Sandro Tonali is in the best possible place as ongoing investigation
A few of my mates and acquaintances have been in touch, since news of the omission of Sandro Tonali from the Italian squad on Thursday.
All I have been able to reply on this, is that we will just have to let things play out over what may be a considerable amount of time.
Nobody knows at this stage what Tonali’s exact involvement with this inquiry actually is.
Sandro Tonali comes across as having a thoughtful and methodical demeanor.
Since signing for Newcastle United from AC Milan, he may have also given the impression of being a little subdued, but definitely not overawed.
Moving to a new country, especially if you are Italian, would be a culture shock for any 23 year old.
So far, Sandro Tonali has shown that he seems well equipped to settle into his new surroundings.
On the pitch he got off to a whirlwind start on his debut at St James Park, scoring the opening goal after six minutes in the 5-1 thrashing of Aston Villa.
His form since then has fluctuated between very good and average, and with the competition in midfield. Sandro Tonali has started some games from the bench.
It will be interesting to see how Tonali reacts now back at Newcastle, with him having no international commitments for the foreseeable future.
Although he will understandably be concerned with the situation he finds himself in, being away from Italy can only be a good thing for his wellbeing.
Of course the British media outlets are not just going to let this pass by the wayside, and it is Sandro Tonali’s name that is already headlining this story, not Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo (on loan from Galatasaray) who has also been stood down from international duty.
If Sandro Tonali has been personally involved in football betting activities it doesn’t look good for him, with a minimum three year ban if found guilty, though possibility of that being cut if proactively assisting an investigation.
This would also be acknowledged and held up by FIFA and UEFA, so it would carry on into all domestic leagues.
As I have already stated, this could drag out for a while, so in the meantime I have no doubt that Eddie Howe and his staff will be coaxing and encouraging Sandro Tonali to carry on improving in a Newcastle United shirt.
Who knows, adversity sometimes brings the best out of folk, and maybe Sandro will start producing more on the pitch if a weight has somewhat been lifted from his shoulders.
I wish him well and hope that he is ultimately found to be an innocent party.
He remains innocent for now, unless proven guilty.
I like the lad, wish him luck, and know that he is currently in the best possible place on Tyneside.
