1982 World Cup winning Coach Enzo Bearzot has given advice to Marcello Lippi, including why Mario Balotelli should graduate straight to the senior squad.
Italy begin their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign tonight against Cyprus, a side that has only avoided defeat once in six meetings, a 1-1 draw with Bearzot’s side in 1983.
“They had practically flooded the pitch to make it difficult for us,” reveals the veteran tactician.
“We played worse football in other matches, but considering the difference in quality it really was the ultimate humiliation of my career.”
The Azzurri were World Cup holders there too and faltered, so Bearzot has words of advice for Lippi’s men to avoid the same fate.
“It is only human to fall prey to sentimentality, but to achieve results sometimes you have to forget about emotions.
“Lippi does well to put faith in the old guard because it is not right to completely revolutionise a squad, but fortunately Italian football has an excellent youth system and a national Coach should take that into account.”
There was some surprise that the returning boss did not call up more new faces for his second stint at the helm of the Nazionale, although only injury prevented the step up of Giuseppe Rossi and Riccardo Montolivo.
“If you recall, I said Rossi should’ve been in the Euro 2008 squad, as he has exceptional quality,” added Bearzot.
“He reminds me of my own Paolino Rossi and would work well with Luca Toni and Alberto Gilardino.
“Of the other young players, I have to say Balotelli is very interesting. We’ll have to see how he does with the Under-21 side and reacts to sudden fame, because that is a danger with teenagers and it seems to me he has quite a character!”
Balotelli had to wait until he turned 18 in August to gain Italian citizenship because his adoption was never legally recognised.
The Inter striker finally made his debut for the Under-21 side in last night’s 1-1 draw with Greece, scoring the goal with a splendid volley.
“Why shouldn’t Balotelli make the immediate step up to the senior squad? At the very least he could be brought into the side for training and to see how he behaves.”
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