Donadoni Lost His Game and Job: but not for ever

Donadoni Lost: but not for ever

Shadow of ill fate continues with Roberto Donadoni. A successful footballer who achieved everything in club level but lost his foot in internationals. Now, he becomes a failure as a manager too. Is it his failure or Italy's problem? In my last write up, I discussed about this same topic. Lippi, the smartest manager of Italian football visualized this collapse long ago. So he resigned at that time and now wants to make a come back.

When Italy lost their game against Holland, Donadoni's days were numbered. The clumsy performance against a fine tuned team raised a number of questions in Italian football fans. The draw against Romania was not at all convincing but was a life line for next round. In the third match against France, somehow, the team produced a better show and sent the world cup runners back. Italy reached in the second round but that was not enough to convince the football fanatics of Italy. They expected much more from them, at least a convincing performance against team like Romania.

The question is not about the result of Italy or performance of the team in group level matches. They played well in the quarter final against Spanish young blood and eventually lost out in penalty shootout. A team like Italy was not supposed to produce such result; they are expected to do much more than that. Question is whether it is Italian team's problem or the manager Donadoni's managerial problem? Now everyone is looking at Lippi, the manager who won the world cup.

Donadoni inherited a team which won the world cup. This argument shows he received a successful squad from Lippi. That is a half truth. The team which handed over by Lippi was a stationary wagon. The wagon lost its wheels in the beginning of the campaign and the new driver tried his best to move it on temporary wheels. The axis of the world cup winning team was built on three pillars 'Francisco Totti, Alexandro Nesta, and Fabio Cannavaro. During world cup campaign, Nesta and Cannavaro kept the defence intact and Totti controlled the attack from midfield. Just after world cup, Totti and Nesta declared their retirement from international football and Donadoni lost Fabio Canavaro just before the start of Euro due to injury. In actual sense, Donadoni inherited a team sans its cream.

Donadoni got nearly two year time to rebuild the team and he picked up few good players to fill the gap of Totti and Nesta. But the talent pool in Italian football was not enough to support him. He couldn't find replacement for their ageing legs but managed the team successful to the finals of Euro. Injury of Canavaro was the key turning point to the team. They lost one of the best defenders in the world as well as the most influential player in the squad. His experience and game reading ability made it an irreplaceable lose. Italian league so far hasn't produced a proper alternative to this player and Donadoni couldn't fill that gap properly.

Still, Donadoni made some positive changes in the team. In a short time, he managed to change the method of game. Earlier, Italy use to play the most defensive football which keeps the ball within the control of its defenders and try to win the game with a solitary goal. Donadoni tried to change this defensive mentality and produced an attacking football. Though they lost matches, the crucial role was carried out by their vibrant midfield. Of course, heroic performance of Gian Luigi Buffon under the bar is a different story. He was forced to produce such performance just because of the confusion of Italian defenders. They failed to read the game properly and make intervention in correct time. This attacking mentality is a new thing for Italy and produce better expectations in future.

Italian FA has the power to decide whether they want to continue with Donadoni or re-appoint Lippi or they can find more successful manager for the post. But, in the short time, Donadoni produced a better football and definitely deserve more time to produce better result. It is a pity to hear that he was sacked or Italian FA decided to see his contract get over. Compare with other successful Italian managers, Donadoni was fresh and new. His experience as a manager is not long but his contribution to Italian football as a player and as club manager is considerably successful and in national level also, he achieved a better result with an average team.

Time is on Donadoni's side. He is in his 40s and gained enough experience in club, national, and international level. Though he lost out in the last campaign, he can definitely make a come back to Italian time. His experience will support him to gain more success.