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Former Juventus coach Marcello Lippi will now train the Italian national team. This was officially confirmed today by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) - Lippi signed a two-year contract, valid until the 2006 World Cup.
A few days ago, the position of the Italian national team coach became vacant, as Giovanni Trapattoni stepped down after his contract expired. The team did not perform well under him - in the 2002 World Cup, Italy was defeated in the quarterfinals, and in Euro 2004, "Squadra Azzura" had to withdraw after the group stage.
Lippi was very happy about his new position: "I am happy, emotional, and full of pride. The national team is every coach's dream, and it was certainly one of my ambitions. My first thoughts go to the fantastic professional Trapattoni. I am close to him, we often talked on the phone."
After this change in the head coach position, speculations began about how the new Italian team will look, but Lippi does not intend to make significant changes: "I do not want to make a revolution in the team. The main structure must remain untouched, only a few young players can be added. I want to bring my experience and enthusiasm to the national team. My vision is a true expression of Italian football, combining U-21 players in need of experience with excellent players seen at Euro 2004. If possible, I will ask for help from club coaches and visit their training sessions."
The 56-year-old coach earned his excellent reputation after nine years coaching Juventus in Turin. With this club, he won the Italian championship five times, the Champions League once, the Intercontinental Cup, as well as many other titles. However, after an unsuccessful last season, the coach decided to step down from the club and take a break. There were rumors for some time that Lippi could coach the national team in the future, and these speculations came true after Italy's poor performance in the European Championship.
