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| Lippi wants new faces |
Tuesday 4 November, 2008 |
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Italy Coach Marcello Lippi wants to refresh the look of La Nazionale by bringing in a couple of new faces for upcoming internationals.
The Azzurri and Italian football in general has been criticised recently for not giving young footballers enough opportunities.
When asked whether he would call up Juventus veteran Alessandro Del Piero, Lippi replied: “He'll now stay at home because, by now he is a player everyone knows about.
“Instead, I want to renew this team a little. I want see a few new players. I want to discover new people a little.
“Then, when it'll be the right moment, those players will have an important condition. They will be taken into consideration again.”
Speaking on Sky Italia, Lippi also addressed the question of Juventus' Brazilian striker Amauri who has applied for an Italian passport and could play for Italy if it is granted.
“I have spoken only once with Amauri, this summer in Turin at the TIM Trophy,” revealed Lippi. “I said to him, among many things, not to consider anything that he read in the newspapers as attributed to me.
“Because the only things I have said that regard him, I have also said to him. In the moment, he becomes Italian and only then will I take into consideration the possibility of calling you up.”
Returning to the future composition of the Azzurri, Lippi does not see Francesco Totti and Alessandro Nesta coming out of retirement to play for La Nazionale again.
The World Cup winning tactician went on to talk about Mario Balotelli, Inter's headstrong 18-year-old striker who recently performed exceptionally for the Azzurrini.
“I don't want to put pressure on him,” said Lippi. “There are a lot of people who already think we put too much on him.”
Lippi then tackled the issue that has troubled many a Coach of Italy over the last 10 years. What does he plan to do with Antonio Cassano?
“He is like every one of the other players in Serie A. I always like to say that all players from 18 to 40 should dream of La Nazionale.
“They should not be angry if once, twice or five times even, they do not come to be selected. Evidently, whoever makes the choices has different ideas in his head.”
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