Newsgroup: it.sport.calcio.juventus
Titolo: Articolo su Buffon su Uefa.com

The greatest glove of all
Friday, 18 March 2005
By Paolo Menicucci
 
 
George Best presents Buffon with the MVP award in Monaco
Having being named in 
uefa.com
's users' Team of 2003 and 2004, Gianluigi 
Buffon is on target for a glorious treble. With Juventus FC level on 
points with AC Milan at the top of Serie A, Buffon has helped his side 
qualify for the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals after a 2-1 
aggregate win against Real Madrid CF.
Massive fee
Since Juventus signed him from Parma FC in 2001, the Bianconeri have 
never regretted their decision to pay €52.29m for the goalkeeper, who is 
widely regarded as the best in the world. "This type of recognition and 
these types of awards obviously make me happy and proud," the 
27-year-old said of his latest 
uefa.com
 accolade.
 
 
Promising upstarts
However, with the European season in full swing, Buffon is only too 
aware that a younger generation of goalkeepers are eager to steal his 
crown. "There are some very strong goalkeepers at the moment in Europe," 
he told 
uefa.com
. "The standard is very high. Of all of them, the best 
ones are [Petr] Cech, [Nelson] Dida and [Iker] Casillas, in that order".
Calmness counts
The Italian international knows better than anyone the single important 
quality that can transform a previously good goalkeeper into a 
world-beater. "I think a great goalkeeper should transmit a sense of 
calmness and security to his team-mates at any given time during a 
particular match and during the whole season," he said.
Juventus honours
With Buffon between the posts, Juventus have won the Scudetto twice in 
2001/02 and 2002/03 when Buffon conceded 23 goals and 29 goals 
respectively - the fewest in the division in both seasons. The 
Bianconeri also reached the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League final, 
although they lost against Milan on penalties in Manchester despite 
Buffon's brilliant performance.
Dignified approach
Success and the occasional disappointment have helped him hone his 
goalkeeping philosophy. "When the team is not playing particularly well 
or even when the goalkeeper himself has made some mistakes, he should 
never panic," he said. "The goalkeeper should always show his team-mates 
that he is 100 per cent fit in mind as well as body."
I prefer goalkeepers who are very solid, sturdy and don't do much 
acrobatic stuff
Gianluigi Buffon
Unnecessary acrobatics
That maxim might explain why Buffon has little respect for goalkeepers 
who showboat with unnecessary diving saves and embellishments. "I prefer 
goalkeepers who are very solid, sturdy and don't do much acrobatic 
stuff," said the first goalkeeper to win the Most Valuable Player award 
at the UEFA European Football Awards in 2003.
Coaching ambition
At 27, Buffon could yet have another decade at the top of his game 
before he considers retirement, but he has already formulated a clear 
plan for what he will do when he finally hangs up his gloves. "If I were 
to stay in the world of football, I would love to become a coach," he 
said. "It has always been one of my passions."
Foreign mission
He also admitted that he would not rule out the possibility of playing 
outside Serie A at some time. "It would be a great experience for a man 
who wants to live his life to the full," said the goalkeeper, who is 
contracted to Juventus until 2009. "I would never exclude the 
possibility of going abroad one day."
'The best'
However with so much excitement in prospect in Turin this season, such 
plans look to be something for a long time in the future. As Buffon put 
it himself: "I am Italian and playing for Juventus is the absolute 
pinnacle. I have been in Turin for four years. Staying here could be the 
best outcome for me."
Questo il link:
http://www.uefa.com/magazine/news/Kind=4/newsId=288727.html
-- 
.::hayfever  .::DPPSJ#070.::PANFC#099
Pele and Rossi are old!

 By Paolo Menicucci
http://it.uefa.com/magazine/news/Kind=4/newsId=288732.html
per la versione italiana.
Ciao