Marcello Lippi says returning as Italy CT was his “biggest mistake” and reiterates that he’s looking for another job.
The tactician lifted the World Cup with the Azzurri, and resigned in triumph with Roberto Donadoni taking over.
However, after a disappointing showing at Euro 2008, Lippi returned for the 2010 World Cup, only to see his side eliminated without a single win.
“The biggest mistake I ever made was returning to the national team,” Lippi admitted in an interview with Tv2000.
Marcello Lippi says returning as Italy CT was his “biggest mistake” and reiterates that he’s looking for another job.
The tactician lifted the World Cup with the Azzurri, and resigned in triumph with Roberto Donadoni taking over.
However, after a disappointing showing at Euro 2008, Lippi returned for the 2010 World Cup, only to see his side eliminated without a single win.
“The biggest mistake I ever made was returning to the national team,” Lippi admitted in an interview with Tv2000.
“I’d decided to leave even before the World Cup, and I left an amazing group. I came back to repay the faith the group had shown in me, but you don’t go back to the national team two years after winning the World Cup.
“The best images of the 2006 World Cup are related to the great trust, esteem and affection that had been created between myself and the team.
“There’s the hand of [Rino] Gattuso grabbing me and saying ‘if you go away I’ll kill you’, because I’d told him that I’d leave, and the head to head with Gigi Buffon, looking each other in the eye.
“Those are the moments which are in my heart the most.”
Lippi has made it clear that he is looking to return to the bench, and reaffirmed that desire.
“When I was in China [at Guangzhou Evergrande] I said ‘enough, I’m 67-years-old, I don’t want to Coach anymore’.
“The reality is that I didn’t want to be so far from home. Now I only watch football on television, all the games, all levels.
“I thought of staying here in Viareggio in winter, when it gets dark at 5pm is one I don’t like at all.
“When I see a team on TV that has problems, I find myself thinking ‘here’s what I’d do, I’d play that way, I’d play this way’.
“I’d take a club job if it was one I liked.”