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Vieri breaks his silence

“My problem has been the vast difference between what I let people know about me and what the newspapers like to say. When I was 20 years old I would go out clubbing every night, but at 32 I act differently,” he told the Gazzetta dello Sport. “There’s even talk I’m a cocaine addict, but that’s complete rubbish, like 80 per cent of the things said about me.”

Vieri has always had a tough rapport with the Italian Press, which came to a head at Euro 2004 when he said he was “more of a man” than all the journalists put together.

“Regret is a hard word to say, but I wouldn’t repeat that phrase. It was a mistake, above all to generalise and drag in people who weren’t involved.”

This was one of the reasons why he opted to leave Italy and head for Monaco in January, where he has been scoring regularly under Coach Francesco Guidolin.

“Monaco wanted me and I don’t consider them to be a taxi to get me to the World Cup,” he assured. “My form is growing day by day and I am grateful to this club and Guidolin. I return to Milan once a week, but the atmosphere here is so relaxed. I think I could play until 2010.”

Vieri left Milan after just six months because the lack of first team football risked ruling him out of the World Cup squad. It’ll be his last chance to play in this tournament, one that has bitter memories for him from that close-range miss against South Korea in 2002.

“At times I still think about that miss,” he confessed. “Had I scored, we would’ve gone all the way, as that was an incredibly strong squad. Representing your country at the World Cup is the ultimate for a player, as the adrenaline bursts out of your ears! I would like to feel that sensation one more time. Coach Marcello Lippi didn’t directly push me towards Monaco, but in the summer he did say he wanted to see me play this season. I lived like a King at Milan, but leaving now was necessary.”

He loved the city so much that he moved directly across the San Siro in a shock switch, leaving some bitter recrimination from his former Inter teammates.

“When we agreed to rescind the contract I said: ‘I won’t talk about you and you won’t talk about me.’ I still hear the odd snipe in my direction, but don’t pay attention. I just wish to point out two things. Firstly, I agreed to leave by giving up on £2.4m without a new club waiting for me, as before Milan I had only received an offer from Greece. Second, I don’t think my partnership with Adriano was so very absurd and this season has proved that.”

Vieri has twice broken the record for the most expensive ever signing, but has won precious little in his career.

“I’ve been unlucky,” he noted. “I lost a Champions League Final with Juventus and threw away two Scudetto titles on the last day, one with Lazio and the infamous May 5 2002 with Inter. That night I felt like throwing myself out of a window and it still eats away at me. As for the money, the only time I ever made a move purely for cash was when Juve sold me to Atletico Madrid, and both parties were happy with that exchange.”

On Sunday, Lippi will unveil his squad for the friendly against Germany and many believe Vieri will be on that list.

“Will I go to the World Cup? I think so, but if I don’t, then my respect for Lippi would not wane. This is a wonderful side and, if Francesco Totti recovers, they’ll have the best assist-man on the planet with the formidable Luca Toni and Alberto Gilardino. Mind you, this little old man is getting his form back and can prove useful. Brazil is a dream team, but only Italy can beat them and I want to be there when it happens.”


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親愛的BOBO
很高興聽到你如此積極又充滿熱情的發言
請繼續加油
目前進球數：5（2）

跟阿根廷相遇冠軍賽吧

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雖然我認為打敗巴西的會是我們啦