Lippi-Cassano: The Real Reason?
By: Francesco | November 10th, 2009
Since Lippi has taken over the national team for a second time, the big question has always been, “Why aren’t you calling up Antonio Cassano?” Cassano has widely been recognized as the best Italian player at the moment and there is no other talent in Italy that can even reach his level at the moment (maybe an in-form Totti). Lippi has given us a variety of answers: “A manager doesn’t have to explain his choices“, “Let’s focus on the players that are here, not the ones that aren’t“, “All players aged 18-40 can dream of playing for the national team“, “Cassano is a great player and a nice guy, but I make the choices“, and the list goes on and on. There isn’t one press conference that goes by without the name Cassano being mentioned. Fans everywhere are wondering why Cassano isn’t being called up as he clearly deserves it. Well, Italian satirical news program Striscia la Notizia has claimed to have found the answer.
There was always a rumor floating around that Cassano and Lippi’s son, Davide Lippi, had gotten into a fight some time ago. When Davide Lippi was asked about this he laughed it off, saying it never happened and that he actually likes Cassano and whenever they see each they joke around. However, Striscia la Notizia confirms that this story may be the real reason and the “ugly story” that Sampdoria president Riccardo Garrone talked about last week. They actually have an interview from “somebody that works in the football world” but he remained to be anonymous, so his face is blurred out and his voice has been changed. Here is the interview:
For the non-Italian speakers, basically he describes the story, saying that months ago Davide Lippi and Cassano were both at a club in Versilia, a popular beach destination in Tuscany (close to Lippi’s hometown of Viareggio) for celebrities and filled with tons of famous nightclubs, and that they got into a little argument which led to a fist fight, and Cassano kicked Davide Lippi’s ass.
So Marcello Lippi apparently holds a grudge against Cassano for this whole fight and refuses to call up Italy’s most talented fantasista. Is this the real reason? I’m sure we’ll see tons of the stories relating to this in the coming days, weeks, months, and probably even minutes before the kick-off of the first World Cup match.
What do you think? Do you believe this is the reason? Leave your thoughts in the comments section.
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Tags: Antonio Cassano, Azzurri, Calcio, Davide Lippi, football, Futbol, Italian National Team, Italy, Marcello Lippi, National Team, Nazionale, Players, Rumors & News, Serie A, Soccer, World Cup 2010Subscribe
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Comments | Add your comment
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Isnt that show an Italian joke show?
Posted from
United States
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Striscia Lo Striscione is usually played for laughs
Posted from
United States -
Camoranesi is pure garbage!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get him off the team already!!!!
Posted from
Canada -
Marco, you must surely be a fan of cricket then, because you certainly have no idea what’s been going on in football lately lol. Camoranesi has been terrible enough to score on back to back games and even score 2 in 2 minutes in the last Juve game against Atalanta. Oh, and he’s been giving assists left and right. But I guess that’s not as good as Italy’s other star wingers such as Simone “I have lead feet” Pepe.
Posted from
United States -
Cassano has inconsistencies, and a warranted reputation for trouble. But he has matured as a player and as a person, at least on the field. Call him a late bloomer, but I love what he’s been doing lately.
I know people don’t want to talk about “spirit,” but he certainly has heart, and he wears it on his sleeve, and sometimes that makes all of the difference in a game against 2 sides with fairly equal talent levels.
Do NOT leave Camoronesi out of the lineup. He is great even when he’s not in form.
I love Giovinco, but I’m not sure if 2010 will be his year.
Balotelli is way too hot-headed, we do not need to be collecting red-cards in a World Cup tournament. But he is very talented, and could easily be in a future squad, as well.
But I am not Lippi. If I was, I’d call up Cassano for a friendly or two just to get everyone to shut up. Then we could go back to focusing on a repeat next year.
Posted from
United States -
Anyone saying Cassano should not be in the squad is a fool, and should never speak on the game again. To say the media overates him is crazy. I don’t ever hear him mentioned on FSC ever, but when you see this man play he is the pure class of Calcio. Get your facts together kid.
Posted from
United States -
cassano blowsss!
Posted from
United States -
i love it when people critisced camoranesi for being lousy, etc, they obviously never watch him play, the only drawback for camo is he is injury prone, old, and looks tired towards the end of the game.
Posted from
Singapore -
ha this is so funny anyway we do not need cassano at our team he is a big match flop like ibrahimobitch
Posted from
United States -
I been reading the forums for a while, but never really posted, but some of “you people” on here are stupid and no nothing about the game and talent. It’s pretty funny how people say Mauro is done, he is one it Italy’s finnest players at the moment. Many of you need to actaully watch Calcio matches before you come comment here because you are making yourselves look stupid.
Posted from
United States -
camoranesi is the most all round and versatile player we have in my mind, he has experience, aggressiveness, passion, pace, dribbling skill, creativity, vision and awareness. he could play anywhere in the midfield and still do well!
Posted from
United States -
As long as Italy feels like they have a real chance to take home the cup, and they do, they cannot afford to have a headcase like Cassano mess things up even if his talent could increase their odds of winning. On talent alone he should be there, but for the same reasons a not quite deserving talent like Gattuso makes the team, a deserving talent like Cassano stays home. Unless your name is Ronaldo or Messi or someone of that extremely high level, attitude and trust can cost you a spot on a top national team. Now if Cassano was from South Africa or Uruguay, he would be the poster child of that team attitude be damned. Italy is a different animal.
Posted from
United States -
with the current set up of the Azzurri, you know the one that Lippi used in qualifying, Italy has a 0% percent chance of winning in South Africa. Depending on who we draw, getting out of the group might prove too difficult. There are too many teams that are much stronger than this current Azzurri for them to have major impact.
Not sure what would be involved in fixing the problems, nor do I think they can be fixed before South Africa.
Posted from
United States -
The Dutch style of play (clockwork orange) is the kryptonite to the Italian way of playing the game. That fast, constantly moving quick style of soccer is the perfect strategy against the methodical, poised, skilled and patient way of play that the Italians are masters of. Teams are starting to pick that up, and Italy has suffered. The way the US competed with Italy in the WC shows. Fast, fast, fast…don’t give the Italians time to think. Lippi needs to address this issue before June asap.
Posted from
United States -
^The way to beat any team is to not give them time to think. Italy is fine, they do what they have to. They just need a youth overhall on the national level.
Posted from
United States -
Are you going to make a preview on Italy U-19 and their upcoming qualifiers, Francesco?
Kinda like you did with the U-20 world cup.
Posted from
Denmark -
remember Cam0 will be 34 next June, not sure we hv to depend on him.
Posted from
Singapore -
What to argue is with his perfomance, sure Cassano deserves at least a call up for friendly, rite? I bet Lippi is just afraid that he’ll perform, then The Cigar Man eventually is forced to stick with him.
Posted from
Singapore -
If Camoranesi is Italy’s best player then how bad has it really become? Seriously. I’m not saying he is a bad player, but is he really the best Italy has to offer?
Cassano, and several others, deserve a place over current players just based on performance and numbers alone. People keep talking about Cassano, but there a many other players who deserve a shot as well.
Lippi has lost his marbles. Some might admire him for sticking with the majority of the players who won in 2006 but others, like me, think he’s extremely stupid and narrow minded.
I don’t like this “we’ll give so and so a shot for meaningless friendlies” approach. These are players that he has no intentions of using in a meaningful match but probably should. He needs to be picking a consistent squad each time the Nazionale play. He needs to take a page, or 30 pages, from Capello’s book.
Lippi is the Azzurri’s # 1 problem at the moment. I never thought I would see an Azzurri as bad as the one we have seen in the last 2 and half years.
Posted from
United States -
anyone else find it interesting that before tomorrow’s match has even started, Lippi has asked the fans to cut the Azzurri some slack and not whistle from the start of the match.
To me that speaks volumes.
He then goes on to say that he will change 7 to 8 players fro next week’s encounter with Sweeden. I don’t see the point in doing that.
Posted from
United States -
cause its a friendly paoloo
Posted from
United States -
I realize it is a friendly. So what? Why call players that I know, you know and he knows, won’t be used in the World Cup. Why not give more deserving players a shot and use it as a platform to help build a contender for the World Cup starting from now. I realize I walk a fine line with what I say and it may seem like I’m contradicting myself, but Lippi has to be picking the best available players for each match, not giving some kid a Cap that he has no intention of using in a match that means more than this.
Considering the limited time the National team spends together and considering how close it is to the world cup, now is as good a time as any to start building to improve the team that will feature at the world cup.
Maybe then, he wouldn’t have to worry about fans whistling before a friendly with Holland.
Posted from
United States -
Lippi has stated that he will probably not call up any more new players.so I guess he has a list in mind and is planning on using them accordingly.. I like his choice of pazzini,palladino,and cadreva. I think pepe,gatuso,rossi, palombo,should go. Also d’agostino is walking a thin line with me, although I like him, his playing in the blue shirt is not as good as the blanconero. I think grosso has to be used in a different way, maybe in front criscito. Also include Stanton ,and cassano. balotelli will eventually get the call although not sure when.
Don t know if you guys remember the match against Cyprus but when dinatale, and quags came on we started to score. Like the combination of gila and iaquinta but only in a 442. Imagine thisBuffon
Zabro(Stanton) canna,chiellini,criscito
camo(landreva)pirlo,grosso(giovinco)
Iaquinta(pazzini,quags) gila, dinatale(cassano)Posted from
United States -
LOL, you set up nearly Lippis loosers, imagine this Azzuri starting team:
Buffon
Nesta, Chiellini, Ranocchia
Pirlo, De Rossi
Aquilani, Totti, Camoranesi
Cassano, RossiPosted from
United States -
Pffft, this is a joke, guys.
Posted from
United States
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