World Cup winner Marcello Lippi explained the coaches in Serie A struggle to cope with the players’ late re-entry from international duty. ‘You have an hour of training, no more’.
The international breaks offer problems for the coaches in the Italian top flight, with players returning injured and tired from a packed schedule.
He’s especially worried about the teams relying on South American players who return late from their duties with the respective national teams.
Lippi said he believes the national breaks currently influences the championship, due to the absences and heavy workload.
“I would say yes,” Lippi told Il Corriere dello Sport. “It’s especially true for those who have many South Americans in the team.
“Who is to blame? The competent confederations, who didn’t want to change the formula of their qualifications for the World Cup.
“When I was coaching, the South Americans would arrive on Fridays, and I had to evaluate their conditions well.
“At the time, the big clubs had even eight or nine. It means that no work was done that week. On Thursdays, the Europeans still arrive after two games played and you have some relaxing work.
“On Saturday morning, if you are lucky, you can try the team. You have an hour of training, no more. In the present case, however, those who show up on Saturday morning have very little chance of going on the pitch on Sunday.”