certain degree of success to the detriment of the other teams would paralyse football here. My hope therefore is that the club seems to be getting itself in order both on and off the pitch and that it continues to do so while respecting the sporting ethos. Delneri has inculcated in a short time a sense of belonging to the Bianconeri cause, the players have a burning desire to win, which is worth more than having the most gifted squad in the league.

12 Yards: Moving to the capital: At the peak of Roma’s poor start to the season, 12 Yards posted an article, which argued that Francesco Totti needed to take a back-seat and recognize his place in the Roma squad. Totti was possibly sabotaging Roma’s season by putting the pressure on Ranieri and not allowing him to do his job due to his own expectation that the club was to be carried on his shoulders. I’m going to ask you a bold question: is Roma a better squad with or without Francesco Totti in their starting eleven?

Paul Visca: Starting premise: A fully-fit Totti is still one of the most gifted and entertaining footballers in circulation. However, he is the same age as Alessandro Del Piero, who in Serie A Round 16 came on in the final 10 minutes against Lazio and made a nuisance of himself for the Lazio defence. The same weekend, Totti played from the kick-off and had the injury situation not been as difficult for Claudio Ranieri, the talismanic captain would still have probably played from the start. This shows that as much as Del Piero is Juventus, Totti is Roma even more. Ranieri has six months remaining on his contract, Totti five years. As can be seen from the coach’s outbursts on television this season, it is Ranieri who is feeling the stress while Totti jaunts around filming his latest mobile phone service provider commercial. The club’s need for cash could work in Totti’s favour as well: Vucinic sold in January to lessen the competition for places up front to the point that the club captain, leader, legend becomes a bane of the team.

12 Yards: What is your take on Max Allegri’s revolution in Milan? Can this new 4-3-1-2 system with three bulldogs in the middle find the consistency to finally bring the Scudetto back to the red side of Milan and maybe even the top of Europe come May?

Paul Visca: Allegri has had the fortune to find his boss in the middle of a political battle that sees Berlusconi fighting for his position as the country’s Alpha Male (who would dare strip him of the title?) and as a consequence Mr. B has been content to accept a winning team despite the lack of champagne football he demands. Allegri now appears so convinced he needs three hard runners in midfield that with the return of Pirlo he’s dropped Seedorf for Boateng. With the considerable help Ibrahimovic is contributing to the Rossoneri cause, the Scudetto seems likely, although a long Champions League run could go against them because those players who seemed good enough only to appear in a Panini sticker album at the start of the year and who now resemble their former selves are still all over 30 and will eventually feel the pace of competing at the top. The top European prize I think is beyond them because their football is still too slow compared to the continent’s finest.

12 Yards: Beyond the big four, there are some entertaining sides in Italy. Catenaccio is certainly dead. Do emerging sides like Lazio, Napoli, or Palermo have the ability to surprise the peninsula and win the Scudetto in the near future?

Paul Visca: Tell Totti Catenaccio is dead. Joking aside, I don’t think Lazio have the strength and depth of squad to last the season and as mush as Edi Reja is a fine coach, his team seems satisfied with a share of the points too often. Also, the longer the Biancocelesti stay at the top of the table, the more attractive those players out of contract in June become.

Napoli on the other hand have that winning mentality. Mazzarri has the right dose of the showman about him to have won over the demanding Neapolitan support and if President De Laurentiis can convince another couple of talented players that the garbage problem in the city is temporal then there is the making of a true title challenger. The film producer owner has already underlined his intent not to sell the club’s talent by holding on to Hamsik and Lavezzi, while the capture of Cavani was excellent business – as it seemed to be also for Palermo. Yet, this highlights the opposing philosophies of the two clubs. Zamparini sometimes comes across as a horse trader rather than a president of a football club aiming to win trophies. This said, the gnarly Friuliano has bought some immense talent, such as Ilicic and Pastore, all of which has meant that Palermo this season have produced some scintillating football.

12 Yards: I would love your opinion on a great debate that I love to ask true Italian football enthusiasts: Who do you feel is the better complete defender and who would you choose to build your team around: Alessandro Nesta or Fabio Cannavaro?

Paul Visca: From Cannavaro’s corpulence nowadays it might be difficult to keep him out of those seven-star restaurants he is dining in to build any team around him and keep the striker still on the field of play. Nesta.

 

Paul can be heard in the USA on Fox Soccer Channel and in Canada on theScore, TLN, and EuroSport World.