Lippi: "Italy To Follow Man United's Example"

Premier League Manchester United

01 July 2008

Marcello Lippi said his new Italy team would follow the
example of the Manchester United FC side that won
the UEFA Champions League, rather than Spain's UEFA
EURO 2008 winners, during his first news conference
back at the helm.

Past and future

The 60-year-old, whose appointment as successor to
Roberto Donadoni on 26 June, said: "It would be a mis-
take to try to copy what Spain have done, because Spain
have a number of young players with a lot of experience
gained from their club sides. Our situation is different –
we have a group of players who won the [FIFA] World
Cup only two years ago and we have to find the right
blend between the past and the future. I would like to
see players who are ready to sacrifice themselves for
the team, a bit like Manchester United whose great
players, such as [Wayne] Rooney and [Cristiano] Ronaldo,
are always willing to work hard in defence when needed."

Style of our own

"Spain also have their own particular way of playing
football and most of their teams play like that," continued
the Azzurri's World Cup-winning coach. "And they won
the EURO after a long period of development where they
endured some bad results and setbacks. We want a united
group who play aggressively and who try to impose their
style on the opposition, but who are also ready to defend
when the opposition are on top. Italy are no longer about
Catenaccio."