Lippi Eyes World Cup Encore "We know how to win"

And speaking about his future, the national team manager stressed: "Abete already knows what I'll be doing after South Africa." Ancelotti a candidate: the president of the Football Federation is pinning his hopes on the Chelsea manager now that that Prandelli is no longer in the frame. On the battle for the scudetto he commented: "This is what's great about football. Credit to Roma and Milan who have done an excellent job." A training camp for the Azzurri from 3-5 May

ROME, 29 March 2010 - "Italy don't go to the World Cup just to put on a good show. We go to win. We should not forget that we are the reigning champions: we should remember that not in a boastful way, but because we know how to win. We know what it takes to win." The national team manager Marcello Lippi is impatient, with just over two months to go before the World Cup begins in South Africa: "I can't wait to go." The concept of "outgoing champion" is not one our national coach likes much: "We've had two years of qualifying without any real highlights or lowlights, with some good matches and some not so good. But then when we're together for 30-40 days Italy always manages to do well, with players who are technically skilled and mentally strong, regardless of what has happened in the club sides," said the manager, interviewed on the "Politics in football" programme on GR Parlamento radio.

PREDICTIONS — Michel Platini, the UEFA president, sees three teams as the favourites: Spain, Brazil and England. "That's his assessment. All over the world people are backing Brazil. It was the same before the 2006 World Cup, but in Germany they went home before the quarter-finals. Spain are very strong, they won the European championship, they're in great form and they have an excellent group of players. But they have never won the World Cup. England have 10-12 very talented players and an excellent manager. But we don't see ourselves as inferior to anyone, and we're not going just to make up the numbers."

Future — Lippi - who has set aside 3-5 May for a training camp for the Azzurri, probably in Rome, at the Borghesiana - was a little more forthcoming than he had previously been when asked about the national team manager's job: "The president of the Federation already knows what I'll be doing after the World Cup. We have a lot of regard and respect for each other." Translated into terms that Italian fans can understand, that means that Lippi will end his time as coach in South Africa: his dream is to do it with the cup raised once again, as it was in Berlin. The head of the Italian Football Federation, Giancarlo Abete, reiterated that the future of the national manager's position will be determined in May, before the team leaves for Africa. At this stage, with the odds lengthening on Cesare Prandelli (he's being linked with Juventus and in any case seems set on staying with a club), Abete is looking at the options. He likes Ranieri, but getting him away from Roma at this point is impossible. And then there is the dream candidate: Carlo Ancelotti. He has done fairly well at Chelsea, but his position is far from secure. Should he be sacked he might be interested in coaching the Azzurri, a job he has never denied he would like one day.

SCUDETTO AND EUROPE — The national manager then spoke about the race for the scudetto: "Uncertainty, that's the beauty of football. We haven't had a title race this close since 2001-2002. Then it was Roma and Inter three years ago. In our competition you only have to ease off ever so slightly and someone will be snapping at your heels due to their own excellent work, and I'm talking about Roma and Milan here. These two teams are right there, one a point behind, and the other three points behind. It's great that the outcome is in doubt right to the end. The fans of these teams must be delighted - especially Inter's fans, as their team is in the running for the Coppa Italia and the Champions League title as well." And on the European competition: "I hope there's an Italian team in the final, and the only Italian team left is Inter. They will have to beat CSKA Moscow, then Barcelona or Arsenal. Let's hope Inter are in the final: if not, it will be Barcelona and Manchester United." Milan were knocked out of the Champions League:"Recently their problem has been having so many players out through injury." Finally, an observation: "If we slipped in the European rankings we would be behind Germany, and have one less team in the Champions League. But that's not the way to judge the quality of a country's football: such a judgement needs to be made overall, and the assessment should include, in particular, the national team."

Maurizio Nicita - Source Gazzetta.it

Two Weeks to Euro 2008; Let the Soccer Insanity Begin

Two weeks to Euro 2008. Let the insanity begin.

With the nations participating in the tournament having already named their provisional squads, they will complete those teams by the middle of next week at the latest.

Some surprises.

Italy named 24 players so they have one to cut. The biggest surprise to their list is Antonio Cassano, the talented forward whose most descriptive nickname among many, is Peter Pan.

Shock is the word used most often in Italy when the decision was announced.

Coach Roberto Donadoni, who was given a two-year contract extension (only good if the Italians get to the semifinals of the tournament or beyond), is playing with fire with Cassano.

Cassano hasn’t played with the national team since September 2006.

“I’m not taking any chances with Cassano,” Donadoni said. “He is not a youngster any more and knows what it means to be a member of a group. I know perfectly well what he can give in technical terms.”

If Donadoni is going to go out, he’s going to go out on his own terms.

Often showing the maturity of Peter Pan, Cassano is likely to fly off the handle and get himself in trouble on the field.

If Cassano shows any sign of making trouble before the final team is named, he’ll be sent home.

Source: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1040764

Berlusconi on Super League

Silvio Berlusconi has launched the first salvos on the road to a possible breakaway league in Italian and European football.

The 71-year-old was appearing on the Italian "Radio Radio" programme to outline his new proposals to keep Italian football at the forefront of the sporting world.

The Italy Prime Minister-elect said: "The top clubs from the big cities have to have their own championship because when you invest so much in a team it cannot be thought to go and play against a provincial side in a stadium that holds only around 20,000 fans and is half-empty anyway."

He added: "When two great teams play then the stadiums are packed and there is an incredible television audience. Then of course, only with top teams can we become main players in Europe again."

Berlusconi, who will stand down as AC Milan president after becoming Prime Minister for a third time, also proposed a separate league for teams with fewer spectators and went on to say that Italian clubs should take the English stadiums as a model and to build commercial centres around them.

Looking to the future he believes that people would be "in favour" of these proposals and that "licenses could be given" for them.

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Ronaldo Backed to Return

Ronaldo has flown to Paris for an operation that will determine when the striker will be able to resume his career.

The striker ruptured a tendon in his left knee in the Serie A fixture with Livorno and if the surgery goes to plan the Brazilian then faces up to nine months on the sidelines.

However, Rossoneri president Silvio Berlusconi has refused to call time on the star and said: "At 31-years-old he is still young and I think that he can return in a number of months to being the champion of old.

"I spoke to him on the telephone and I told him to believe in himself as he has such a great physical capability."

The former World Player of the Title arrived in the French capital at 9am local time and club doctor Jean Pierre Meeserman revealed that Gerard Saillant, the professor who oversaw the same procedure on the player back in 2000, will once again supervise.

He said: "It was Ronaldo himself who asked to be operated on in Paris by the team that put his right knee straight eight years ago."

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