Donadoni to Cassano: You’re 25 Now, Time to Grow Up

Twenty-five is a great age to be. You’re old enough to earn some money, but young enough to enjoy it. Good times. It’s also way past the age where you’re throwing tantrums, unless you’re Antonio Cassano. And Italy boss Roberto Donadoni has said that while he’s open to including Cassano in his Euro 2008 squad, the on-loan Sampdoria striker needs to start acting his age.

“It’s not us that have to make the change - he has to do something about it. Antonio is a person that I like a lot and he knows that. He is one of those people that you are unable to dislike. But he is no longer a youngster and he must understand that there are certain things you cannot do. He says that once in a while he loses it but he needs to try to control himself.”

Here’s a recent example of what Donadoni is talking about:

That little performance got Cassano a five match ban, which isn’t the type of thing Donadoni wants to deal with in Austria and Swizterland this summer. However, as well as throwing world class wobblies Cassano happens to be an absolutely brilliant footballer, capable of doing this:

Which is exactly the type of thing we’d all love to see at Euro 2008.