Former CT Marcello Lippi has claimed Italy knows how to turn ‘all the mess into a positive energy’ and highlighted the World Cup winners from 2006.
"Do you know why we won the World Cup both in 2006 and 1982 against everyone and everything? Because we were strong,” Lippi told the Gazzetta dello Sport. “Otherwise we would have melted like snow in the sun. We turned all the mess into a positive energy. We said to ourselves: ‘Ah, yes? Now we’ll show you…”
Former CT Marcello Lippi has claimed Italy knows how to turn ‘all the mess into a positive energy’ and highlighted the World Cup winners from 2006.
"Do you know why we won the World Cup both in 2006 and 1982 against everyone and everything? Because we were strong,” Lippi told the Gazzetta dello Sport. “Otherwise we would have melted like snow in the sun. We turned all the mess into a positive energy. We said to ourselves: ‘Ah, yes? Now we’ll show you…”
He used the winning sides as an example when talking about the coronavirus emergency and its affect on Italian football, but he was also worried that the lower leagues would be forgotten in the heated debate about the resumption and salary cuts in Serie A.
“I hope those who decide are thinking of amateur football, which risks disappearing,” he added. “I hope they will protect it. The elite clubs will certainly come out of this downsized, but all in all it would not be bad either.
“Players too. And they will accept it. We are led to believe that they are all spoiled and rich, that they only think of money, cars, beautiful women. Demagogy. They exist in all the categories.
“But few have the same social sensitivity as footballers. I hate those who do charity and immediately announces it in the newspapers. The players do it in silence.”
The 71-year-old has not been working since he left his position as CT of China but has still been following football in Italy closely.
Serie A is currently suspended, and the former World Cup winner has voiced his concern regarding the daily debate about a possible resumption of play.
“Only when we have reached zero contagion. It doesn’t matter if it’s with open or closed doors,” he said. “The problem is that it’s impossible that something doesn’t happen if a team, about fifty people in all, travels and meet waiters, cooks, drivers…
“Only when this war is won, we should resume. And from the 26th round of fixtures. No play-offs or other formats, for heaven’s sake. 12 games, and then same for those who are fighting to stay up. Both Championships and cups will have to finish, don’t start the new season before finishing this one.
“The next one will have to start later; it will have a few midweek rounds. It doesn’t matter.”