October 2012: Italy have just come second at the European Championships, but Juventus' manager believes that his players – especially Andrea Pirlo – come back from international duty drained. The tension leads to him contact Cesare Prandelli about how to handle the playmaker, leading to controversy.

October 2013: Pirlo is called up, but his manager at Juventus isn't impressed, believing it to be unecessary and potentially damaging. The Bianconeri – led by their manager – are united in reacting in an angry and resentful manner.

March 2014: Chiellini, recovering from injury, is called up by Prandelli. The Old Lady's manager unleashes a fierce attack: “It's rude to call up Chiellini”. Cue bedlam.

2011-2014: Juventus' gaffer can't stand the national team's training camps, and both opposes and obstacle the Azzurri's attempts at depriving him of his players.

Antonio Conte is far from consistent: if once he blatantly fought against the national setup, here he is complaining that his colleagues are behaving in exactly the same way as he did. It's not a universally bad characteristic: after all, it proves that Conte will always defend his employer's interests. That said, his behaviour is embarassing, especially in a country where communists have become Christian Democrats, and some of the Class of '68 have converted to Berlusconianism.

 Because, in truth, Conte is fundamentally right. Or he is now, anyway. The movers and shakers of Serie A speak of bringing dignity back to Italian football and of giving its talent a chance to shine... only to then think only of themselves when push comes to shove.

This kind of selfish behaviour has weakened our national game, the same kind of short-term planning that suited Conte so well, even when he was winning trophies.