Is Cassano the Answer to Lippi’s supposed problems?

November 18, 2009

The pressure on Marcello Lippi to reconsider selecting Antonio Cassano to the Azzurri is unrelenting. It was only last weekend against the Netherlannds in Pescara , that a fan of the Sampdoria striker invaded the pitch wearing a t-shirt saying “Cassano in Nazionale” - no translation really required here!

Credit must go to Lippi for the debut selections for Antonio Candreva (Livorno) and Davide Biondini (Cagliari) for rewarding these young talents for the hard work and form they have shown for their smaller teams. Their form shown in the game against the Netherlands justified and proved that their call-up was warranted. Giampaolo Pazzini and Raffaele Palladino both were recalled for the Netherlands game also, with Palladino coming back into the fold from a two year absence. Pazzini has been in fine form this season and certainly offers a real attacking spark up front.

It certainly seems the Italian media is not content with Lippi’s selections and a day doesn’t seem to go by without a mention of Cassano, Amauri or retired pair Alessandro Nesta and Francesco Totti. Perhaps all this talk needs to be put in context, when you consider Italy is the reigning World Champions, Lippi coached the team to the World Cup in 2006, and the team managed to qualify for next year’s world cup with a game in hand, something European contenders Portugal, France, Russia and Greece couldn’t do.

Marcello Lippi knows how to coach, and knows what he needs from a team for a grueling four week long tournament, and perhaps including a player such as Cassano (notorious for his temper and attitude) or Amauri may offer short terms gains , but the possible unbalancing of the squad unity is a longer term loss not worth risking…the saga will continue until June!

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