Italy for Beginners

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ITALY FOR BEGINNERS

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D&G at CFC

Italian fashion designers Dolce & Gabbana (pictured right) have announced the signing of a three-year partnership with London's Chelsea Football Club.
In addition to providing the formal club suits, the Milanese fashion house will also create the “Dolce&Gabbana Lounge” in the West Stand at Stamford Bridge as well as redesigning the club’s main office reception.
“We are really happy about this partnership and to be able to link our name to such a prestigious club like Chelsea. We are big football fans, for us it means healthy competition, intense passion and great discipline.” said Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana.
Chelsea's CEO Ron Gourlay added: “We are delighted that Dolce&Gabbana will be our official supplier of formal wear for the next three years. Their designs for this season’s team wear are exceptional, and we’re excited to be partnering with such a world renowned, and innovative design house.

Chelsea's Italian connections go back a long way with Italians Gianluca Vialli, Claudio Ranieri in past seasons and currently Carlo Ancellotti as trainer managers. Top quality players such as Gianfranco Zola, Roberto Di Matteo and Carlo Cudicini have also played decisive roles in the club's more successful recent history. The London side has had a reputation as 'trend setters' since the late 1960s when players were often seen around the fashionable boutiques, restaurants and night clubs of the King's Road area of South London.

source: D&G official site
further reading: independent.co.uk

Space agreement in Farnborough

UK Minister of State for Universities & Science David Willetts met with the Honorable , Italian Minister for Education, Universities & Research Mariastella Gelmini at the Farnborough Air Show last week to discuss future developments and agreements in research into space projects.

Ms. Gelmini pledged a continued government investment into ASI research of 7 mln euros over the next 10 years.



picture: european space agency on flickr

Italian manager/coach updates

Chelsea manager/trainer Carlo Ancelotti became the first Italian coach to win the Premier League last weekend as his team thrashed Wigan 8-0 to beat Man Utd. to the top. Ancelotti is also set to take the Londonclub to the 'double' next weekend with the FA Cup final against Portsmouth at Wembley. In the meantime the Reggio Emilia born former player flew to Naples to give evidence in the Italian 'calciopoli' football bribery trials. He was questioned by the prosecution who began to examine him over his time at both Milan, and his previous spell at Juventus. In particular Ancelotti reflected on the 2004-05 season. The coach denied knowledge of any conditioning of the league fixtures. source

Back in London, West Ham have dismissed coach Gianfranco Zola after a negative seson in which the club nearly faced relegation. They finished fourth from bottom, five points above Burnley. The club issued a statement asfter the sacking of Zola saying "The Board of Directors would like to thank him for his contribution and wish him well for the future." The Sardinain leaves the club with spirits high however stating that "Despite what has been a very difficult period for me, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at West Ham." source

Roberto Mancini's position as coach/manager at Manchester City seems safe however as club bosses assure he will remain. Mancini is already planning to bring his wife, Federica, over to England in September and is now renting a house after spending his first few months in Manchester in a city-centre hotel. Club chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak, said "(Roberto) has done an excellent job, coming in mid-season and organising the team". City have won a place in next year's Europa League.

And on World Cup level, England coach Fabio Capello has made several surprise choices in his 30-man squad to go to South Africa in June. Tom Huddlestone, Scott Parker, Adam Johnson and Michael Dawson are the surprise names to make the squad. Surprisingly, the England coach has selected just five forwards, with Darren Bent joining Wayne Rooney, Emile Heskey, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch, although missing out on the inital squad does not necessarily mean exclusion from the World Cup. Once his final 23-man group is named Capello is still allowed to make changes due to injury, and replacements do not have to come out of the original 30.

Capello decides captain's fate

England coach Fabio Capello stripped John Terry of his role as team capatian on Friday after reports of his alleged love affair with ex-partner of England team-mate Wayne Bridge. The final decision was left up to Capello, and was met with general approval by the press with headlines such as 'Grazie Signor Capello' and 'Terrevederci'.
After his 12 minute meeting with Terry Capello said "This is now over, it is finished. It is time to move on, but John Terry is still an important player for England." Capataincy of the team will be taken over by Rio Ferdinand.
The other Italian coach in Terry's career, Carlo Ancelotti of Chelsea, paid tribute to his "perfect'' captain after the club beat London rivals Arsenal on Sunday putting the Blues back on top of the Premier League.

picture: telegraph.co.uk

Italian firm in salary dispute

The "British jobs for British workers" slogan and ethic of last year once again rears it's ugly head.

source: The Guardian:
British workers at a power plant project have been undercut by a subcontractor paying Italian labourers over £1,000 less on average per week than the agreed rate. A pay audit revealed that Italian firm CMN, one of the subcontractors employed by engineering firm Alstom to build a power station at Staythorpe in the east Midlands, was defying a national pay deal agreed between Unite the union and the industry. The audit, requested by unions, revealed that between April 2009 and December 2009, an average of 17 labourers a month were being paid an average of €1,300 a month less than the agreed rate.
Unite's assistant general secretary, Les Bayliss said: "The underpayment of these workers is outrageous. We have demanded that the workers are paid back in full. Unite will not allow employers to get away with breaking agreements and underpaying its workers, regardless of nationality."

Mancini goes to Manchester

45 year old Italian Roberto Mancini has been nominated Manchester City's new coach / manager after Mark Hughes was sacked over the weekend.
Ancona born Mancini has already enjoyed a successful career as coach at Inter-Milan as well as with Rome's Lazio and Fiorentina before that, as well as an impressive record as a player with Bologna, Sampdoria and Lazio. City will be his first experience in England, apart from a brief stint with Leicester City in 2001 where he played 4 matches before retiring as a player. The Times reports he is planning to bring two or three Italian players to the Manchester club as well as some of his ex fitness staff colleagues.
He will immediately be put to the test with City as they confront three games in quick succession over the Christmas period, something which does not happen in Italy where Christmas is considered a rest period.