Troglodyte Posted June 6, 2011 VT Supporter Share Posted June 6, 2011 So, last year I decided to start following German football. I asked on here which team I should support and, after considering all arguments and doing my own research, I decided to follow Borussia Dortmund. Almost a year on, and they're German champions. Fantastic season, great team, amazing fans, awesome manager, brilliant spirit - I definitely made the right choice, and managed to watch many games (and highlights of those I didn't catch) on ESPN or online.Now, whilst I'll still follow Dortmund (as well as Barcelona, as I have done for a while, and of course Villa) I'd like to start following Italian football. It looks pretty bland and boring at times, but I enjoy watching any kind of football really, looking at different approaches and broadening my own knowledge of the game.I want to follow a team to help me with this, but I know very little about most Italian sides, particularly in terms of their history, what they stand for, what the fans are like, etc. So, if anyone who follows Italian football wants to offer advice, or simply argue why the team you follow is the best, then go ahead!At the moment I'm leaning towards Napoli. I really like Edinson Cavani from what I've seen (also he was a monster for me at Villa on a previous FM game!) and they do look like an exciting team to watch. Naples looks beautiful too, in terms of somewhere to potentially visit and watch a game.Other options include Fiorentina, mainly because I've been to Florence and really like it, and used to really like Batistuta when I was younger. That goal against Man Utd in the Champions League past Bosnich was incredible! I like Milan too (a lot of their players are legends, but I don't like Berlusconi); Juventus are another option (I have an old Juve shirt, Mellberg and Nedved played for them); but I want to get an understanding of all the teams! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palmdog18 Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Im not a massive fan of italian football but i rekon that napoli might not last very long at the top, there squad doesnt seem the biggest. Dont quote me on that tho haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 i like lazio nice little team. avoid roma, a majority of scum hooligan fans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Udinese is teh team. Best scouting system in the world and always has surprisingly top quality players a club that size shouldnt have Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 i agree with zatman, udinese are a decent team full of young good players who go under the radar some what IMO isla, inler, asamoah, zapata, sanchez (who is obviously going) a few years back laurito looked a good talent so did forestieri, and zapata and felipe were the best CB partnership on every football game going (felipe now at cesena? what happened there?) personally im not a fan as such but i like inter, ever since i saw youri djorkaeff score an amazing goal on channel 4 in about 96/97, followed by them having ronaldo, baggio, vieri, zamarano, kanu, west, same reason as i like barca, purely for seeing foreign players doing amazing things when i was i kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 safe to say as a 12 year old kid that goal blew my mind and like i said ive had a soft spot for inter ever since Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaAlex Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 I say Napoli. Like you I like Cavani, he's really improved in the past year, but I mainly follow them due to a Uruguay connection with them having Gargano too, another good player. Along with Udinese, they are also one of the more exciting teams to watch, apart from in Europe which they don't tend to take so seriously similar to us in the past. The good thing is that they are usually on TV a lot especially ESPN. If not I'd say Udinese, as mentioned they have fantastic young talent and even when the stars leave there is already a new player coming through. They're also in the Champions League so there will be plenty of games to watch them in provided they get through the playoff round, but this season they weren't on ESPN who tend to prefer showing the the top four Italian sides or Napoli. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redman Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 As a Liverpool supporter, I always liked Milan because of this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knoppy1987 Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 It is all about A.C. Milan in Italy. Granted, a bit of a glory choice but they have just had some greats over the years and I was never going to go against the great man himself. If I was looking for a smaller team I'd go for a team with a lot of italian players or a loyal player. Maybe Sampdoria if Palombo doesn't leave. I certainly wouldn't go for Napoli just based on the city being an absolute shit bin. I've been to a few of the stadiums also. Fiorentina would be a good choice but also Bari who were relegated this year. A great stadium that is never filled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troglodyte Posted June 6, 2011 Author VT Supporter Share Posted June 6, 2011 Might have to have a closer look at Udinese; I hadn't really considered them until now. Are they likely to continue bringing through good players? I'm not necessarily bothered about winning things in the near future, I'd just like a team that is exciting (or at least interesting), has good fans, brings through good players and is run properly. If the kit and home city/town are appealing too, then all the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 they have for the last 15 years always replaced their players and though a few flirts with relegation most times they over achieve. And in Di Natale have a very good and underrated striker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 You should only ever support two teams. Aston Villa and whoever happen to be playing against Small Heath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carew_villa Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Don't Napoli have lots of hooligans in their fanbase. That's what I thought. If I did have an Italian team, it would have to be either Udinese or Palermo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethRDR Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Other options include Fiorentina, mainly because I've been to Florence and really like it, and used to really like Batistuta when I was younger. That goal against Man Utd in the Champions League past Bosnich was incredible! Mauro Bressan overhead kick vs. Barcelona from the same CL campaign. Gotta be Fiorentina. :winkold: Actually, seeing as for all intents and purposes Fiorentina went out of existence in 2002 it's incredible to think how quickly they managed to pull themselves back up to where they once were. My affiliation with La Viola came about watching Claudio Ranieri's team of the mid '90's on Football Italia; Batistuta, Rui Costa, Francesco Toldo, Daniele Carnasciali, Sandro Cois and the like. Some great players. Always remember Domenico Morfeo as well, oozed talent but never fulfilled his potential (like so many, I guess). Was chuffed to bits to get over to Florence for the first time last year and watch them beat Genoa 3-0 at the Artemio Franchi. Not the comfiest of stadiums granted, but a cracking atmosphere. Best part of the hols was catching this lot outside a bistro by the stadium one morning and in my best/worst Italian managing to ask them for a photo. In all honesty, had no **** idea who they were at the time and had to look 'em up afterwards but nice all the same: L-R: Santos Miranda (youth/reserves GK), Boadu Maxwell Acosty (ST promoted to the first team), Dario Fedi (RB on loan at FC Matera), Tommasso Scuffia (GK on loan at FC Rimini). Was amused to find this menu in a pizzeria on our first night there: As tempted as I was by the "Mutu", I thought it was much safer to stick with a "Santana" just in case. Think I spent about £250 in the first two days on football shirts and assorted Fiorentina paraphernalia. :shock: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethRDR Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 ...zapata and felipe were the best CB partnership on every football game going (felipe now at cesena? what happened there? I can answer that one; Felipe is dog-shit. One of the worst defenders I've ever seen. Whatever was going right at the back for Udinese at the time must have been down to the other defenders, because Felipe is just dire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 i like lazio nice little team. avoid roma, a majority of scum hooligan fans As opposed to the saints that follow Nazio? I would argue why you should follow Milan, but if you were to follow them now you'd seem a bit of a glory hunter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norton65ca Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 as a far away fan, I was also looking for a side in each of the major leagues in Europe to watch for, and after picking Villareal in Spain and Freiburg in Germany (spent time there in the eighties before you ask why on earth???) I chose Fiorentina in the serie A. Liked the colours and I didn't want to be a glory hunter so the obvious ones were out (Inter, Milan and Juve) just my 2c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I love A.C Milan. Best shirt/kit, generally considered as an attacking team, they are the stomping grounds and pros who are considered past it at other clubs (Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Maldini when he hit 35, Beckham etc), Pirlo plays for them - he is amazing, they always have some brazilian flair (Robinho, Thiago Silva, Pato), the players love to play there (Ibra wants to stay there over going to Man City), Milan is a cool ass city. The only negative is the (out of the board room) behaviour of Berlusconi. FORZA MILAN! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted June 7, 2011 VT Supporter Share Posted June 7, 2011 Weird reason for it, but I had by far my most successful Football Manager game ever as manager of Milan (started the game at Fiorentina, moved to Milan and spent 7 seasons there, winning everything) and ever since I've had a real soft spot for MIlan. It's basically glory hunting, but there you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOTTI-THE-GOD Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 FORZAAAA ROMAAAAAAAA been my second team for quite some time , went over to see them play about 7 years ago and loved it . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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