“I SEE that the Cannavaro affair interests you people a lot . . . but please, ask me some serious questions.”
For Italian coach Marcello Lippi, the “Cannavaro Affair” is already over. Indeed, according to the Italian boss, it “never existed”, it was only the result of a bureaucratic cock-up and it has already been “dismissed”.
When Lippi turned up at Clontarf Castle for a pre-match news conference last night, it was only normal that the media wished to hear his “read” on the question of his World Cup winning captain, Fabio Cannavaro, who tested positive last month following a cortisone injection administered for a wasp sting, but apparently not properly declared.
Lippi seems totally unworried by the matter and repeated that Cannavaro, who is suspended for tonight’s World Cup qualifier at Croke Park, will join the squad on Sunday as Italy prepare for their final group game in Parma against Cyprus.
When it came to the “serious” questions, however, Lippi was his usual canny self.
Could he give us any indications about his likely team tonight? “No”, he declared, we will find out when we get to Croke Park.
Given that Italy require only a point to mathematically win the group, will his side be playing for a draw? “No way”, he replied, adding: “Contrary to what lots of people think, Italian sides when they go to play away matches, they don’t go looking for a draw, they go looking to win or at least trying to win and that’s what we’ll do tomorrow night.”
Given that Ireland gave Italy a real run for their money in that 1-1 draw in Bari last April, was he worried that the Irish might prove an even bigger problem playing at home? “Sure, sure, we expect them to give their all, to do everything within their power but this time we also expect to play 11 against 11 and not 10 against 11 like it was in Bari for the entire match”
Lippi was here referring to Sampdoria striker Giampaolo Pazzini controversially being sent off after only three minutes of the Bari qualifier.
As was the case earlier this week at Italian team training in Florence, Lippi was quick to pay a handsome tribute to his opposite number, Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni.
Asked if “Trap” had managed to “Italianise” this Irish side, Lippi responded: “Trapattoni is Italian, of course, but he’s also international. He hasn’t changed the mentality of the Irish players but he has given a huge boost to their self-belief.”
Talking yesterday morning, “Trap”, at the age of 70, had told us that he still had plenty of energy and enthusiasm for the job notwithstanding the passing of the years. Would Lippi like to be still coaching a national team at the age of 70? “I’ve no idea, I couldn’t tell you what I will be doing tomorrow let alone at the age of 70.”
Even if Lippi cannot, we can give you a fair idea of what he will be doing “tomorrow” (tonight, that is). He will be giving his old rival Trapattoni a lot of problems.
