ALESSANDRO DEL Piero is back. As Italy prepare to get their Euro 2008 campaign back on the road in the wake of that traumatic 3-0 drubbing by The Netherlands in Bern on Monday night, Italian coach Roberto Donadoni seems ready to turn to one of Italy's most famous footballing sons.
"Il Pinturicchio", after the great Renaissance maestro, is set not only to replace Udinese striker Antonio Di Natale but he may well also be asked to take over the captaincy from his Juventus team mate, goalkeeper Gigi Buffon.
It seems Donadoni was less than impressed with Buffon's much publicised post-match "state of the nation" address when he not only apologised to Italians for a poor performance but also went on to describe it as the worst performance of his time in an Italian shirt.
Donadoni clearly believes the performance was not as bad as the final result would suggest. However, he obviously realises things have to change, starting with his attack and the captaincy - hence, Del Piero is back.
The ironic thing about this is that, until two months ago, Del Piero seemed destined to watch these finals from under some expensive beach umbrella. After he had been used as a left-sided attacking midfielder in Italy's 0-0 qualifier draw with France last September, Del Piero went on record to say he did not want to play in that position anymore. He has always considered himself a striker, pure and simple.
Okay, said Donadoni, but my team plans require a left-sided attacking midfielder so there will be no further need for you. And so it was, with Del Piero effectively dropped and missing out the rest of the qualifying campaign.
That, of course, was before 33-year-old Del Piero went on to have one of his best ever Serie A seasons, finishing as the league's leading goalscorer with 21 goals and proving himself a key element in a side which immediately reclaimed a Champions League spot on its return to Serie A after that all too infamous, match-fixing relegation.
Donadoni is an intelligent coach and someone who has no problems admitting the error of his ways. A Del Piero in this form, with all the experience of three European Championship (this is his fourth) and three World Cup finals tournaments behind could be very useful.
It will not have been lost on Donadoni when Juventus were relegated, captain Del Piero went down with the ship. Unlike others, such as England manager Fabio Capello (then Juventus coach), Del Piero stuck with the Old Lady, leading her through a triumphant season in Serie B.
Italy needs just such leadership right now. Del Piero may not always have sparkled for Italy - he was a sore disappointment at France'98 while he fluffed not one but two chances to wrap up that golden goal, Euro 2000 final loss to France in Rotterdam.
However, he buried all those ghosts on that dramatic night in Dortmund two years ago when coming off the substitutes' bench to score the second and ultimately winning goal against Germany in the World Cup semi-final.
He might be getting on, he might have had his share of injury problems (a bad knee injury in 1998 put him out for a year), he might have been accused of doping (the three-year long "Processo Juve") but Del Piero is nothing if not the old dog for the hard road. He may be just what the doctor ordered for Italy.
Italy v Romania (Letzigrund Stadium) (5.00)
IN THE wake of that painful 3-0 thrashing by The Netherlands on Monday night, Italian coach Roberto Donadoni is likely to ring the changes for tonight's clash with Romania in Zurich, writes Paddy Agnew.
Juventus talisman Alessndro Del Piero comes in for Antonio Di Natale while the AS Roma pair of Simone Perrotta and Daniele De Rossi could come in for AC Milan midfielders Massimo Ambrosini and Gennaro Gattuso.
Nor, it seems, will the changes end there. Given the problems experienced by his Cannavaro-less defence, Donadoni is reportedly considering a series of moves. Both the central defenders who started against Holland, namely Andrea Barzagli and Marco Materazzi, risk being dropped in favour of Giorgio Chiellini and World Cup winner, Fabio Grosso.
Gianluca Zambrotta, who started against Holland at left back, could be switched to right back to make way for Grosso, whilst right back Panucci may play in central defence alongside Chiellini.
Romanian coach Victor Piturca is playing his cards close to his chest although he has responded to criticism of his side's negative performance in their opening match 0-0 draw with France by saying that his side will be more positive against Italy.
With Serie A players such as Adrian Mutu, Christian Chivu and Paul Codrea in his squad, he will not be short of advice on just how to unnerve the Italians.
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