Marcello Lippi has warned Amauri to decide between Italy and Brazil. “We cannot be second choice for anyone.”

The Brazilian striker is applying for Italian citizenship and was asked to be part of the Azzurri by former boss Roberto Donadoni.

Amauri took his time and has still said he will not decide which country to play for until well into the new season, as he waits to see whether he’ll receive a call from the Selecao.

“I don’t like a player who skips between national sides for a month. When he finally does make a decision, it would inevitably seem like a second choice and Italy cannot be second choice for anyone,” the Coach told the Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I want to see a firm decision and ask nothing else. If he does become legally Italian and chooses us, I certainly wouldn’t be disappointed.”

Lippi is looking to the future of the Nazionale, but also to the recent past, as Francesco Totti and Alessandro Nesta potentially reconsider their decision to retire.

“I advise anyone never to give a definitive farewell to international football, as they might end up reconsidering like Zinedine Zidane and Claude Makelele.

“I’ll be paying close attention to the Olympic Games, as there are four or five players I’m keeping an eye on.”

Although he did not name them, the Gazzetta dello Sport suggests some of those ready to make the leap up from Under-21 level are Giuseppe Rossi, Riccardo Montolivo, Antonio Nocerino, Sebastian Giovinco, Robert Acquafresca and goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano.

If there is one man guaranteed his spot with the Azzurri – and most likely the captain’s armband after wearing it intermittently at Euro 2008 – it’s Gianluigi Buffon.

“Gigi was the best confirmation we had during that tournament. He is Number One both on the pitch and in his statements.”

Buffon caused controversy with Donadoni when he publicly apologised on behalf of the team for their 3-0 defeat to Holland.

Ref From channel4.com

Italy boss Marcello Lippi has backed Inter to win the Scudetto and outlined his strategy to restore glory to the Azzurri.

There’s a fascinating Serie A campaign in prospect as Inter look to maintain their grasp on the crown but face a fight from Milan, Roma and Juventus.

However, Lippi has great respect for the Nerazzurri’s new boss Jose Mourinho and thinks the Portuguese man can deliver the silverware,

“I believe Inter will win the Scudetto again because I really like the Coach that Massimo Moratti has brought in,” Lippi told Tg5.

“Mourinho is a closed person, but when all the players speak so highly of a boss it means that he has sowed the seeds correctly.”

Lippi will be watching the new campaign with eager interest having been charged with the task of building another winning Italy side ahead of World Cup 2010.

“I want to rebuild a winning group and lots of the players who were at Euro 2008 will be there,” the 60-year-old said.

“I need to choose intelligent players who know how important it is to be a compact unit with united goals and to be playing for one another. Those were the qualities that allowed us to win the World Cup.”

Ref From channel4.com

Italy strike gold as Zidane sees red

Italy 1 - 1 France (Italy won 5-3 on pens)
Materazzi, 19; Zidane, 7 (pen)

Marcello Lippi picked out his captain Fabio Cannavaro and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon for special praise as he rejoiced in his team’s World Cup victory last night. The Italy coach hailed those two as the tournament’s outstanding players and claimed Buffon unsettled his Juventus club-mate David Trezeguet in the penalty shoot-out. Trezeguet hit the bar, the only one of the nine takers to miss.

“This World Cup has given opportunities to two people who have suffered,” Lippi said. “One is Cannavaro; he is the greatest defender in the world. He is just the best but Buffon comes close. Buffon did not make the save from the penalties but he influenced Trezeguet’s mistake.”

Italy had a miserable record in World Cup shoot-outs before this game. They had lost every one in which they had been involved, including to France in the 1998 quarter-final and to Brazil in the 1994 final, but their penalties were unerringly dispatched this time to claim the trophy.

“I have seen matches end up in penalty shoot-outs and the ones I have lost are the ones where the players didn’t want to shoot,” Lippi said. “My boys wanted it really strongly tonight and that’s why we scored all five.”

This triumph adds to Lippi’s already impressive collection of honours. He has won domestic and European trophies - including the Champions League - with Juventus but described this as the finest triumph of his career.

“I have to say thanks to the players,” he said. “This is the most satisfying moment of my life. We are very happy. I dedicate the victory to my family. The players have unlimited heart, character and personality.”

Asked how he felt, the 58-year-old replied: “The greatest satisfaction that any coach or footballer can feel. I’ve had the fortune to win the Champions League - a kind of world title for clubs - and lots of Serie A titles but I’ve never felt anything like this.”

The success comes against the backdrop of the match-fixing crisis that has gripped Italian domestic football. The Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso said that the affair had played a significant part in the team’s performances. “If the scandal hadn’t happened, I think we wouldn’t have won the World Cup,” the midfielder said. “It has given us more strength.”

Lippi paid tribute to Italy’s fans, saying their support had “filled us with hope and pride and joy at a time when we really needed it”, and to his players. “I don’t know if it was a penalty to France but there was a wonderful reaction from my team,” he said. “We always hoped we could make it. We were dangerous all over the pitch but we were playing against a good team.”

This was almost certainly the final act in Francesco Totti’s international career. The Roma playmaker had a poor game and was taken off just after the hour but he departs a winner. “He paid the price of 120 minutes against Germany,” Lippi said. “That took its toll. He had not recovered his optimum form.”

Ref From guardian.co.uk