Pivotal Pirlo poised for Italy repeat

It says much about the difficult life and times of Italian Under 21 playmaker and captain, Andreas Pirlo, that over the last four seasons, he has played more consistently for his country than for his various clubs. Widely acknowledged as one of the most talented youngsters of his generation, 22-year-old Pirlo has often had to play the role of understudy as he serves out a protracted Serie A apprenticeship.

Well-travelled
Since making his U-21 debut in March 1998, he has played 35 times and scored 15 for his country. In the same four year period, he has played 78 times and scored just eight goals for four different Serie A clubs – Internazionale FC, Reggina Calcio, Brescia Calcio and, this season, Milan AC. In other words, for just about every two club games played, he has played once for the Italian U-21 team.

Reggina reward
Indeed, over the last four years, the only season during which Pirlo got a regular crack of the whip came when he was loaned out by Inter to Serie A newcomers Reggina for the 1999/00 season. Significantly, the net result of that was an excellent season for Reggina who managed to stay up in Serie A at the first time of asking. The fact that Pirlo was then recalled to his unhappy Inter hunting ground for the following season was not unrelated to Reggina’s subsequent relegation.

Milan breakthrough
For a long while this season, Pirlo seemed set to repeat his pattern of bit part player, as he watched from the Milan sidelines kept out of the side by Portuguese international Rui Costa. Injuries to the latter, however, gave him his chance towards the end of a season which saw him play in 17 of 34 league games, scoring two goals. It may well be that his Serie A apprenticeship is about to end.

Feeling vindicated
Certainly his excellent end of season form for Milan not only had a large role in Milan’s fourth place finish and subsequent UEFA Champions League qualification but it may also have definitively established him as a Milan first-team player: "You see for yourselves. I always said that the only thing I needed was to play, and not play once a month but play in game after game. [Milan coach Carlos] Ancelotti gave me a chance and the results are there for all to see", said Pirlo this week, speaking from the Italian U-21 training camp in Sportilia, near Forli.

Top form
As reigning European champions, Italy prepare to defend their title at this month’s UEFA Under-21 Championship finals in Switzerland, Pirlo knows all too well that he faces a terrific opportunity to prolong his current good moment: "One of the things that Ancelotti learned about me, when he gave me a chance, is that I can both attack and defend, play in the centre or out on the wing. One thing is sure, though, and it’s that I’ve actually played really well only recently."

Captain's role
Coach Claudio Gentile makes no secret of the importance of his captain in an U-21 side that, Pirlo apart, looks more solid than brilliant, more workmalike that inspirational: "Pirlo has come out of the league contest in great form. He’s our captain and it’s his job to lead the way for us. He has finally proved his worth with a big name club like Milan. He now has both charisma and experience and he won the European title two years ago.

Leading light
"He can and has got to be our leading light, especially now that we have lost Enzo Maresca [of Juventus FC] through injury", said Gentile. To some extent, Gentile will hope that Pirlo can do the same job for the U-21 team as that which Italian FIFA World Cup coach Giovanni Trapattoni expects of Francesco Totti in the senior side. In other words, Gentile will look to Pirlo either to lay on the chances for strikers Emiliano Bonazzoli and Massimo Maccarone or repeat his habit of regularly striking winning free-kicks.

More responsability
With AS Roma star Antonio Cassano controversially omitted from the squad, all the more responsibility will now sit on Pirlo’s shoulders. Given his recent Serie A form, however, the Italian side would appear to be in good hands.