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Original poster

The Italian Captain is a bully!

351 replies

ICECream821 · 13/07/2021 13:40

The Italian Football Captain is a horrible bully.

He should have got a red card for the way he treated Saka pulling his shirt collar and dragging him to the floor.

Also when Italy were against Spain the way he grabbed the Spanish captain persuading him to do penalties on the Italian side.

I can’t stand him. He deserves no praise and his team played dirty!

OP posts:
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5
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 14/07/2021 13:21

I think @ICECream821 was being sarcastic, and doesn't actually believe what they said, @notsogreenthumb.

tigger1001 · 14/07/2021 13:22

@SpaceshiptoMars

Do you honestly think he cared in that moment how it would play out in the media? Or was his thought process more in how to stop the ball going forward?

He's 36. He's the Captain. He wouldn't have the job if he was Mr Impulse Driven. And nobody could ever accuse him of being naive.

Not impulse driven. But he is the captain for a reason - he can do the job. Part of that job was to stop any forward attacks. Job done. Tactical foul. Was willing to take the consequences for that tactical foul. Not the only one on either side using tactical fouls.

To suggest in these few seconds he thought oh if I grab his shirt think of the internet memes, is just laughable. The straws you are trying to grasp are now all on the floor.

tigger1001 · 14/07/2021 13:26

@melj1213

I don't know I just do, the way he was with the Spanish Captain was strange which didn't help..

I don't understand what was "strange" about his exchange with Alba?

I'm a Spain fan (I lived there, my DD was born there and I love watching the team play) so I am definitely not biased towards Chiellini but I don't see the issue with it. I was annoyed that Alba let Chiellini get into his head because that was pure gamesmanship from Chiellini but that is the job of an experienced captain - try and unsettle the other team while not letting them get into your head.

If that was him against Casillas or Ramos then he wouldn't have done that mostly because they would not have argued like a petulant child about winning or losing the coin toss and so he wouldn't have been "jollying them along" while they sulked, which is what Chiellini was doing. Alba allowed him to get into his head and Chiellini used it to his advantage.

Chiellini is an experienced captain, he knows when and where to try and psych out his opposite number for an advantage and in a penalty shootout, which is all about who can hold their nerve, having the psychological advantage definitely helps. Alba let Chiellini get under his skin - he was squabbling over the coin toss and sulking when Chiellini (backed by the ref and the outcome of the coin toss) got his own way which gave Chielini the opportunity to use his boisterous enthusiasm (buoyed by the win over the penalty arrangements) to further unsettle Alba.

This!

Psychology is huge in sports. You cannot let your opponents get into your head as you will make mistakes that cost you.

SpaceshiptoMars · 14/07/2021 14:22

To suggest in these few seconds he thought oh if I grab his shirt think of the internet memes, is just laughable. The straws you are trying to grasp are now all on the floor.

As it would be laughable to suggest to you that you cannot possibly drive, because you can only focus on incoming traffic? Top level sports people have unique talents. They are clearly capable of entertaining more than one thought at the same time.

Have you ever had your life in danger?* Had that sensation of time slowing right down, and all the time in the world to make your moves?
I suspect that champion players find a way to harness that for the crucial moments in the game - ninja style. In what looks like a few seconds to you, Chiellini has cycled through his options and picked what will look good to the Italian media in half an hour's time.

*(I've experienced the time stretch in car accidents, exams and tricky business situations, so it isn't that special or unusual)

Mayorquimby2 · 14/07/2021 14:30

This thread is wild

SVRT19674 · 14/07/2021 14:37

I agree with you re the shirt grabbing (he lifted the guy off the ground) and the way he handled the Spanish captain. My husband and I looked at each other with a what the hell does he think he is doing (which I also thought the Spanish captain was thinking. I think he did it because the Spanish player is young, to intimidate him.) He was way too touchy feely.

tigger1001 · 14/07/2021 14:40

@SpaceshiptoMars

To suggest in these few seconds he thought oh if I grab his shirt think of the internet memes, is just laughable. The straws you are trying to grasp are now all on the floor.

As it would be laughable to suggest to you that you cannot possibly drive, because you can only focus on incoming traffic? Top level sports people have unique talents. They are clearly capable of entertaining more than one thought at the same time.

Have you ever had your life in danger?* Had that sensation of time slowing right down, and all the time in the world to make your moves?
I suspect that champion players find a way to harness that for the crucial moments in the game - ninja style. In what looks like a few seconds to you, Chiellini has cycled through his options and picked what will look good to the Italian media in half an hour's time.

*(I've experienced the time stretch in car accidents, exams and tricky business situations, so it isn't that special or unusual)

What he wanted was to win. In these few seconds his job was to stop an English attack. If he was thinking about the media (which I very much doubt he was) it would be how he would be portrayed should England score at that moment due to his inaction. He knew a goal at that moment in time would effectively be the winner.

Seriously you are just making yourself look sillier with each post.

Tactical fouls, rightly or wrongly, are part of the game. For all teams. Week in week out. From grass roots to top flight games.

To focus in on one and to suggest that the tackle was made so it be portrayed in the media and online (in which the player had no control over) in a certain way is just ludicrous.

I very much doubt either player has given it much headspace since, given it will happen in most games.

araiwa · 14/07/2021 14:43

@SVRT19674

I agree with you re the shirt grabbing (he lifted the guy off the ground) and the way he handled the Spanish captain. My husband and I looked at each other with a what the hell does he think he is doing (which I also thought the Spanish captain was thinking. I think he did it because the Spanish player is young, to intimidate him.) He was way too touchy feely.
32 year old Jordi alba?
SpaceshiptoMars · 14/07/2021 14:44

Seriously you are just making yourself look sillier with each post.

When people start insulting you, they know they've lost the argumentGrin

Honeybeebloom · 14/07/2021 14:52

When people start insulting you, they know they've lost the argument

Your posts are increasingly delusional to the point I now think you might be having us all on but I hope you keep posting cos your last post actually had me in stitches! "ninja style" tactics... 😂😂

tigger1001 · 14/07/2021 14:56

@SpaceshiptoMars

Seriously you are just making yourself look sillier with each post.

When people start insulting you, they know they've lost the argumentGrin

No need - you did that yourself some time ago.

You are making yourself look silly. But if you feel you need to say you win the argument, on you go.

I'm just finding it all very amusing. Thinking a tackle was made for the internet memes is one of the funniest things I've read for a while.

To be fair though there have been a few beauties on this one. It's the thread that keeps on giving.

I did say to my son, that at his next match I would shout " what are you doing, thinking of the internet memes?" Next time I see a tactical foul. He finds it hilarious- probably less so if I did actually shout that though

SpaceshiptoMars · 14/07/2021 15:01

Thinking a tackle was made for the internet memes is one of the funniest things I've read for a while.

Actually, if you go back and read what I wrote, you'll see that you made that bit upGrin I said that he was playing to the gallery.

DamsonJammyBastard · 14/07/2021 15:13

@Mayorquimby2

This thread is wild
it's bonkers.
tigger1001 · 14/07/2021 15:13

@SpaceshiptoMars

Thinking a tackle was made for the internet memes is one of the funniest things I've read for a while.

Actually, if you go back and read what I wrote, you'll see that you made that bit upGrin I said that he was playing to the gallery.

Still the same point. He was stopping an opposition attack. That's his job
tigger1001 · 14/07/2021 15:16

@SpaceshiptoMars

Thinking a tackle was made for the internet memes is one of the funniest things I've read for a while.

Actually, if you go back and read what I wrote, you'll see that you made that bit upGrin I said that he was playing to the gallery.

I maybe did get my posters confused - so apologise if it wasn't you who mentioned the memes. But it has been mentioned on this thread. Still if it wasn't you, I do apologise.

It's been a bit crazy. He's been accused of being a bully, a racist, playing to the gallery, a cheat, doing it for the media reaction etc. All the while he's just done his job. Was it a foul? Yes. Was it all the other things? Doubtful

melj1213 · 14/07/2021 15:18

My husband and I looked at each other with a what the hell does he think he is doing (which I also thought the Spanish captain was thinking. I think he did it because the Spanish player is young, to intimidate him.)

Yes, 37yr old Chiellini thought he could intimidate 32yr old Jordi Alba because he was so "young" HmmHmm

Chiellini knew he could get the better of Jordi Alba because Alba is inexperienced as captain. Casillas and Ramos were the most recent long term Spain captains, then when Ramos wasn't called up this tournament Busquets became squad captain. The only reason Alba was captain on the night was because Busquets was not on the pitch, which is information available to every football fan and something Chiellini will be more than aware of.

The second Alba started arguing and getting petulant over being wrong about the coin toss and not getting his own way, Chiellini will have known he could get under his skin by winding him up ... so he did.

That's his job as captain, to give his team the edge wherever possible - and if that means winding up the other team's captain by being overly boisterous and antagonist then that's what Chiellini will do as a good, experienced captain.

melj1213 · 14/07/2021 15:20

Whoops, fat fingers meant that i posted that Chiellini is 37 instead of 36, god forbid I give him any more experience than he has - he won't be 37 till the end of the summer

Melassa · 14/07/2021 15:38

This thread is Dunning Kruger on speed.

101jobs · 14/07/2021 16:37

😂This thread has had me in stitches.

The rubbish people are saying, “we were robbed”, “they cheated”, “he’s a racist/thug/bully/wife beater”, “they were dirty”, blah blah blah …. (Yawn)

It’s utterly ridiculous. He pulled a shirt (who cares, it’s just a normal thing in footie), he knew he’d get a yellow card for it and he, quite rightly, decided to foul anyway. Any player would! Then England got a free kick. So what’s the problem?

🤷‍♀️

ElliottSmithsfingers · 14/07/2021 16:40

My favourite bit was when somebody said they were worried he's secretly violent to his wife - so not just a violent bully, but a racist and a wife beater too! Is Sarka too old to also tick the child abuse box? All because of a cynical but rather ordinary tactical foul, which he was rightly yellow carded for.

Ratalie · 14/07/2021 16:53

The racism talk in here is not only absurd but a bit rich coming from England.

Yes, the current team and manager seem to be a good lot, but we're still less than a decade on from the time Rio Ferdinand saw his England career ended because England's captain, John Terry (deemed more important to the team at the time), racially abused his brother.

Lemonmelonsun · 14/07/2021 17:17

I'm struggling to see the coralltion between diving and physically hurting someone e and actually yanking and yanking around someone's neck to fling him into the ground??

ElliottSmithsfingers · 14/07/2021 17:21

@Lemonmelonsun

I'm struggling to see the coralltion between diving and physically hurting someone e and actually yanking and yanking around someone's neck to fling him into the ground??
That's ridiculously dramatic language for a start - Saka was not hurt. I'd bet good money you have rarely visited a football stadium in your life. Obviously you can comment as you like but don't expect to be taken seriously.
notsogreenthumb · 14/07/2021 18:14

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius

I think *@ICECream821 was being sarcastic, and doesn't actually believe what they said, @notsogreenthumb*.
I was being sarcastic too 🤣. I know what @ICECream821meant
OhRosalind · 14/07/2021 19:11

This thread is gold! DH (Italian but hates Juve and is no fan of Chiellini) came home in a foul mood after a shit day at work, he’s now crying with laughter.