Just to say - I know I have at least one ally on this Forum for the Euros. I am off to get a special tattoo (nice pretty one, rear of the left shoulder) in honour of the occasion on Wednesday - and I'm having my nails done in the colours of the tricolore with a little azzurra star in the centre of each.

Look forward to arguing with you all....

And on a serious note - what are the chances, Pauly? Semis, at least, I think, if not the final. But I am going to keep a tally chart of how many times commentators mention England in a competition where they do not figure at all!

I'm on your side as well, but am not going to get a tattoo.

If Corriere dello Sport is to be believed, this is the squad Donadoni will bring:

Goalkeepers: Buffon, Amelia, Toldo

Defenders: Oddo, Panucci, Materazzi, Barzagli, Cannavaro, Grosso, Zambrotta, Chiellini

Midfielders: Gattuso, Ambrosini, Pirlo, De Rossi, Perrotta, Aquilani or Montolivo, Camoranesi

Attackers: Toni, Borriello, Di Natale, Quagliarella, Del Piero

Carlo is better than Amelia and now Toldo and should be going but since he hasn't been playing as much I can accept his ommission. Not that he ever stood a high chance at all.

In all probability Cannavaro and Barzagli should be first choice and that means defence is bloody slow. Donadoni may trust Materazzi more but that only improves booking speed. One out of Gattuso and especially Camoranesi this time should have bigger roles to play with their high workrate, otherwise I think De Rossi, Perrotta and Ambrosini (please no) will all be on together with Pirlo.

No Inzaghi would be a huge mistake. I don't care if the others are 'good enough' or that it is time to bring in the new blood (then why the f**k is ADP there), not bringing SuperPippo is a bad move, whether or not you look at his recent superb form. Please Take Inzaghi and drop that perennial f*ckup in an Italian shirt, Del Piero.

So no, I don't even think we'll get to the semis, but that just means I'll be pleasantly surprised if we do.

Here i am. After some nasty rumours that I was strangled by just with the cords of my own ipod for outsmarting him in a pub guessing game of 'who's the most likely eurovision winner.'

Let it be known that all is still in order; g4's amaturish objectivity continues, Loz's faux reservedness still presents both sides of the argument and the only person you can trust for you news is Pauly, magnificent pauly impervious to ipod stranglings.

With the greatest nation in the world england taking their rightful place in the fast tempo world of punk music, deep frying, sex in america and all the other w**ky activities where doing it fast means doing it best, the euro's should be quite a pleasant display of football. I am hoping to see some good, low tempo 0-0's to drop the blood pressure whilst listening to luna pop on my shiny new ipod.

Will Italy win? Ironically I think Italy won the world cup with a squad that was nowhere near anything as good as... the 98' squad with baggio maldini, nesta, cannavaro vieri et al, the 00' squad with an emerging totti, buffon, fiore, and a great coach.. even the 2002 squad where a man now in jail refereed madini's final match... I think that will show through in this tournament. We won largely thanks to lippi, and some madness from andrea pirlo. If he can repeat it anything is possible.

Materazzi will play with cannavaro, Pirlo and Gattuso will play a lot as will camoranesi, who is a genius, the other picks go to perrotta/aquilani and perhaps di natale on the left. Del Piero will hopefully be left out despite a killer season under claudio..

I would favour us more than-

France & The Dutch as they have near retarded coaches.

On the same level as Germany, who, if they are anything like their world cup side which was full of energy, and now 2 years older... they have a big chance..

And i guess... the others have the same old problems.. portugal no strikers... the czechs will be good but not great... I don't know- it's hard to judge in a decade where luca toni and his one foot are still good enough to dominate on the international stage, yet england are still too sh*t to beat croatia.

au revoir! until soon!

disregard.

cannavaro dead.

tournament over.!