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After a promising start in Perugia, “Salento's Maradona” - as he was nicknamed - was signed by Juventus. But in Turin he was frozen out by Alessandro Del Piero and Mauro Camoranesi. Juve didn't seem to know what to do with a player with unquestioned skill, but who seemed too much a carbon copy of the men already at the club.
So Miccoli travelled first to Fiorentina - where he had arguably his best season in Serie A with 12 goals and moments that reminded Viola supporters of a certain Roberto Baggio - and then when Luciano Moggi and Roberto Giraudo decided he was too dangerous to keep in Serie A, to Portugal where once again he won over fans and critics alike at Benfica.
However, Miccoli always wanted to return to Italy and now in Palermo he has found the opportunity to show just what he is capable of. Miccoli is a player Italy used to frequently produce but who nowadays is endangered.
He is the fantasista, the creative player who can play either as a striker or just behind him. His talent was almost lost not due to any failings of his own - he has always given his utmost in any club he's ever played for - but due to the machinations of Juventus' senior management.
It's almost inevitable that when a club has a player of pure talent who marries his class and career to the side's colours - such as Alessandro Del Piero- the team will form itself around him. As a result, other players of similar characteristics can have a hard time getting a look-in.
But clubs can never have too many players with the skill and commitment of Miccoli. Not finding a place for him amongst the Bianconeri can only be considered a failing of the club, not of the player. This is what happened with Miccoli at Juventus and it might be happening with Sebastian Giovinco, who is rumoured to be on his way to West Ham on loan.
Miccoli has the skill and the dedication to do well not just for Palermo but for Italy. Sadly, the fact that it took him so long to emerge must be an indictment of Italian clubs and a testament to Juventus' short-sightedness.
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Mr. Spinella, I think blaming Juventus for wasting Miccoli's talent is a bit harsh. Lippi didn't play him as much for a reason. Miccoli had an attitude problem and wasn't willing to wait for his chances. That's the real reason he was left out of Juve's squad and sent out on loan. There wasn't any plot against him...he simply didn't want to work to show his ability and wanted to leave. Players need to workharder in a bigger team to earn their spot. At smaller clubs though there isn't as much competition for a spot and thus it's easier to gain a spot in the team. That was his real problem. That's why he's often inconsistent too and why Lippi doesn't play him for the Italian national team either. He played him a few times and obviously decided he wasn't right yet again. A coach is entitled to play who he feels is the best choice. At a team like Palermo, Miccoli is the big fish...but at a big team he's unwilling to wait and fight to earn his spot. This is the reason he didn't succeed at Juventus...and I doubt it would be any different at other big clubs. Cassano has a very similar problem...except his is more public due to his outbursts on the field. And again, Lippi doesn't play Cassano for the same reason. Miccoli may have changed his attitude since then though, but I suppose we'll never know unless he moves to a bigger club
Anthony, Toronto, Canada
Whilst agreeing Miccoli is a great talent, he had to dispose Del Piero of the position in the side. A side with too many flair players will struggle so Miccoli has 2 decisions to make, either he is content with a supporting role or he moves on. You can hardly blame Juve for Miccoli not being a success with them if they felt they had better players playing in the same position and not many would argue against him being 2nd to Del Piero. Its no disgrace many great players fail to make the grade at a top club and perform better being a large fish in a small pond rather than a small fish in a large pond. At Palermo Miccoli can be that big fish.
Nick
I totally agree with this blog, Miccoli was awesome on Sunday night and as been all season for the Rosaneri. AC Milan, AS Roma, Juventus and Inter need to learn to nurture their talented individuals and not let them go out on loan to foreign clubs. Giovinco, Pazzini and Balotelli should be playing top flight Serie A football regularly but these old guard players like Shevchenko, Totti and Seedorff are well past their sell by dates and still making the first teams. Del Piero and Inzaghi are an exception because they score goals and are still a constant threat even at their age. If Juventus want to send Giovinco out on loan then I would suggest to teams like Napoli, Palermo, Fiorentina and Sampdoria to snap him up. Forza Palermo, Forza Miccoli
Davide Longo
I would have to agree that Juventus were really poor in the commitment to the Miccoli cause. Sending Miccoli on loan left right and centre with no long-term plan to implement him into the team was an unfair way to treat such a talented player, regardless of whether his fiery streak made itself known on the training field.
I think Miccoli is unique, he actually isn't like Del Piero at all because he carries a lot more flair with an 'any skill goes' attitude that both Maradona and Baggio had to their game. Del Piero had a lot more flair at a younger age and is obviously still an incredible player, but he is and always has been a more orthodox footballer with a good goal rate and strong dead ball accuracy.
I think the issue lies deeper than Lippi, Del Piero, Camoranesi etc for Miccoli not successfully integrating into the Juve team. It seems to be a trend for any of the great teams to reject uniquely talented players like Miccoli in favour of the more orthodox attackers.
Baggio's example of touring Juve and both Milans holds true to this fact. As does the ease of Zola heading from Parma to Chelsea avoiding the big Italian 'three'. As does Recoba failing at Inter. Put simply the big teams can't afford for the glamour and skill-loving players like Miccoli because there is a level of risk associated with them that they might be inconsistent or targeted on the pitch for lots of bad tackles.
The top Serie A teams want forwards that bring lots of goals and consistently perform, providing a little bit of flair such as the Del Pieros and Tottis of the world is just an added bonus but in truth both Juve and Roma would happily take their captains 'without the occasional back heel' providing they both kept scoring at the rate they do.
Miccoli, Cassano, Baggio, Zola, Maradona all belong in the lower table teams where they can have more freedom to play regular games, play to their own unique flair and entertain the crowds that the clubs are so reliant on to maintain financial stability.
Giovinco will be no different unless he changes his playing style to a more orthodox one to suit Juventus' ambitions and demands. I for one hope he doesn't and finds his way into a team that can make the most of his unique talent.
Mike, Leeds
Miccoli is an undoubted talent and maybe he will be a late bloomer for Italy - he was definitely the best attacking player on the pitch against Milan. The fact however that he failed to do well at Juve is unsurprising given the larger clubs' over reliance on cheap and sometimes not so cheap foreign imports.
That was understandable when they were attracting the best talent in the world, but the collection of over the hill or average at best strikers imported into Serie A in recent years to keep up and coming young Italians out of first teams is astonishing. And sadly this is happening at the mid level clubs too so players like Miccoli, Balotelli, Pazzini, Paloschi, Foggia, Borriello, Rossi, Giovinco, Nocerino and many others struggle to break into first teams.
I think this trend is part of a general Italian perspective in football to underestimate and under-appreciate young talent in favour of proven established players. A fear of the unknown or the unpredictable, the anti-Wenger approach. Other countries have no fear throwing a 17 or 18-year-old on to the big stage if they are good enough - Michael Owen for England, Pele/Ronaldo for Brazil, Maradona for Argentina.
Padraic, Toronto
I am a very big supporter of Juventus and found Mr. Spinella's article interesting. It brings up some good points. Although we cannot always know what goes on behind the scenes between a player and the Coach or the management, I have often been frustrated with Juventus' seeming unwillingness to nurture young Italian talent.
Players like Miccoli, Di Vaio, Maresca, Palladino, Nocerino and quite possibly Giovinco all had to go elsewhere to get regular playing time. Playing for a smaller club or being abroad seems to affect selection to the national team in an adverse way so the Azzurri suffer as well.
Although Juventus are nowhere near as guilty as Inter in this respect I feel they could use a more balanced approach. I love Del Piero and Nedved as much as the next fan but with Juve playing sometimes three games a week if they are not substituted more they run the risk of fatigue or injury.
We need all our players to be in top form when they are called on and perhaps more important, instil them with a sense that they are playing a role and are needed more than just in practice. Of course it takes some time to break into the first team at a club like Juventus but 30 minutes a game on a rotational basis can go a long way.
A Coach that is afraid to make substitutions or doesn't have faith in his bench is the wrong Coach. What team wouldn't want a Miccoli or a Giovinco coming off the bench for the last 30 minutes, running their opponents ragged?
Dominick, Honolulu
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