SSC Napoli

[tonykart]

Discuss all issues concerning the official club of southern Italy... Napoli!

[tonykart]

Well, so far, so good for Napoli.

Confirming Blasi and Zalayeta for the 08-09 season was a top priority.
Replacing Sosa with Denis was a savvy move as well.
Rinaudo will be a good, tough addition to the backline.
Maggio is the perfect fit for Napoli and a dream choice I had for them before the mercato.
I beleive that they will sign one more important player and then be on their way.
I would love to see Pasquale Foggia in the Napoli shirt.

Probably Formation:

------------------------------IEZZO

SANTACROCE - CANNAVARO - RINAUDO - DOMIZZI

----MAGGIO -- BLASI - GARGANO - HAMSIK

------------------------------LAVEZZI
---------------------ZALAYETA

[Amedio]

Oh, you've just reminded me of your weak spot to Napoli, Tony.

[tonykart]

I know. Guilty as charged. They will be my hometown team soon.

[tonykart]

Saviola Available at A Price

Javier Saviola has been put up for sale by Real Madrid amid reports of several interested sides, but he may have to lower his wage demands to secure a transfer.

The Argentinian has stated that he wanted to stay at the Bernabéu and prove himself after a first season that saw him only given minimial chances to shine following a move from Barcelona last summer.

Madrid are not impressed, however, and coach Bernd Schuster has instructed the board to find Saviola a new club before the players depart for pre-season training camp in Austria later this month.

Wolfsburg are one club to have made their interest official, while Italian hopeuls Juventus, Fiorentina and Napoli are all monitoring the situation, according to the media.

While Madrid only want €5m for the player that cost Barcelona €18m from River Plate when he was tipped to become a huge star in Argentina almost seven years ago.

Saviola now realises that he will only spend another term on the bench if he stays with Los Merengues, but is refusing to lower his personal demands.

Earning €3m-per-season at Madrid has meant that any other club keen on securing his services will have to match that fee and none of the current interested parties want to.
_______________________________________________________

Saviola would be a nice rotational player. If he will bring his unrealistic wage demands down, then I could see him as a nice little asset to the Napoli attack.

[Amedio]

I know. Guilty as charged. They will be my hometown team soon.

You've picked up the best choice, Mafioso!

[tonykart]

Haha... Well, I will stay clear of those problems. I will be in the outer part of Napoli.

[Carlo Romano]

I knew you'd start a Napoli thread, Tony! It would have been impossible for you to have not been affected after spending a month on the Amalfi coast. You do realise you'll have to learn << il dialetto napoletano >> as well as grammar book Italian when you make your home there? Btw, did you get to see Capri? Playground of the ancient Roman senators...well, strictly speaking, that was Pompeii. They picked up the chicks there and then took them to their villas on Capri...

So, 10 goals for Napoli in the friendly today! Modest Austrian opposition I know but it gets the confidence going!

[tonykart]

Yeah, being in that area is great. The Napoli fans are really fun and I got to play some calcetto! As for "il dialetto napoletano", I think I will stick with the basic Italian first. I am starting to study a bit now, but with work it is hard. Plus, I have to pursue my citizenship and a visa. I didn't go to Capri. It is too expensive and my parents say it is very similar to the coast. I spent most of my time in the small village of Conca dei Marini and will most likely be moving into the mountains behind Salerno, Vietri sul Mare, or Cava de' Tirreni.

Those Roman senators... wining and dining those ladies!

[marco]

tony - i made this thread a sticky like the other serie a teams' threads.

[tonykart]

Thank you. I will keep this as updated as possible. I think Napoli will make a few more moves before the market closes, but not many.

[Carlo Romano]

Cheers, Glad! I have a soft spot for the Napoletani also.

Tony, Napoli should have won that friendly against Hajduk Split. The Hajduk goal came about through Napoli simply not clearing the ball properly which allowed the low volley from outside the D! A poor penalty which was saved should have evened the score and then there was the bad call which should have seen them in front. To end things, the header over the Hajduk bar was an awful miss...should have been 1-3 Napoli instead of a 1-0 defeat.

[tonykart]

You win some, you lose some... I have never cared about pre-season friendlies... except for last years Juventus campaign because it was so important.

[Carlo Romano]

Well Napoli won yesterday's friendly!

I missed the highlights unfortunately but even against Uebelbach, modest Austrian opposition, a 5 goals win is better than the negative display against Hajduk...

[tonykart]

Napoli will be ready come the start of the season. I am excited to see their improvement.

[tonykart]

Napoli Close In On Young Star Russotto

The Vesuviani seem to have finally found the young gun that will play second fiddle to Ezequiel Lavezzi. Reports suggest that the hugely talented Andrea Russotto will head for Naples after taking part in the Beijing Olympics.

Napoli's sporting director Pierpaolo Marino is on the verge of pulling off another major coup for the Partenopei. Sky Sport Italia reported last night that Andrea Russotto is about to complete a move to the southern outfit from Treviso.

Russotto is currently with the Italian Olympic team, where he is held in high esteem by both Pierluigi Casiraghi and Gianfranco Zola.

The 20-year-old is a Lazio youth product, but unexpectedly turned his back on the Biancocelesti and moved to Swiss side Bellinzona in 2004. For the last two seasons he has played in Serie B with Treviso.

His impressive performances soon earned him a call-up to the U21 setup, and his immense talent was also recognized by World Soccer Magazine who named the Roman native in their list of the top 50 world's best young players.

Russotto can play as both a trequartista and a winger and he has all the qualities to amaze the San Paolo faithful, but will probably have to work his way up at the club, since Edy Reja and Marino see him as a future asset that needs to be nurtured, for the time being.

In the meantime Napoli continue their preparations for the Intertoto Cup match against Panionios: last night the Azzurri drew 1-1 with Hungarian side Zalaegerszeg, with Inacio Pià cancelling out Róbert Waltner's opener. New recruit German Denis hit the post in the dying minutes.
_________________________________________________

Another great signing by Pierpaolo Marino. Russoto is a very talented, young player who will be amazing many fans in a year or so.

[tonykart]

One Azzurri Shirt Not Enough For Maggio

Christian Maggio's move to Napoli has been hailed by market gurus and pundits as one of the best coups of the season. The ex-Sampdoria full-back has already become a fan's favorite and hopes to pull on another Azzurri jersey in the near future...

The €8m signing was the Blucerchiati's revelation last season and many eyebrows were raised when he missed out on a place at Euro 2008.

But now that the FIGC have recalled Marcello Lippi to lead Italy to the 2010 World Cup, Christian is confident that another super season in Naples will see him enter the Coverciano training ground gates.

"I have four major targets for next season," the 26-year-old revealed to Il Mattino.

"First off, I want to win the Intertoto Cup. I know this competition very well, since I won it at Samp. It's vital that we get off to a good start against Panionios next Sunday.

"Secondly, I'd be pleased to bag at least nine goals, just like I did last campaign, and in doing so I hope to help Napoli shoot up the table.

"Finally, my primary goal is, of course, to get that much-awaited call-up to the national team. I'm sure that Napoli will make this dream come true."

He recalls that last year he did not have the best of starts in Genoa.

"The whole team was drained of energy after the Intertoto efforts. I certainly did not impress Roberto Donadoni with those performances, and by the time I hit my stride he had probably made up his mind," admitted Christian.

About the looming Intertoto match in Athens, the Veneto-born attacking right-back explained that Edy Reja has had them working hard from the beginning in order to achieve an acceptable fitness level.

"The coach made us play four friendly matches, and that was a right choice. Still, Panionios will definitely be in better shape than us, we will no doubt have to suffer in Greece. Moreover it will be our first full 90 minutes," he added.

"But we have men capable of turning a match around with one moment of brilliance, we just need to be more cynical in front of goal."

Meanwhile Neapolitan fans have already snapped up 10,000 season tickets in less than ten days. President Aurelio De Laurentiis's project is quickly moving forward and the tifosi are eager to roll back the years in the Vesuvian city.
__________________________________________________

I wish Juventus would have signed him. But, what a good player Napoli have. I could definately see him being a right sided Zambrotta.

[Amedio]

Napoli have a good accurate eye in the mercato, thanks to Pierpaolo Marino.

Players like Lavezzi, Hamsik, Maggio, Santacorce, Russotto, etc...are the future.

[tonykart]

Hamsik and Maggio are the present. These guys are good now and will be great soon. Santacroce and Lavezzi are right behind them.

I am interested to see Russotto.

[Amedio]

Maggio plots San Paolo success

Napoli new boy Christian Maggio has set his goals for the season, starting with a successful Intertoto Cup campaign.



[quote]The 26-year-old became hot property last term with a superb campaign at Sampdoria and nearly stole a spot in Roberto Donadoni’s squad for Euro 2008.

Many experts believe that the Vesuviani made one of the swoops of the summer when they signed Maggio for just £6m and he is hoping to enjoy immediate success in Naples.

“I have a few major targets for next season,â€