From: u1051652@csdvax.csd.unsw.edu.au
Newsgroups: rec.sport.soccer
Subject: Re: Baresi leaves the national team !
Date: 8 Oct 92 09:09:30 +1000
Organization: University of New South Wales

In article <Ien6lFi00WB9N5sHJ_@andrew.cmu.edu>, sc4n+@andrew.cmu.edu (Saverio Cittadini) writes:
> Shocking news for Italian football ! Yesterday Franco Baresi, libero and
> captain of Milan and of Italy, asked Italy's coach Arrigo Sacchi not to
> be capped anymore for the national team. According to newspapers, Baresi
> claimed that the reason for this is neither stress, nor lack of motivation,
> nor pressure from his club, but that "it's time to make room for younger
> players" (note: Baresi is 32) and that he needs to spend more time with
> his family.
> Sacchi said that he is sad for this decision, but that he respects it
> since Baresi "deserves respect".
> 
> Now, I think this deserves some comments. Of course, Baresi should be
> free not to play for Italy if he doesn't want to, but...
> Isn't the motivation pathetic ? Yes, it's true that Baresi is getting
> old and that he is not as good as he was a few years ago. 
> And it's true that in Italy there are other good liberos (e.g. Parma's
> Minotti). Nevertheless, not only Sacchi, but practically all Italian
> football fans consider Baresi to be still the best, and by far. In my
> opinion, the real reason is different: Baresi is not going to leave
> Milan, where he earns a lot of money, but something he clearly considers
> much less important... after all it's just the national team, there are
> others that can make his job, you know...
> Now, I've never been too "patriotic", even with respect to the football
> national team. But this, in my opinion, is really too much. A champion
> like Baresi cannot disappoint all the Italian fans this way: it's just
> *shameful* !!! And I think that, if Baresi deserves a lot of respect for
> what he does on the pitch (I mean, when he plays football, not when he
> tries to break the opponent's legs with nasty fouls), morally he doesn't
> anymore, having lost - still IMHO - his dignity.
> 

Having read the article in our local Italian Newspaper La Fiamma, I was also
deeply shocked. Having played at sweeper when I was a little boy, I looked 
towards the late great Geatano Scirea (may he rest in peace) and, after his 
departure from the national team, Franco Baresi who I have considered for
years as the greatest player in the world (let alone the greatest defender
.And me a Juventus fan). For me he is still the greatest active on-field 
general that there is and I was hoping that he would lead the team to USA 1994.

But as Arrigo Sacchi said, this is a man who deserves our respect. 
We should give him thanks for the good times he has given us.

After our initial shock and slight anger we should accept and respect the 
decision (as much as it hurts to do so). I, along with a lot of others
pray that he will reconsider.

Until (or if) he does so, I believe that Minotti is a fine player and 
will  attempt  to fill the great void to the best of his ability.




> In other news, Cosenza midfielder Massimiliano Catena died yesterday in
> a car accident. He was 23, and a very promising player. A terrible loss
> for Cosenza, which few years ago lost another player, Donato Bergamini,
> still in a car accident.
> 

Also a great tragedy. May he rest in peace.

>                       Saverio
> 
> e-mail: CITTADINI@SIVAX.CINECA.IT
> "The sky is light-blue, since God is a Napoli fan"
> V I N C I   P E R   N O I   M A G I C O   N A P O L I  !!!
> 

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Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA