Response To Susy Campanale's Article Entitled 'Multi-taskers Needed'

Susy Campanale, a relatviely incompetent writer for www.football-italia.net, has today written an article entitled 'Multi-taskers needed'. She essentially claimed that Italian teams cannot compete in three competitions, and bases her argument solely on Fiorentina's current crisis and Roma's last season. To read the not so long article, follow the link below:

http://www.football-italia.net/blogs/sc100.html

My reponse:

Dear Susy Campanale,

To generalise that all Italian teams cannot compete in three competitions is just plain wrong. Inter Milan for example are comfortably leading Serie A, are in the semi finals of the Coppa Italia where they have the first leg lead, and are in the Champions League knockout stage. Additionally, Roma, in the 2007-2008 season (the season before their poor season last season which you fequently referred to in your article), almost won the scudetto on the last day of the season, won the Coppa Italia, and went further than any Italian team in the Champions League, knocking out European heavy weights Real Madrid in the process, and being eliminated by eventual winners Manchester United.

Furthermore, if you are going to criticise (wrongly in my opinion) just Italian teams for failing to compete in three competitions, then have a look at teams in the Premier League and La Liga. Liverpool were realistically out of the this season's Premier League title race in November, and last season Chelsea were realistically out of it in January under Scolar's management. This season Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League knockout stage, and both Manchester United and Liverpool got knocked out of the third round of the FA cup, both against lower league teams (Manchester United got knocked out by a team two divisions lower than them) whilst fielding full strength squads.

Similarly, last season Real Madrid were effectviely out of the La Liga title race in January, although Barcelona were in outstanding form, got knocked out of the Copa Del Rey by lower league Real Union when thirty two teams were still left in the competition, and were kncoked out of the Champions League in the first knock out round in pretty humiliating fashion by Liverpool. After investing over £200 million in players during the summer Real Madrid's new generation of glactico again went out of the Copa Del Rey in the same round as last season in devasting style, again against a lower league team valued at a signifcantly less amount of money (Alcorcon, 4-1 on aggergate).

In conclusion, your generalisation was not only inaccurate, but you also conviently failed to consider the ability of teams in other leagues to compete in three competitions.

Yours sincerely,

Luke Best.