sp1814
/// Do you have any comments about the question posted? ///
I thought I had already done so, by referring to your headline.
However.......
/// Should it make any difference whether young Italian players are black or white, ///
No of course not if they have the required skills and not picked just on the basis of their skin colour, like some wish to do so in other professions.
/// and does the number of black youths coming through the ranks indicate that as a naton, Italy is now 'without dignity or pride'? ///
This is why he felt it necessary to use those words "I am not racist but'''" people these days have to choose their words so carefully in case some like yourself and the Guardian take their words out of context.
He has already said "I have been misrepresented".
This is what was he was reported as saying.
*** But look at the Viareggio [youth] tournament I would say that there are too many black players. Italy has no dignity, no pride. It should not be possible that our teams should have 15 foreign players in the squad.” ***
Perhaps he could have chosen his words a little more carefully, but what the hell why should anyone have to go away and construct what they are going to say just in case they may cause offence.
What anyone who has not a particular agenda to put over, would have understood what in fact that he was trying to get over, he was trying to say that he thought the ITALIAN team had too many foreigners (non Italians) in it, (put non Italians in brackets because I don't know if the word 'Foreigners' is offensive)
And on this, one can say that many football fans or any other sport for that matter would love to see either their local team or national team actually contain players belonging to their own nation, city, town, village, school etc etc. that is true representation.
I don't think that Arrigo Sacchi would see any problem if the black players in the Italian team where born and bred in Italy but the problem now is the fact that most are not.