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Clearing the Air; “We’re Champions”

February 1st, 2009 | By: Anthony | 7 Comments »

Okay so it’s a bit of an understatement to say that my last post comparing Spain to Italy sparked quite a bit of controversy especially amongst my beloved Italian brothers but I felt it is necessary to clear the air surrounding the whole saga.

Let’s face it, no body likes a sore loser, or winner to be honest, and cockiness is one of the most arrogant and repulsive qualities a person can have. Although I probably did come off like this in my last post, I definitely am not, and that’s why I’m writing this one.

Here’s my thing. Becoming European Champions was a huge deal for me and since many of my close friends are Italian it was even sweeter to beat the Azzuri on the way to becoming champs. It was more of a personal article in the sense that I did it for jokes and never really meant to come across as an ignorant, offensive little kid who doesn’t know the first thing about football. It’s hard having such talented players year in and year out but always failing and coming up short and you have no idea the euphoria I felt when the final whistle was blown against Germany that night.

I picked random statistics from here, there and everywhere, that in someway supported or showed Spain as the best team in the world (I still think we are at the moment but that’s subject to opinion) and Italy as one in decline. Needless to say the article was an extremely biased one and quite a few Italians took offense, and you guys aren’t exactly the politest group when you are mad.

I just want to once again say not that I am sorry but explain why I wrote the article. It was out of personal spite, I don’t like Italy to be honest and I hate their style of football, plain and simple that’s why. Now of course you do have a rather lengthy history of being a very successful team and I respect that, the post was just for a bit of fun but I see how it got out of hand.

I’m sure if any other country was insulting Spain I would have assaulted their blog with foul comments the same way you did with mine – fair play there.

So to Tomek, kappa, lamagica and whoever else actually had constructive yet polite criticism to input, I thank you for the civil discussion, all the rest that chose to curse, swear and bombard me with insults, well, God bless you.

Before I go I do want to post a statement that is bound to cause less controversy because I believe, in all humility, that it is true. We are the Champions of Europe and are probably one of the best, if not the best team in the world right now. Of course we will have a lot to prove in South Africa 2010 but I am looking really forward to this challenge. I’m sure Italy will give us a run for our money.

Hope this clears the air, and I look forward to posting more articles about my own beloved country, not yours.

¡¡Qué Viva España!!

Tags: España, Euro 2008, Italy, South Africa 2010, World Cup 2010

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Comments

By Tomek | February 2nd, 2009 at 4:54 am

Hey, good article. And yes, I was happy too that Spain won, and not Germany. Though I did support Germany a bit, but only because of Podolski.
I really like their team, especially Fernando Torres. Liverpool is my favorite club in the English Premier League, and he’s easily their best player, together with Gerrard. I loved how he basically destroyed the pathetic money club Chelsea himself yesterday.
So yes, you have a good chance to win the World Cup. But not EURO 2012, that will go to Poland

By kappa | February 2nd, 2009 at 8:05 pm

Well done Anthony, my apologies for the criticism. Its the southern Italian thing with the hot temper. That was a fun few days though.

Posted from Canada

By John Silver | February 3rd, 2009 at 11:09 am

That’s all right Anthony. I actually think a comparison between the two teams could be interesting, but it ought to be based on a tactical/technical face off rather than on contingent trophies or Fifa lists of players.

I suggest you revise your opinion that Italian football is in decline. What the Italians are undergoing is called, more simply, transition. There was a hiccup with a crap coach put in as a filler so that Lippi could come back in time for the World Cup (the more I look at it, the more I think Donadoni was put there with a view to having an open road after the Euros) and we’re in the middle of sorting out a generational change. So it’s just changing gears, not losing speed. (Besides, it’s pretty meaningless to say that a holding World Cup champions is in decline. Decline cannot be measured over such a short period as two years, there just isn’t the material scope for that kind of judgment.)

Posted from United Kingdom

By roma123 | February 3rd, 2009 at 4:39 pm

wow, you are still sticking to the same shit of the last post. Just give up, Spain will never be better than Italy and that will be proved when we win the Confederation cup.

By Anthony | February 3rd, 2009 at 9:47 pm

Tomek, I can’t understand why Poland plays so well in qualification but can never deliver in recent tournaments, they’re bound to get it right sooner or later so who knows, maybe you’re right.

Kappa, totally know what you mean, us southern Spaniards are the same way, it was all in good fun anyway.

John, that’s basically why I wrote a follow-up article, I agree, of course I would use technical information if I was doing a real comparison, but of course mine was basically about fantasy football. I also agree about the national team, the same thing is going to happen to us by about 2012, we have a lot of promising youth coming through the system but of course you have to allow for a transition period.

roma123, I suggest you read the article properly you ignorant fuck, if you did then you wouldn’t have posted your dumbass comment. Jog on..

By Stephanie Meyer | February 4th, 2009 at 5:46 pm

Hi! Thank you for this post. Actually, I’m not very familiar with this topic but after reading your post, it’s clear now! Keep up the good posts like this. Take care!

Posted from United States

By Denise | February 5th, 2009 at 2:27 pm

Excellent article. You’ve said many of the things I’ve wanted to say and explain for a while. Definitely well said. As a fellow Spain fan, I definitely agree with the agony we have felt by seeing our team, which usually played some of the best football, fall early. I’d also like to agree with you on the fact that I don’t like the Italian team or soccer, and it was the one of the best things to see Spain triumph over them. When the EURO ended, I was so happy, I don’t know how to explain it. Seeing our team lift the Cup is one of the things I will NEVER forget (David Villa as Top Scorer made it THAT much more enjoyable). I believe Spain is the best now, and until someone else comes and swipes it from us, we’re number one, and I’m enjoying our position, and the talented team we currently have, very much. This new Spain has given me, and I’m sure many other Spain fans, hope. They beat the odds, and really showed up to win, and they did. It wasn’t the typical Spain this time around, and I believe that they have changed. I think 2008 was Spain’s renaissance, if you will. They will have to prove themselves in the World Cup, I definitely agree, but I believe that if we keep up our excellent style of play, and as our already talented players gain more experience, we can become the World Champions in 2010.

Posted from United States

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