Comments on: Calcio Debate: Who should be eligible to play for the Azzurri?

By: Ush

Ush — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:17:09 +0000

“Amauri is an opportunist, and doesn’t care about playing for Italy as much as he cares about playing international football. If France had offered him a starting role 2 years ago, he would have taken it.”

1. You don’t know this.
2. Regardless, he has a right to be selected if he gains a passport. Same as Balotelli had to wait. Amauri gets a passport and is selected, he can belt out the anthem louder and prouder than any Italian. Just like Senna can for Spain, or Eduardo for Croatia.

By: alessio

alessio — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:37:43 +0000

I own citizenship because my dad is from Italy, no other reason. I keep it because I am proud of Italy and I do love the country, but I’m American first and foremost.

That’s a pretty dumb argument to make. No, I wouldn’t serve, and no, I wouldn’t serve for America either. I think 99.9% of wars this century have been for bullshit reasons and like John Fuckin Kerry said, I’m not going to die for someone’s mistake.

Totti made a mistake. It happens, if it was a habitual pattern then the coach should not play him but he acknowledged it was stupid, apologized, and moved on. I don’t think he had a single yellow in the WC.

Amauri is an opportunist, and doesn’t care about playing for Italy as much as he cares about playing international football. If France had offered him a starting role 2 years ago, he would have taken it.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:19:07 +0000

Alessio, then you need to explain why you own Italian citizenship, if as you claim that someone like yourself wouldn’t play for Italy, as your heart is in America, not Italy really. Citizenship comes with right, as well as obligations. As an Italian citizen, you would be expected and required to serve if Italy decides to go to war. What would be your decision then? If you wouldn’t be willing to serve, then you should probably give up your Italian citizenship. But again, this would be a decision that only you can make for yourself, no one can decide this for you. I have no problem with Amauri playing for Italy, if he takes oath to play and represent this country. I have more of a problem with players like Totti that, while representing the country, is spittin on a Danish opponent. Does this makes him a better Italian than Camoranesi or Balotelli? To me players like this should be banned to play for Italy ever again.

By: alessio

alessio — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:28:00 +0000

Mike, no, I’m opposed to Amauri, and I’m not racist. I’m American, and I’m Italian (own citizenship) but I would be opposed to someone like myself playing for the Azzurri. For me, two conditions- you either grew up in Italy, or you grew up elsewhere with several emigrants from Italy. Ie- Perrotta is cool. Balotelli is cool. Rossi is ok, but no Amauri.

He has no attachment to Italy other than he happens to be playing there. Had Real Madrid or the Gooners swooped in for him instead Italy would just be a nice chapter in his history for him. Brazil is always where his heart will be.

By: Sterling

Sterling — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:46:26 +0000

Amauri has the right to play for the Azzurri as much as anyone who gets a passport. Is he more entitled than young Mario? No. He’ll have to get in line behind everyone else, and it’s about as long as the one for the Selecao.

Also, Toto, are you a card-carrying member of Lega Nord or something? Your entire pourous argument is pretty much why my Salernitan wife rolls her eyes at a sizable chunk of Italian-Americans.

I can’t wait until Balotelli’s in South Africa singing “Fratelli D’Italia” louder than Camo on the pitch. And you squirming as you watch him.

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 16:41:16 +0000

Amauri must play for Italy if he chooses to do so and receive Italia citizenship. Anyone that claims the opposite is a racist. If Italian law gives you the right to citizenship after 5 years in the country, this must be respected. Citizenship gives you the same right and obligations of any other Ialian. Amauri may speak Italian with an accent, but probably speaks better than many born and raised italians. This concept is important to understand and respect in order to protect all those immigrant that have become Italians but still subject to discrimination and are treated as 2nd class citizens.

By: mike de robbio

mike de robbio — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:31:57 +0000

I think if you have italian blood you should be able to play for the azzurri, regardless if you’ve lived there. Im half italian, half scottish. My name is Italian, i have dark hair, dark eyes, my grandparents and uncles are italian, i went to italy every summer as a youngster. My Italian father taught me about football, not my mother. I learned to appreciate food like an Italian and was sworn at in Italian by my Italian father when i messed up as a kid growing up. I have never lived in Italy, but i was never able to feel entirely like a Scotsman growing up, due to my dark looks and ‘weird name. I reckon people like me should be able to play for the azzurri…people like Giuseppe Rossi too.

By: goose

goose — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:48:56 +0000

“If Balotelli is as Italian as anybody…does that mean he is not black anymore? Because you can’t be both.”

See: Fabio Liverani

By: Edgar

Edgar — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:40:58 +0000

Toto-what part of italy is your family from, did you know italy is not a homogenous country in the north there’s german and slavic people, in the south greeks and north africans.

Again Italy is a nation, not a racial group so yes you can be black and italian. What a Chinese guy looks like? it depends are you talking about Hans or Mongolians from Inner Mongolian, or Tibetean, or Turks from Xiangjin i don’t know china has many ethnic groups as well? What a Mexican looks like? do you mean the mestizos, germans in the north, asians in the west, blacks, mulattos and caribbeans in the east, or the new middle eastern mexican, or the other whites in the cities or maybe you’re speaking about the amerindians in the southern states? Being born somewhere does change who you are if you have a cousin in italy they behave different than you. You can also change who you are adopt new ideas change your body and many other things. I know Arabs that don’t dress like arabs, hispanics that don’t speak spanish(weird, right?) People move on and their pride changes, we become captivated by our new nationalism and forget the old in due time sometimes it takes one generation sometimes it takes more, but we do eventually.

By: Johonna

Johonna — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:58:45 +0000

Toto, I still ask: What about Camoranesi? do you cheer for the current Azzurri squad? He is not Italian by birth or “blood” but he has a passport.

Also, I just dont understand what you mean by Italian. How do you get to be one? What are the criteria? I mean, besides being “white?”

And no matter what you tell yourself, you are most definitely a racist. To top it off, you are an idiot too.
Your own argument doesnt make any sense.

First you say that being Italian is not about culture, then you say that Italian Americans are more Italian than those in Italy because of their what? CULTURE (that’s what traditions are, jackass).

Also, you say you could not cheer a multi-cultural team like France’s but what you mean is a multi-racial team. If everyone on the Azzurri grew up in Italy they would all have the same culture – regardless of race. But that would not be good enough for you.

I agree, national teams are about national identity and that means immigrants and all. Italy is not “the old country.” It is not a stagnant memory from 50 or 100 years ago. It is a modern, European country with people of all races. Their faces have every right to be represented on their national football team – whether or not they have slanty eyes or brown skin.

So, back to Mr. Softy’s (Alessio’s) question:
No to Amauri, yes to Balotelli.

If Amauri had emigrated to Italy as a child, he would be a yes, though.