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Italy fail in Euro 2012 bid |
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Apr 18 2007, 11:21 AM
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7th Heaven
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Italy have lost out in the race to host Euro 2012 to Poland and Ukraine, announced UEFA President Michel Platini in Cardiff on Wednesday. Italy were short-listed for the event along with the joint bids from Poland-Ukraine and Croatia-Hungary and were considered as the favourites to land the tournament. However, UEFA’s executive committee took the shock step this morning after taking into account the candidates’ final presentations. Vital criteria for the decision included stadiums, transport, infrastructures, accommodation and security. The executive committee voted by secret ballot with the Italian and Ukrainian representatives – Franco Carraro and Grigoriy Surkis – not eligible to vote. The bidding process started in 2004 and the final decision was initially scheduled for December 2006, but was postponed to give the candidates the opportunity to fine-tune their bids. Poland and Ukraine will stage matches in four venues apiece. Neither country has previously hosted a major finals tournament although both have strong footballing traditions. The previous European Championship hosts since it became a final tournament have been: Italy (1980), France (1984), West Germany (1988), Sweden (1992), England (1996), Belgium/Netherlands (2000) and Portugal (2004). Next year’s Finals will take place in Austria and Switzerland from June 7 to 29. Channel4
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Apr 18 2007, 12:10 PM
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Primavera
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Right now Italy's stadiums, including the San Siro, are not capable of supporting such an event. Maybe in 2012 they'd be read but I guess UEFA were not convinced...
Or it's just Platini which I don't want to believe.
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Apr 18 2007, 12:25 PM
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Primavera
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QUOTE (mishale @ Apr 18 2007, 02:16 PM) Platini wanted it to be in Italy but I think it's good that they gave it to the countries who usually don't host events like this ,something that can make a great change for them (football wise) Platini wanted the hosts to be of less dynamic, that's who he based his election campaign on. Whether or not Poland and Ukraine are ready for such an event, we'll find out. It's certainly a big chance, I hope something good will come out of it.
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Apr 18 2007, 12:58 PM
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Primavera
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QUOTE Zoff: Platini was with ItalyWednesday 18 April, 2007Italian legend Dino Zoff has insisted that UEFA President Michel Platini was in support of Italy’s failed Euro 2012 bid. The peninsula was surprisingly beaten by outsiders Poland and Ukraine in the race to stage the competition today, but the former Azzurri boss insists Platini was on their side. “Platini was one of our supporters and I am sure about it,†said Zoff after the shock announcement. “I know Platini very well as we used to play together. I have no doubts that he wanted us to win this race.†UEFA’s executive committee handed eight votes to the winners, Italy got four while the Croatia-Hungary effort convinced nobody on the panel. “Other factors were probably decisive,†added Zoff, given Italy’s problems with Calciopoli and football-related violence in recent times. “I don’t know who voted against us, even if we didn’t do anything to deserve what has happened to us over past months. “This is certainly a massive disappointment as I was sure that we would have won the bid,†concluded the 1982 World Cup winner. Giovanna Melandri, the Italian Minister for Sport, could not hide her disappointment after the defeat. “It was a politically motivated sporting decision,†she said. “It gives new countries a chance on the European stage. “We must sportingly accept the judgement even if I still think that our dossier was a strong one and I think it was tough for the executive committee to vote. We congratulate the victors. “It’s sad, but now we must focus on just winning the next European Championships on the field of play.†channel4 QUOTE Lippi leads Italian disappointmentWednesday 18 April, 2007World Cup winning Coach Marcello Lippi is one of numerous Italian footballing figures dismayed with the decision to hand Euro 2012 to Poland and Ukraine. “I am very disappointed, especially because we presented our bid with great enthusiasm,†said Lippi after Italy’s defeat in Cardiff today. “There is really nothing more I can say… “I don’t know the parameters used to take this decision. UEFA simply might have wanted to involve new countries in the world of football.†Italian Football Federation President Giancarlo Abete has defended the peninsula’s bid by insisting the outcome was mainly motivated by political reasons. “We have to accept the executive committee’s decision. In life you win and you lose, it is important to compete fairly,†said the FIGC chief. “It is a political decision and I hope it is due to the fact that UEFA want sporting competition to expand. “We had all we needed to win, but in the end they preferred to choose Eastern Europe, which had never hosted a European Championship at this level. “Now we must continue the battle to bring Italian football back to its original values. We must also renovate the stadiums even if we will not host the Finals – it is a challenge we must face.†Lega Calcio chief Antonio Matarrese took UEFA’s snubbing to simply launch a fresh attack on European football’s governing body. “This is yet another blow for our football,†he noted. “This is the effect of UEFA, who elected Michel Platini as its chief. “I am sure nothing would have changed, even if our Federation had been stronger. “UEFA’s philosophy has altered, we cannot forget that we have lived through one of the worst tragedies in Italian football.†Cagliari and Azzurri legend Gigi Riva believes Italy did all they could to win the bid and has no regrets. “Poland and Ukraine are countries that need to develop from a footballing point of view,†said Rombo di Tuono. “We have a clear conscience and did all we could. “We have many matches to win in Italy, some even more important than Euro 2012. The past few months have not been easy for us and we have had to face some embarrassing situations. “We won the World Cup and that is an excellent medicine, but there are still many things that need to be healed.†channel4
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Apr 18 2007, 01:50 PM
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Primavera
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QUOTE (mishale @ Apr 18 2007, 03:37 PM) Italy hosted world cups and euros. It's about to give somebody else a chance in order to help them grow and to give it at last to other part of europe. It's means much more to Ukraine and Poland than it's to Italy As Blatter said... (IMG: http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) To be honest, I expected Italy to get it. Because of the Prodi parameter. Prodi and the European Union. UEFA, at the moment, really need to cooperate with the EU and they have to serve that purpose somehow... but that didn't prove to be the decisive factor.
This post has been edited by dst: Apr 18 2007, 01:52 PM
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Apr 19 2007, 05:55 PM
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Giovanissimi Nazionali
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QUOTE (mishale @ Apr 19 2007, 01:33 PM) It's nothing like it. It will be the same with most of the 'big' teams like usually. Do you expect that the same western european countries will host all the time? Italy hosted it twice already and most probobly will host again in the future but for this countries it's one time thing. I know but who the hell wants to go to Ukraine to watch Euro matches? As for me, Il'l have to go through 3 airports to get there, and I would never go to Ukraine if it wasn't for the football anyway. If they instead put it to France, Spain, Italy, England or Portugal they would place it in a country where there are bigger stadiums, shorter distance and overall a more popular vacation destination. No offence to Ukraine and Poland, but you have to accept that your only current influence in football europe are Schevchenko, Dudek, and the memory of Dynamo Kiev.
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Apr 19 2007, 06:17 PM
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Allievi Regionali B
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QUOTE (Locke Lamora @ Apr 19 2007, 07:55 PM) I know but who the hell wants to go to Ukraine to watch Euro matches? As for me, Il'l have to go through 3 airports to get there, and I would never go to Ukraine if it wasn't for the football anyway. If they instead put it to France, Spain, Italy, England or Portugal they would place it in a country where there are bigger stadiums, shorter distance and overall a more popular vacation destination. No offence to Ukraine and Poland, but you have to accept that your only current influence in football europe are Schevchenko, Dudek, and the memory of Dynamo Kiev. But that's why they give it to countries like Ukraine and Poland so cuz of Euro they will build new stadiums or reconstruct old ones and can invest in things like roads , hotels and so on. And of course will give a football boost to them. So maybe somewhere in the future you won't see those countries in such a dark light. Besides there are 85 million people in both countries + many millions in near Estern europe countries who deserve to see such events too. So maybe it will take you more time to go there but you had almost no trouble going to some other euros or world cup while to them it took much more time. Don't worry it will be one time effort .
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