RIP Gianluca Vialli

[Brentbaggie]

A highly intelligent, class player and real gentleman. His book, The Italian Job - essentially why he believed England would never win the World Cup again and Italy will (basically boils down to the respective weather in the two countries!) - is a great and very insightful read. A real shame for a man who became a total Anglophile - his wife is English. Pretty good golfer too.

[Remi_Moses]

One of the first imports of the Chelsea transformation.
58 is far too young.
RIP GV.

[Shabby Russian]

Very sad news.

Great centre forward and a likeable manager....can't remember him criticising refs after matches.

Nice picture of him on Guardian website with a very young Steve Clarke.

[MassDebater]

Truly shocking. R.I.P.

[MGalea]

RIP

Not actually the greatest player but a really iconic both in Italy and England.

Hate to see blokes dying of cancer around that age as it reminds me of my dad and makes me think if i'm actually past midlife.

[Bromley Baggie 2]

Shocked by this. A great player and always seemed to know his stuff when he was a studio talking head

RIP Luca.

[Spandaubaggie]

RIP

Not actually the greatest player but a really iconic both in Italy and England.

Hate to see blokes dying of cancer around that age as it reminds me of my dad and makes me think if i'm actually past midlife.

He was a credit to football. He was a gent and the intelligent side to the game- the guy was class.

We've just lost a friend , just 54, to cancer- the funeral is next week. 

It's a feeling of mortality that looms larger once you get past your youth and the grey starts appearing. Not all of us will get to 80 plus.

[UCEbaggie]

Seems to have been one of those guys for whom nobody has a bad word to say. Always came across as a real gent on the TV. Classy player and a classy bloke. RIP

[baggiebloke]

Vialli was class. Sad news.

R.I.P.

[BeijingBaggie]

A highly intelligent, class player and real gentleman. His book, The Italian Job - essentially why he believed England would never win the World Cup again and Italy will (basically boils down to the respective weather in the two countries!) - is a great and very insightful read. A real shame for a man who became a total Anglophile - his wife is English. Pretty good golfer too.

Second this...really good read.