quote:
I think a big issue also deals with a lack of young Italian talent emerging during the post-Calciopoli era. I mean the best Italian players right now are in the aging fast to really old range

That's another thing that's often stated because it was probably true 2-3 years ago but I'm not sure it's necessarily correct today. There's a serious youth movement (as my breakdown of the top teams in the OP centers upon) all over the league and a promising young group of Italian talent emerging and already getting NT caps. That's the group the 2014 NT team will center around and already a contributing in WC qualifying:

Insigne
Destro
Ogbonna
De Ciglio

El Sharawaay
Immobile
Florenzi
Gabbiadini

Verratti
Perin
Schelotto
Romagnoli
Acerbi
Poli

I could name more but all these players would be the subject of a lot of posts on this board if they were Spanish or German and being transferred for heady sums if they were English. . .

There's certainly lot of excellent players the likes of

Marchisio
Osvaldo
Chiellini
Sirigu
Montolivo

in their primes playing in the league and on the NT. . .

or a next tier of depth with younger players like

Diamante
Giovinco
Bonucci
Nocerino
Criscito
Candreva

This isn't even to mention Balotelli who seems the heir apparent to Cassano's enigma.

Pirlo, of course, will continue to play a prominent role as long as he's healthy since you just don't fill in for him (like Xavi will for Spain as they are about the same age after all).

Anyway, this is just speaking of younger Italian talent too. Serie A is pretty stacked with young South American talent these days.

All this emphasizes what was the point of my post/rant: the league had a few down seasons but overall is on a quite promising upswing talent wise (and a lot of it's Italian).

However, it seems difficult to find any English language press (Italian transplants included in many cases) not reporting 2010 as if it's 2012.

I suppose it still have to surprise most people like Italy in Euros this summer where people realized unsung players like Marchisio aren't just filling roster spots in a has-been league but would be figuring prominently about anywhere.

This post was edited on 12/19/12 at 12:07 am