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  1. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bobo View Post
    They don't need all of Pelle, Zaza and Immobile. Chances are only one of them will start at a time. Immobile hasn't even been the best Italian striker on his team. They need a 2nd FW and don't really have one, outside of Eder.
    When I saw him in Rome, I am pretty sure, he subbed as a midfielder.

  2. #32
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    The message is pretty clear. No names in Serie A have a better chance of making the Italy squad for a major tourney than dominating a league like MLS.
    I thought my read of Giovinco was that he was trying just a little too hard, to make an impression on Conte that he deserves a spot on Italy squad.

    We'll see how Giovinco reacts. Our best case is that Giovinco plays on and uses this snub to motivate himself to another MVP season.
    I suspect if Giovinco has any desire to play for Italy squad for WC2018, he'll ask for a transfer back to Europe, take a pay cut to play for a mid table Serie A team or even play in England to get himself back into contention for Italy squad.
    MLS just don't get enough respect in Europe yet.
    “Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.

    I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’

    And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”

    -Eduardo Galeano

  3. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yohan View Post
    The message is pretty clear. No names in Serie A have a better chance of making the Italy squad for a major tourney than dominating a league like MLS.
    I thought my read of Giovinco was that he was trying just a little too hard, to make an impression on Conte that he deserves a spot on Italy squad.

    We'll see how Giovinco reacts. Our best case is that Giovinco plays on and uses this snub to motivate himself to another MVP season.
    I suspect if Giovinco has any desire to play for Italy squad for WC2018, he'll ask for a transfer back to Europe, take a pay cut to play for a mid table Serie A team or even play in England to get himself back into contention for Italy squad.
    MLS just don't get enough respect in Europe yet.
    For many Italian soccer fans, MLS is a non entity. They would have the same interest in it, as you or I would in a level 2 league in Botswana. I have many Italian cousins whom I keep contact with, and all feel Giovinco screwed up by leaving Europe. Few care about his MLS heroics, because few care about the league. They felt the same about Del Piero when he played well in Australia. Nobody gave a shit.
    I think this rejection will affect Giovinco's game in MLS. After what he did that day in October for his national team, he must feel betrayed somewhat.

  4. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by 69Chevy396 View Post
    For many Italian soccer fans, MLS is a non entity. They would have the same interest in it, as you or I would in a level 2 league in Botswana. I have many Italian cousins whom I keep contact with, and all feel Giovinco screwed up by leaving Europe. Few care about his MLS heroics, because few care about the league. They felt the same about Del Piero when he played well in Australia. Nobody gave a shit.
    I think this rejection will affect Giovinco's game in MLS. After what he did that day in October for his national team, he must feel betrayed somewhat.
    I unfortunately also think this will affect him.

    What a brutal Italy squad btw...

  5. #35
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    My hot take is that Conte should have been replaced as Italy manager as soon as he publicly accepted the Chelsea job. Now he is a short timer giving zero fucks.

    I am not at all optimistic about how this affects Giovinco's psyche. But let's see who the next Azzuri manager is, and that will certainly influence whether Seba feels he needs to return to Italy or not.

  6. #36
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    Great news right? Montreal lose Ciman and Giovinco stays with us

    #battleofontarioplz

  7. #37
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    Bad and disrespectful decision for Italy. Weak lineup and conte will come to regret it.

  8. #38
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    I feel terrible for Seba. Even though he had to know this was possible/probable.
    “What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”

  9. #39
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    I didn't think he was going to make it, but to not even make the preliminary squad is a joke. Eder and Immobile ahead of him is ridiculous.

    I guess this kills the dumb Giovinco to Chelsea rumours though.
    Last edited by notthesun; 05-23-2016 at 11:15 AM.

  10. #40
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    I'm curious to see if this will demoralize Gio's play moving forward or rather he will feed off the frustration of not being selected and use that energy to be even more productive in MLS. I have to say though, I am surprised Pirlo and Gio both were not selected for Italy's team.

  11. #41
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    he will be fine...he will go to the raps tonight and continue to enjoy our toronto lifestyle.

  12. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by reggie View Post
    he will be fine...he will go to the raps tonight and continue to enjoy our toronto lifestyle.
    Yeah, he's not Defoe.

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    Wasn't Giovinco an after thought for the national team when he was with Juventus? I see how he should have a place on this team but its not like he was a regular, his best move is to stay and continue to play well otherwise he wont get starting minutes unless its at a mid table club.

    If there is one club I'm worried that could attract him its Leicester, I think he would fit perfectly into that team. They could pay him, start him every game, and could offer champions league.
    Last edited by Richard; 05-23-2016 at 11:41 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Richard View Post
    Wasn't Giovinco an after thought for the national team when he was with Juventus? I see how he should have a place on this team but its not like he was a regular, his best move is to stay and continue to play well otherwise he wont get starting minutes unless its at a mid table club.
    23 caps to date
    “Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.

    I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’

    And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”

    -Eduardo Galeano

  15. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yohan View Post
    23 caps to date
    I agree with your earlier assessment; he's trying to force everything. He literally looks distracted or irritated out there. I think maybe Conte didn't pick either him or Pirlo because neither is playing at their best. It's hard to see that in MLS, but that's because Seba could break three toes on each foot and still be the best player on the field.

  16. #46
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    It's not totally based on MLS, I think Conte feels that he has a few players that are like Giovinco and Insigne who had a good season with Naploi was the player that Giovinco was competing with, Insigne is more or less the same height as Giovinco and more or less the same build , the same type of speed and pace with Insigne probably being a bit more craftier than Giovinco.

  17. #47
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    Giovinco always looks irritated when he doesn't score. I haven't really noticed anything different, and I doubt we're talking about him trying too hard if he did score last game.

  18. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by jloome View Post
    I agree with your earlier assessment; he's trying to force everything. He literally looks distracted or irritated out there. I think maybe Conte didn't pick either him or Pirlo because neither is playing at their best. It's hard to see that in MLS, but that's because Seba could break three toes on each foot and still be the best player on the field.
    It is also possible that Giovinco's play has been affected because he knew he was not going to the Euros for some time now, and that there may have been a backdoor agreement with MLSE to keep him in Toronto.

  19. #49
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    Soooooo many egos involved in all this, including reporters.

  20. #50
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    hahahaha Conte. What a fucken idiot. Can't wait till he gets canned from Chelsea before February. He not a coach. He's a motivator. Terrible, terrible tactician. Brings 3 guys that literally bring nothing to the team. Italy are in for rough 2 years, especially with Spain in their World Cup Qualifying group. Hasn't proven anything with Juve and gets the national team job. Going to be a rough tournament for them.

  21. #51
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    That's big boost for TFC in the short term. Gio can rub Conte's nose in it while he is banging in goals over the next 6 weeks. We would have been in deep trouble with him gone.

    Don't even think about getting respect from the "elite" Euro leagues. Won't happen in our lifetime...but who cares really? It won't register unless the US wins the big one... or we start actually paying similar wages. TFC spends about 1/40th the money on players that Man Utd do.

  22. #52
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    This makes me scared.

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    Great news! Absolutely fabulous! The thought of TFC going without both Bradley and Séba was a scary one. Hopefully this news will give us the boost we need to get out of this slump. I guess hoping for a quicker than anticipated return for Jozy would be greedy, huh?

  24. #54
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    to me, Giovinco making the final 23 was just about 50/50, but I'm really surprised he didn't make the first 30.....though a couple things to remember...
    - its a short tournament, and familiarity is an advantage (players who are in the same league), especially with this Azzurri team in transition and trying to find the next generation of players
    - Italy traditionally picks players from within Serie A (going back to the days where Vialli and Zola types would miss out because they were playing outside of Italy)

    unfortunate for him to be missing out on the Euros, but great news for TFC!......but I think it has less to do with MLS, and more about the fact that Italy almost always chooses players from Serie A.....Giovinco had to have known this before leaving to come here.....

  25. #55
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    Interesting article with some of Conte's comments about Giovinco and Pirlo:
    http://www.football-italia.net/84852...pirlo%E2%80%99

    "We evaluated him and Giovinco, it’s normal that if you choose to go and play there then you can pay the consequences in footballing terms. We evaluated them technically, we didn’t leave anything to chance. Anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong, we went everywhere to have clear and precise ideas. I picked the 30 who I think will give me the most guarantees.”

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    Quote Originally Posted by JDMD View Post
    Interesting article with some of Conte's comments about Giovinco and Pirlo:
    http://www.football-italia.net/84852...pirlo%E2%80%99

    "We evaluated him and Giovinco, it’s normal that if you choose to go and play there then you can pay the consequences in footballing terms. We evaluated them technically, we didn’t leave anything to chance. Anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong, we went everywhere to have clear and precise ideas. I picked the 30 who I think will give me the most guarantees.”
    What a slap in the face to the MLS. This is not good for anybody. Obviously we pale in comparison to European leagues, and this is just another reminder that the rest of the world doesn't take MLS seriously. Seems like a dick move by Conte saying it to the media.

  27. #57
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yohan View Post
    The message is pretty clear. No names in Serie A have a better chance of making the Italy squad for a major tourney than dominating a league like MLS.
    asking genuinely here, but how much of Serie A do you watch? Reason I'm asking is that I don't find any "no-names" on this preliminary team and I watch Serie A more or less weekly.....

    I also wonder how much TFC fans knew of Giovinco before his move here.....had he come from Verona say instead of Juventus, I think at the time, he would've been called a "no-name" too......

    As someone who has followed the Azzurri for as long as I've watched soccer, I can honestly say this is not an MLS-specific snub.....Italy has traditionally picked players from Serie A.....I'm even surprised that 5 got named to camp....we'll see how many even make the team.....
    Last edited by TFC Tifoso; 05-24-2016 at 09:28 AM.

  28. #58
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    Quote Originally Posted by TFC Tifoso View Post
    asking genuinely here, but how much of Serie A do you watch? Reason I'm asking is that I don't find any "no-names" on this preliminary team and I watch Serie A more or less weekly.....

    I also wonder how much TFC fans knew of Giovinco before his move here.....had he come from Verona say instead of Juventus, I think at the time, he would've been called a "no-name" too......

    As someone who has followed the Azzurri for as long as I've watched soccer, I can honestly say this is not an MLS-specific snub.....Italy has traditionally picked players from Serie A.....I'm even surprised that 5 got named to camp....we'll see how many even make the team.....
    The no name thing was more a tongue in cheek frustration comment.

    I don't follow Serie A too seriously, but I seriously don't think guys like Sturaro, Bernardeschi, Jorginho or Eder who's shitting the bed at Inter deserves a spot over Giovinco
    “Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.

    I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’

    And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”

    -Eduardo Galeano

  29. #59
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yohan View Post
    The no name thing was more a tongue in cheek frustration comment.

    I don't follow Serie A too seriously, but I seriously don't think guys like Sturaro, Bernardeschi, Jorginho or Eder who's shitting the bed at Inter deserves a spot over Giovinco
    Ok fair enough.....

    I guess what some guys don't get just looking at things for face value is that some of the guys you just mentioned are part of the group that will feature for Italy over the next 3 or 4 tournaments.....they're young now and need the experience in an Int'l tournament, or need to prove whether or not they can hack it at that level....as opposed to a guy like Giovinco, who is late 20's and its know what he offers to the team....

    for example, Sturaro is a very highly touted midfielder within Italy, and played a great role (mostly off the bench) for Juve, similar to what he will be asked to do for Italy.....he also started the CL final last year vs Barca, so there's definitely something there.....but at a glance, and to someone who doesn't follow Serie A that seriously, they couldn't tell.....similar with Jorginho.....

    I'm a bit surprised Seba couldn't make the 30 man team, but definitely not shocked.....some of the players that are making this team will be asked to show what they're made of in preparation for WC 2018.....and Giovinco isn't in that category....

  30. #60
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    Just going to put these by Ricio out there for some perspective (apologies cause these don't nest well)









 

 

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