Does anyone know if he can speak English/Spanish?
Bonucci - Juventus player
- Thread starter Paxi
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I think he can speak Italian.
Agent P speaks Italian. He won't be lonely.
I am in shock
I bet he is looking forward to partnering up with Mike.
I would take him even though he isn't my first choice. I want a stable defensive partnership and you cannot do that with Jones due to him always getting injured. It's just so weird when he even strings 5-6 games together! But you know the inevitable is just around the corner...
Lindelof has shown glimpses of potential, is young and has only been at the club for a year. I would like us to give him another season at least but he has a lot to still work on in his game.
Even if Bonucci has declined - I cannot comment if he has because I have barely seen him play for Milan, he surely cannot go from one of the best defenders in the world to a rubbish defender in a year?! Even on a decline he would be our best defender in my opinion. I could be wrong and he could be a disaster.
It's not that uncommon to see sharp drop offs in a centre back's form at the end of their career, IMO. Someone like Rio went from being immaculate to being just a top defender quite slowly, with the help of injuries, but he went from being a top defender to a negative influence very quickly. You can't hide as a centre back! You can give them more protection but ultimately if their legs stop working the way they expect them to, the transition can be too much.
Yeah I see where you are coming from. In Fergie's last season I thought Rio had a solid season, obviously he was given more protection but there were several moments where you're thinking he is now close to being finished sadly.
Materazzi was considered a great Italian defender, when and even after his career ended? I meant IIRC when Everton signed him, almost nobody know who the feck he is, as he didn't even play in Serie A! His later successful years doesn't mean he was highly rated and first choice.
Yes? He was in the starting line up when Italy won the World Cup in 2006 and won 5 Serie A titles. He's certainly considered a top defender of his generation.
He had played for Perugia and was very good. That's where Everton saw him and signed him from. He was 25 when he came to the UK, not a teenager. When he left Everton, he returned to Perugia and 2 years later he was at Inter Milan and a full Italian international. I'm not saying he didn't improve in the meantime, but going from a failure at Everton to starter for Inter and Italy in 2 years....
We also have the example of Darmian who looked class in Italy and was an Italian international and he's a bag of shite here.
The tactics in Italy are quite different. The play is more tactical and less reliant on pace and endurance. I'm not saying Bonucci would not make it here, I'm just saying it's far less certain then some people make it out. He even comes off a bad season in Italy.
He started because Nesta was injured. Same with Inter. He was mostly bench option whenever they could get their hand on superior CBs. If he is that great, they wouldn't have bought so many CBs (good ones) over the years. It's like saying Toldo was meant to start for Italia in EURO 2000 if Buffon was fit & Peruzzi was not egoistic.
He was on loan to Serie C team IIRC when Perugia was in Serie A. When he was with them, they were in Serie B!!! So go figure how a highly rated Italian defender into his 20s yet have a cap for NT, not play at top level in Italy (top league at the time), being considered great defenders.
Darmian was and still is a part of this Italian NT. However, he is not considered great by all account, which what my point is about. He is getting there because Italia haven't produced great full back in the mean time. If you're to take these guys and make conclusion about all Italian defenders' failure to adapt to modern English football (even the great one), then we should stop spending money scouting German players.
I did the exact opposite of that. I think it's you guys who are making the assumption that great for Italy/Serie A = great for any team. I wouldn't be shocked if Bonucci comes here and turns out to be very good. But equally I wouldn't be shocked if he turned out to perform lower than he did for Juventus.
And yes you are right Perugia was in Serie B when Materazzi was starting for them, pre-Everton.
My initial question was worded to distinguish great Italian defenders of their generation from filler one who was there due to circumstances. I am not making assumption on how they would dominate in any team. My point is as you just said, we don't have anything to base on when it comes to great Italian defenders in modern English football. Basing on experience of Darmian, Materazzi, Santon as general rule is terrible idea. That's the point
Yep, or look at Vidic (though with him obviously the injury played a big part). From best defender in the world to retirement in a few years.
Materazzi was a great defender but he is not considered a top defender of his generation, that is reserved for Maldini, Nesta etc
He strikes me as somebody comfortable in Italy and would have trouble settling here. Also didn't he move to Milan for family reasons?
Fair enough, but is Bonucci considered Maldini/Nesta level? Cause he never was for me.
I think Maldini, Nesta, Baresi are on a different level entirely imo
What a wonderful footballer he was.
I feel so privileged to have seen Baresi and Maldini play.
I cant think of a defender today that is on their level
Something related to care for his son.
Maybe we could have a transfer window where we don't buy a left winger and instead spend a silly amount of money on a defender in/entering his peak. Varane? Koulibaly, someone like that? It doesn't have to be those two individuals, but someone who is at the top of their game now and has their best years ahead of them.
from wiki
Possibly a couple of years on a move may be easier for him?
but also from wiki
Bloody sign him up!
Never believed in a god but might pray tonight! What a signing this would be. Him and Bailly would be the best centre back pairing in the league.!
No thanks. We do not need another centre back.
At least he’s no Di Maria.
Jose is fluent in Italian as well.
Wouldnt mind seeing him at Utd tbh,we lack leaders and he is a leader!
God I hope we sign him up
We've ripped the ass out of our reputation of signing young players over the last few years, we really need proven quality and a higher criteria for signing "That's position x sorted for the next 10 years" type of players.
We've ripped the ass out of our reputation of signing young players over the last few years, we really need proven quality and a higher criteria for signing "That's position x sorted for the next 10 years" type of players.
I was thinking more about on-field communication. Valencia, Rojo, Bailly & De Gea all speak Spanish, and English is the obvious alternative.
On the face of it, he'd seem an incredible signing.
At the back of my mind though, I'm remembering Blanc. A fair few years older when we signed him, but moving to a much faster league could be interesting.
At the back of my mind though, I'm remembering Blanc. A fair few years older when we signed him, but moving to a much faster league could be interesting.
Would love it if we'd sign him, love it.
Alright, calm down Kev!
And he was 35 that season Inter won the treble under Jose!
I think Zanetti was also 35, Cordoba was 32, Lucio and Walter Samuel were both 31.
At Madrid, Jose used a 34 year old Carvalho to win the title and when he returned to Chelsea, he used a 34 year old John Terry to win the title.
An old Bonnucci should be fine.
An experienced CB like Bonucci or Godin would be great. It's better than spending 75m on Alderweireld.
We need to have better CBs than Blind, Jones, Rojo, Lindelof, etc.
Unfortunately, Godin Is going to stay at Atlético and I can't see Bonucci leaving Italy.
We need to have better CBs than Blind, Jones, Rojo, Lindelof, etc.
Unfortunately, Godin Is going to stay at Atlético and I can't see Bonucci leaving Italy.
If we are signing him, just get it over with quickly. Muppets are dying.
Good looking?
Tall?
Strong?
Quick enough?
In a stable relationship?
Family man?
Not overly fussy?
Doesn't sound like a Manchester United man to me.
Tall?
Strong?
Quick enough?
In a stable relationship?
Family man?
Not overly fussy?
Doesn't sound like a Manchester United man to me.
I speak Italian and I am able to communicate with Spanish people (me in Italian, them on Spanish), so it should not be a big problem. And you can hardly find someone nowadays who doesn't speak English at all. They are hardly going to make intellectual conversations while on pitch.
Italian and Spanish are like different accents, so it'll be ok.
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