Italy's participation in doubt?

[Real ale Madrid]

Just saw a tweet by Thomas Niblock of the BBC.

Italy manager Prandelli:"We won't go Poland if football thinks we shouldn't.

Anyone hear anything else?

[ArdeeBhoy]

Hmm, in that case they wouldn't have turned up to half the championships they'd ever qualified for...

[Mr A]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-01/italy-could-skip-euro-2012-due-to-probe-coach-tells-rai-sport.html

Meh, they'll be there. And they're probably just trying to psyche us out.

[DannyInvincible]

The PM, rather wishfully, said football in the country should be suspended for the good of Italian citizenry the other day, seemingly blaming the game itself for the corruption rather than personalities involved and a surrounding culture of corruption itself. It was a bit rich coming from someone engaged in Italian political life. He did make clear it was not a proposal, mind. Prandelli's comments have probably come in response to such nonsense chat. Italy will not be dropping out of the Euros.

[Stuttgart88]

I think they're just trying to publicize - as if it hasn't been done enough already - that Italian football can be bought. JD is to call Denis O'Brien to see how much he can afford.

[Crosby87]

Hopefully Buffon will be distracted. As I said on Ybig, the door is really opening for us. Villa hurt, Puyol hurt, Croatia have some issues....If we can stay healthy...

[ArdeeBhoy]

There's more chance of the Mafia staying clean....
Maybe yer man is preparing for the worst?

Regardless of what we do, can't see Italy qualifying so between us and Croatia.
That said sticking with my original prediction.

[Dodge]

Coach just playing the media well and not allowing them to draw him in, basically saying its up for others to decide and we'll get on with the football. Clever

[CraftyToePoke]

They will be there, this stuff is water off a ducks back to them. And I wouldn't be one bit surprised if they slithered out of the group either.

[nigel-harps1954]

They will be there, this stuff is water off a ducks back to them. And I wouldn't be one bit surprised if they slithered out of the group either.

I'll go a step further and say I wouldn't be one bit surprised if they went on to win the tournament now.

[jbyrne]

I'll go a step further and say I wouldn't be one bit surprised if they went on to win the tournament now.

and yet a good 80% of people I discuss these things with think we'll beat Italy. would be an unbelievable result on a par with anything we have done before if we beat them

[Crosby87]

Why? We took a point off them in Bari.

[tricky_colour]

Well I think they shouldn't go!! :D
Bye Italy!!
Sorry you couldn't make i!!

[Dodge]

Why? We took a point off them in Bari.

They probably won't have a man sent off early in every game.

I'm not saying Ireland won't get a result, but I wouldn't be using a game 3 years ago when they played 87 minutes with 10 men as the basis for it

[youngirish]

Be nice for them to pull out and Estonia can be reinstated in their place as the runner ups in their group resulting in thousands of Estonian women traveling in large numbers to see their team in the Championships searching frantically for an Irish sausage.

Chances are nil however.

[AlaskaFox]

Not sure if they stock them over there yi:
http://www.dealz.ie/images/8188/original/95596-Galtee-Sausages-12-Pa.jpg

[youngirish]

Who's going to the games by the way? I have an Italy ticket - anyone got a spare ticket for the Spanish match?

[ArdeeBhoy]

See the tickets thread...