The pressure on Marcello Lippi to reconsider selecting Antonio Cassano to the Azzurri is unrelenting. It was only last weekend against the Netherlannds in Pescara , that a fan of the Sampdoria striker invaded the pitch wearing a t-shirt saying "Cassano in Nazionale" - no translation really required here! Click to continue reading...

Soon after the start of Saturday's 0-0 friendly between Italy and Netherlands, an Italian fan ran out onto the pitch wearing a Superman t-shirt with "Cassano in Nazionale" (Cassano in the national team) written on the front and back. Once he got his shirt message of support for the ignored Sampdoria striker seen (hooray for s-words!

Click to continue reading...

I know, the Cassano-National Team debate is getting old and boring. But this was too funny. In the 5th minute of the game yesterday, a fan ran onto the pitch wearing a t-shirt with the Superman logo and with the words "Cassano in Nazionale" (Cassano on the National Team). He jogged around the pitch for a while and then made his way off the pitch and was promptly arrested.

Click to continue reading...

With the final international break of the year almost upon us, Marcelo Lippi has named his squad...
Looking to advertise on our site? Want to send us your comments? You can contact us at, owngoalnetwork[at]live[dot]ca Click to continue reading...

Since Lippi has taken over the national team for a second time, the big question has always been, "Why aren't you calling up Antonio Cassano?" Cassano has widely been recognized as the best Italian player at the moment and there is no other talent in Italy that can even reach his level at the moment (maybe an in-form Totti).

Click to continue reading...

The World Cup is almost set in terms of the teams that will qualify and once the play-offs are completed it will be clear whether the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry and Franck Ribery will be present or missing. In the meantime, Sweden's talented forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic will certainly not be going to the World Cup after his country failed to qualify from the same group which saw eventual winners Denmark earn automatic qualification and runners-up Portugal reach the play-offs.

Click to continue reading...

Welcome to this episode of Minute+10, listen to Dov and Kevin discuss new arrival Stephen Appiah to...
Looking to advertise on our site? Want to send us your comments? You can contact us at, owngoalnetwork[at]live[dot]ca Click to continue reading...

If he were an opera star, he would be il divo. If he were an American sports star, he would be called a prima dona (yes, Americans don't speak other languages well) and be compared to Terrell Owens or various NBA figures. If he was a politician, he would rise to stratospheric heights only to quickly fall to the ground.

Click to continue reading...

After disappointing performances in Sampdoria's 5-1 thrashing by Juventus and 0-0 draw with newly promoted giant tripper uppers Bari not to mention the fact that he only has one goal in 10 league matches this season Antonio Cassano was jeered by a section of his home supporters on Sunday and as you might have expected, he has severely overreacted.

Click to continue reading...

Azzurri coach Marcello Lippi has come under heavy criticism in recent months despite Italy's success in qualifying to the World Cup in South Africa. La Nazionale went through an alarming goal drought and was only able to overcome it after two unfortunate own goals from returning Georgia captain Kakha Kaladze.

Click to continue reading...

Fabio Capello, sem papas na língua, em colóquio organizado pela Federação Italiana. Não gostaram mas deixaram-no falar.
O técnico da Seleção Inglesa, Fabio Capello, atacou duramente o futebol italiano, afirmando que é um jogo controlado por torcedores violentos e no qual jogadores que simulam faltas são elogiados ao invés de punidos. Click to continue reading...

Sampdoria get the business done crushing Bologna 4-1 on Saturday. Pazzini continues to score and...
Looking to advertise on our site? Want to send us your comments? You can contact us at, owngoalnetwork[at]live[dot]ca Click to continue reading...

The Great Serie A Game posts continue with Roma-Juve 2003/2004. The 2003/2004 season was an interesting one. Milan, fresh from a Champions League victory and with some new young Brazilian player named Kaka, were dominating Serie A. While Marcello Lippi's Juve looked to be favorites to combat the Rossoneri to the Scudetto, it was not the case.

Click to continue reading...

The 30 name shortlist for the 2009 Ballon d'Or nominees has been announced, a formality they may well have dispensed with as we all know Lionel Messi will walk away with the trophy. I did note however, one glaring fact when scrolling down the list of the largely usual suspects – not a single Italian is to be found.

Click to continue reading...

Winning the World Cup twice on the trot is one of the hardest feats in sports and that's exactly what Italy are aiming to do next summer in South Africa. Yesterday, we gave you the first two keys if Italy are going to pull off the historic double. Today, we present the final two.

Click to continue reading...

First, the international week is incredibly boring. Second, I thought I'd start a new post here on the Italy Offside: Great Serie A games. A post that will show videos of some of the greatest Serie A games of all time. For the first post I decided to stay fairly recent. We go back to the 2004/2005 season.

Click to continue reading...

Antonio Cassano will not make the national side as long Marcello Lippi is in charge of Italy.I hope i am worng, at 27 this is Cassano's last hurrah.For Lippi past is prologue and Cassano's history precedes him and he is now forever defined as the crazy one who pulls underwear over his own head.My words not necessarily the medias. Click to continue reading...

New coach Walter Mazzarri (left), and ex coach Roberto Donadoni (right)

After Napoli's disappointing start to the season, president Aurelio De Laurentis has decided to "dismiss" Roberto Donadoni as head coach, and has now hired Walter Mazzarri.

Napoli were looking forward to a successful season, with new signings such as Quagliarella, De Sanctis, and Cigarini.

Click to continue reading...

All the stuff being covered outside the unfriendly confines of the award winning Dirty Tackle...

More footballers reviewing music. This time: Millwall on a song called "Oopsy Daisy". [Channelbee]

Will you be dumb enough to pay to watch England v Ukraine on the internet?

Click to continue reading...

We might be dating ourselves a bit here, but the last time we really expended much thought on Sampdoria was back in the early 1990s when they won their only scuddetto –and then later hired a lad from Lancashire named David Platt. But the Blucerchiati are back in vogue thanks to their comprehensive defeat of Inter Milan over the weekend and their current appearance at the top of the Serie A table for the first time in a very, very long time.

Click to continue reading...

Antonio Cassano has reinvented himself. Not only has he changed his physical approach by losing weight, he has changed his mental approach too, becoming not only more mature, but also a leader. He is now someone who visits hospitals and gives signed shirts to sick children. He is now someone who can carry a team on his back, provide assists for his teammates, and entertain the crowd.

Click to continue reading...

The matches to watch after you realize Andrei Arshavin is physically incapable of not making goofy faces. Or looking like a 12-year-old.

Saturday

Wigan v Chelsea at DW Stadium Coming off a 4-0 loss to Arsenal, Wigan are looking to take on the impossible challenge of stealing points off Carlo Ancelotti's still perfect reign at Chelsea.

Click to continue reading...

Sampdoria coach Luigi Del Neri has heaped praise on talisman Antonio Cassano after seeing his side go top of Serie A.
Champions Inter Milan welcome Napoli to the San Siro, AC Milan go to Udinese, Roma and Palermo clash in Sicily and Lazio square off with Parma in the Eternal City. Click to continue reading...

I have yet to wade into the Cassano/Lippi debate fully, but after another superlative performance...
Looking to advertise on our site? Want to send us your comments? You can contact us at, owngoalnetwork[at]live[dot]ca Click to continue reading...

Since there is a mid-week round this Wednesday, I'll get a super Weekend Round-up post up on Thursday. If you look at the Serie A table right now, you'll see that leading the top of the table is Sampdoria (tied with Juventus, but ahead of goals scored). Sampdoria have never won their first 4 games ever in their history.

Click to continue reading...

Di solito è sempre stato abbastanza riservato e taciturno. Non che gli sia mai mancato il carattere, che da buon friulano ha sempre avuto, ma Dino Zoff, portiere dell'Italia campione del mondo nel 1982, ex allenatore di Lazio, Juventus, tra le principali e più importanti ("un pezzo della mia vita") esperienze vissute nella Serie A di Calcio, questa volta è uscito dai ranghi e ha parlato di molte questioni, esaltando Diego ("è più forte di Zico") compresa quella che sta a cuore a molti italiani, la convocazione in nazionale di Antonio Cassano, autore di prestazioni divine nella Serie A con la maglia blucerchiata. Click to continue reading...

Italy took another step towards World Cup qualification a 2-0 victory over Georgia courtesy of a...
Looking to advertise on our site? Want to send us your comments? You can contact us at, owngoalnetwork[at]live[dot]ca Click to continue reading...

Italians believe the national team needs Antonio Cassano to get the goals flowing. Marcello Lippi doesn't agree.
Italy's scoring crisis continues despite win in Georgia. Click to continue reading...

Antonio Cassano continua a regalare spettacolo, gol e fantastiche emozioni, gara ufficiale o amichevole che sia. E' sicuramente uno dei giocatori più forti della nostra Serie A di Calcio. Fantasia, tecnica, giocate da brividi, con quella maglia blucerchiata addosso che gli calza ormai a pennello.
E' sempre più un leader nel gruppo doriano e con i suoi gol e le sue magie sta facendo felice il presidente Garrone e i tanti tifosi della squadra ligure. Click to continue reading...

It was a weekend of some nice goals. First, let's just say that Fabio Quagliarella ALMOST scored the goal of the season (he did however score 2 goals on the night). You can watch that video here. Diego scored his first goals in Serie A, Julio Cruz scored his first goals for Lazio, Alberto Paloschi continues to look more and more like the new Pippo Inzaghi, Giampaolo Pazzini continues to score, and Antonio Cassano worked some magic again.

Click to continue reading...

Most Italian soccer fans should be familiar with the name of Andrea Russotto. As a youngster he was dubbed as "the next Roberto Baggio" and "Antonio Cassano with a level head" but up until now he has not even been close to living up to those names. His story is a bit particular, and for those of you that don't know it here it is.

Click to continue reading...

From Monday to Friday this week we'll have the best highlights from matchday II of Serie A for your...
Looking to advertise on our site? Want to send us your comments? You can contact us at, owngoalnetwork[at]live[dot]ca Click to continue reading...

Roma's Brazilian forward Julio Baptista could be set for a move to Italy's Serie A champions Inter Milan.

News has surfaced that the former Real Madrid star is due for discussions with Jose Mourinho's men over a transfer from the Stadio Olimpico, after falling out of favour with Luciano Spaletti.

Click to continue reading...

Neanche è iniziata la Serie A di Calcio, dove sicuramente ci regalerà perle di grande livello, sia in fatto di gol che di giocate palla al piede, ma il talento di Bari vecchia concede già grande spettacolo. Parliamo, naturalmente, di Antonio Cassano, attaccante della Samp e gioiello purissimo del nostro calcio, rifiutato però da Lippi per l'Italia ("Questioni psico-tecniche", per spiegazioni chidete al coach), ma anche, a quanto pare, da Mourinho. Click to continue reading...

[101 Great Goals] The corner flag is the underappreciated woodwork of the modern game. While the goalposts get all the glory - and the occasional kiss - corner flags just sit around idly and only joining the action on rare occasion. But Sparta Rotterdam appreciate the corner flag's work. With the ball on the line (yes, [. Click to continue reading...