Comments on: Well, That’s Over

By: Mirko81

Mirko81 — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:31:45 +0000

ciao ragazzi guardate i romanisti come stanno messi http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=IGLSkL1tj80, altro che Mutu!

By: vin

vin — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:58:27 +0000

After watching the Mutu drama occur, I’m actually glad that he didn’t make the switch to Roma. He would’ve helped the Giallorossi immensely, but it would’ve been one of the messiest breaks I’ve seen. Anyway, I am interested to see what he can do with GilaMonster, so no hard feelings. I’m glad you’re keeping your MooTwo.

By: slakas

slakas — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:54:19 +0000

is the mutu contract finally signed? can we make him sign in blood, just in case

By: mako

mako — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 23:47:33 +0000

Ursus: Interesting comparison, esp. since I too grew up loving those old Orioles–though I’d move your timeframe back to the ’60s, when they were developing Palmer, Powell, Johnson, Belanger, Blair, Rettenmund, et al. The Viola do have a bit of that underdog thing going for them, I think, but I also remember that those terrific Orioles teams of the late ’60s/early ’70s always had TERRIBLE trouble attracting much of a following at home. Let’s hope that’s never the case with Fiorentina!

By: Nick

Nick — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:28:35 +0000

Ursus

That is good to know. I am pretty new to my love for the Viola and to paying attention to Serie A. To use a perhaps not-so-apt Americna baseball analogy, the Viola remind me of the Baltimore Orioles of the 1970s and 1980s. They were a small market team — compared to the free spending damn NY Yankees — that relied on developing kids through their farm clubs. They went on to largely dominate and contend in their division for many years, while the Yankees bought their way into contention but a lot of strife. I grew to like the Viola even more because of this mental association with the baseball team of my youth, and I hope they don’t lose the intangible characteristics that make them special.

By: ursus arctos

ursus arctos — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:26:11 +0000

The uefa.com story makes much more sense than the first reports yesterday and seems to be right.

And I’m with Johonna on the depth question; the club needs to have more quality outside the starting XI than it ever has before. A number of the guys you mention are not expecting to start every match in both Serie A and the CL (actually, no one except Frey and Gamberini should expect to start every single one). And to the extent that some egos may be bruised, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have dealing with that situation than Prandelli.

I’ve been Viola for more than 30 years, and this is probably the best squad I’ve ever seen. It is certainly the deepest.

By: Johonna

Johonna — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:21:37 +0000

Well, if Fiorentina are going to make a go of it the Champions League, they will need a deeeeep bench. There can be no “B” teams, especially if they also want to challenge for the Scudetto this season.

By: Nick

Nick — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:26:16 +0000

Does anyone else worry about what all these transfers do to team chemistry or am I being old fashioned in that concern. Lots of quality at midfield: Montolivo, Kuzma, Semioli, Santana, Melo, Jovetic, Donadel, Jorgnesenvand now Almiron. Up front we have Mutu, Gilardino, Pazzini, Osvlado and Papa Waigo (who i guess plays centrocampista, too). Is there enough playing time to go around and if not, won’t this affect morale? Seems like someone’s got to get transferred.

By: slakas

slakas — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:58:22 +0000

haha rangers knocked out of the champs league. probably just sour grapes, but I still don’t like them for that uefa cup tie. two of the most frustrating matches i’ve seen

By: slakas

slakas — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:45:58 +0000

uefa.com says it’s a loan with an option for co ownership

ACF Fiorentina have signed Juventus midfielder Sergio Bernardo Almirón on a one-year loan with an option to turn the transfer into a co-ownership deal at the end of the season.

Serie A career
The 27-year-old Argentinian, under contract at Juventus until summer 2012, has moved for a fee of €400,000. Almirón arrived in Turin during the last close season from Empoli FC for €9m but never managed to become a regular in Claudio Ranieri’s side, playing only nine league games before being loaned to AS Monaco FC in January. During his Serie A career the versatile midfielder has also represented Hellas-Verona FC and Udinese Calcio, whom he joined from CA Newell’s Old Boys in 2001. Fiorentina meet SK Slavia Praha in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, where Juve take on Tampere United or FC Artmedia Petržalka.