Marcello Lippi says calling oriundi players is the 'right thing to do' if they are 'good', whilst discussing Marco Verratti and Mirko Valdifiori.
The former Italy boss was interviewed by the Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of the Azzurri’s international round against Bulgaria and England, and he touched on the much-discussed topic of the oriundi.
Marcello Lippi says calling oriundi players is the 'right thing to do' if they are 'good', whilst discussing Marco Verratti and Mirko Valdifiori.
The former Italy boss was interviewed by the Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of the Azzurri’s international round against Bulgaria and England, and he touched on the much-discussed topic of the oriundi.
“We'd all like Italy to be made up of Italians,” he said. “But if the Coach can only select 34 per cent of Serie A players, and there are some who are functional and important, then calling them up is the right thing to do.
“No matter that they're oriundi. Besides, the rules allow for it.”
Lippi is no stranger to calling oriundi himself, having won the 2006 World Cup with Argentine-born Mauro Camoranesi, and he revealed he could have used a similar element in the South Africa campaign.
“Amauri would have been necessary in 2010, if not for his injury. Good oriundi players are necessary.
“And Eder and Vazquez are good, especially inasmuch as they're useful in certain roles.
“Eder is experienced, he has spent several years in Italy. He offers multiple attacking options and he can play on the wing.
“Vazquez is a talent, he has quality. I still haven't quite figured out his true role, but he has the characteristics of [Zinedine] Zidane – a playmaker, with technique to spare.
“But of course there will be controversy, because La Nazionale is everybody's team, it belongs to the CT and to 60 million supporters, not just to the Juventini or the Milanisti.”
Lippi was asked about Italy's renewed midfield, with talents like Marco Verratti paired with freshman Mirko Valdifiori.
“Valdifiori is a small fairytale. Let the other players see him as an example, because it means that the CT takes everyone into consideration.
“[Andrea] Pirlo and [Daniele] De Rossi are still important, but they can't go on forever.
“There's Verratti, who is the best of the young ones when it comes to international games, but every Coach should have three-four solutions for the role.
“On the subject of Verratti, if the Coach ever had any doubts about him, I think he saw the Champions League like everybody else and realised how much the player developed in terms of quality and character.
“Verratti is being evaluated. In any case he's an excellent playmaker.”