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Totti...

Francesco Totti: Right move, wrong time
While Alessandro Nesta’s decision to walk away from the Azzurri has largely been respected, Francesco Totti’s international exit has divided opinion across the peninsula. Eurocalcio’s Lorenzo Zacchetti believes that, after a damaging period of procrastination, Er Pupone eventually did the right thingJust days after I wrote an article imploring Francesco Totti to decide his Azzurri future, the talismanic Romanista put us out of our misery and announced his inevitable retirement. No-one could deny that the reasons that Totti cited in his Press conference were highly logical and entirely understandable. He didn’t believe he had enough in his 30-year-old legs to withstand the strain of an unrelenting Serie A schedule and fulfill all his international duties.

Last season’s heroics, which culminated in the Golden Boot, were surely only possible as a result of unloading the burden of mid-week trips to the likes of Lithuania and the Faroe Islands. Believing that picking and choosing his Azzurri engagements was never an option, there was no other choice but to take a bow.

However, the great servant’s farewell has been marred by the extended period in limbo that he felt it necessary to inflict upon the nation’s calcio lovers. It is hard to miss the fact that Totti’s announcement came almost exactly a year after the incredible World Cup Final triumph in Berlin – a game that now will be his last in the Italy shirt.

So, why did he wait so long? Was he hoping that he would enjoy a second youth, or more likely that Roberto Donadoni would accept him as a freelance contributor who could pick and choose his games? Whatever he was waiting for, Totti’s long period of indecision caused serious problems and unbalanced the side during its difficult journey to Euro 2008.

From a technical and tactical point of view, Totti, unlike Alessandro Nesta, simply cannot be replaced. At least, not at the moment. Donadoni can only now start to search for a way of playing that will limit the impact of losing the squad’s most naturally-talented player.

It is far from ideal timing with the Azzurri already facing an uphill battle in their crucial qualifier with France given the late start of the Serie A campaign. But it does an injustice to one of calcio’s modern greats to dwell on the slightly unsavoury nature of his departure. It is much better to hope that the new generation will produce another star to fill Totti’s shoes and to pay tribute to an Italian hero.

The criticism he took for sitting on the fence was solely a sign of respect and admiration and the fact that his decision meant so much to a nation is a compliment in itself. However much we may wish he could guide the national side to further glory, it is appropriate that Totti is leaving for the benefit of his beloved Roma. At a time when football is becoming ever more mercenary, that’s a truly refreshing attitude in itself.

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