Lippi: Why I left the Azzurri Saturday 10 March, 2007 World Cup winning Coach Marcello Lippi has revealed he left the Italy bench to "protect my son" from the Calciopoli scandal.
The tactician had already decided to quit his post before the tournament kicked off in Germany and handed in his resignation formally after the Final victory over France. "We won because rather than just pick the best individual players, I chose those capable of creating a solid unit," explained Lippi. "As for my departure, I left the Nazionale for my son. I was forced to make this decision by the way the media was using him in the wake of the Calciopoli chaos." His son Davide was a leading figure with controversial football talent agency GEA World, since shut down. The company had been accused of pushing players to sign for them if they wanted to be picked for international duty. The allegations, later proved unfounded, had also led to calls for Lippi to step down from the Azzurri post before Germany 2006. Speaking at the Bicocca University in Milan, where he was given an honorary Masters degree, the former Inter and Juventus Coach also commented on the upcoming Derby della Madonnina. "It's a game that escapes any predictions, as there can be no favourites. I am happy to see Ronaldo back in Serie A. It's a shame he wasn't wholly fit when I was in charge of Inter. "Undoubtedly the Nerazzurri are an excellent squad who have been able to achieve some great results. Nobody can argue with their leadership. However, it's also true that this championship has been weakened by the absence of Juventus and the penalties inflicted on other clubs." Inter may be dominating Serie A, but they are out of the Champions League following their defeat on away goals, 2-2 on aggregate, to Valencia. Milan have reached the quarter-finals against Bayern Munich, while Roma will face Manchester United. "It is a very balanced competition this year, but I have confidence in the Italian sides," added Lippi. "Perhaps the most difficult one is between Roma and Manchester United." -- Cavaliere AC Milan atau tidak sama sekal! [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
