Marcello Lippi: Antonio Cassano Will Not Go To The World Cup

Italy Coach Marcello Lippi: Antonio Cassano Will Not Go To The World Cup
Any lingering dreams that Cassano had regarding the Azzurri have been stamped upon by Lippi, who has firmly stated his stance on the player

Italy coach Marcello Lippi has attempted to bury the Antonio Cassano question once and for all, categorically ruling him out of the World Cup in South Africa.

Cassano's inclusion in the squad has always looked doubtful, and Lippi has now squashed any hopes the Sampdoria man had. The coach has his ideas set in stone, and it appears there will be no further chances for Cassano.

"I am very sorry for Cassano as he is a very good guy, but I have my own ideas, even though an incredible situation has been created," Lippi told L'Espresso.

"Everyone says I am a hard head and arrogant, but my real defect is being coherent. Fans and the papers are always like political parties. Everyone has his own candidate for the national team.

"The reason I don't give explanations regarding my selections is because it would create other situations. I have my own ideas."

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:If i picked the Italy side:

Cassano Gilardino
Aquilani
Marchisio De Rossi
Pirlo
Criscito Chiellini Gamberini Motta
Buffon

Maybe put D'Agostino instead of Pirlo since Pirlo and De Rossi don't work too well together.

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:Yeh i'm hopeful Totti might come out of retirement. He is playing well atm and would provide that much needed creativity in the final third. Still Cassano would've been better since he is more dynamic and can dribble past players.

Like you said, the likes of Di Natale, Quagliarella and Rossi aren't entirely convincing especially at the highest level.

Lippi tried Pirlo in the trequartista role - he did ok but not sure he will be able to perform against more physical defences. Montolivo is another option but he hasn't been that great for the NT. Apparantly he doesn't really care for the NT.

If i picked the Italy side:

Cassano Gilardino
Aquilani
Marchisio De Rossi
Pirlo
Criscito Chiellini Gamberini Motta
Buffon

Maybe put D'Agostino instead of Pirlo since Pirlo and De Rossi don't work too well together.

Super Higuain wrote:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:Yeh i'm hopeful Totti might come out of retirement. He is playing well atm and would provide that much needed creativity in the final third. Still Cassano would've been better since he is more dynamic and can dribble past players.

Like you said, the likes of Di Natale, Quagliarella and Rossi aren't entirely convincing especially at the highest level.

Lippi tried Pirlo in the trequartista role - he did ok but not sure he will be able to perform against more physical defences. Montolivo is another option but he hasn't been that great for the NT. Apparantly he doesn't really care for the NT.

If i picked the Italy side:

Cassano Gilardino
Aquilani
Marchisio De Rossi
Pirlo
Criscito Chiellini Gamberini Motta
Buffon

Maybe put D'Agostino instead of Pirlo since Pirlo and De Rossi don't work too well together.

I have lost faith in De Rossi ever doing it on a big stage. This guy has progressed in a very strange way. First a big talent and then he stalled before progressing again under Spaletti but nowadays I don't see him making enough of an stamp on big games. I have only seen a few games of D'Agostino and some clips but he seems to be a logical replacement for Pirlo until Cigarini is consistent enough. Also D'Agostino adds a bit more physically so Italy doesn't have to have bulls like Gattuso.

Haven't noticed Criscito too much whenever I have seen Genoa so I can't asses his talent. How good he is going forward? What happaned to Pasqual? Vargas took his place first before everybody figured out he was in fact a wing back. But I thought Pasqual got his place back after that or has he simply not lived up to his rep?

Axeslammer wrote:With our without Cassano : really hope Italy will end up in our group

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:

Axeslammer wrote:With our without Cassano : really hope Italy will end up in our group

Cassano>Van Dickface

Hope we end up in your group too, i hope we get completely outplayed and you miss lots of penalties during the match and then in the last minute Grosso dives to win Italy a penalty.

You will go completely mad.

Axeslammer wrote:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:

Axeslammer wrote:With our without Cassano : really hope Italy will end up in our group

Cassano>Van Dickface

Hope we end up in your group too, i hope we get completely outplayed and you miss lots of penalties during the match and then in the last minute Grosso dives to win Italy a penalty.

You will go completely mad.

I'll also wake you up and tell you the game that wasn't played in your dreams ended 3-0 to us.

We'll *slaughter* you lot

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:
Criscito is a defensive fullback. He also sometimes plays CB.

Dualist wrote:Both Cassano and Van Persie are genius players who would have easily reached & even surpass Ibra-level if they had their head in right place. Both looked to have turned a page. Most creative strikers in their respective league.

Super Higuain wrote:

Dualist wrote:Both Cassano and Van Persie are genius players who would have easily reached & even surpass Ibra-level if they had their head in right place. Both looked to have turned a page. Most creative strikers in their respective league.

Van Persie has better shooting ability but in every other area basically Cassano is better. Agooner mentioned this and I agree; Van Persie's creativity is overrated while his goalscoring is underrated. He will, a bit surprising, turn into a striker if he hasn't already.

Super Higuain wrote:
Axe
So next year is Holland's year?

Confidence as a virtue is much needed at the big cups but stupidity is not.

Axeslammer wrote:

Super Higuain wrote:
Axe
So next year is Holland's year?

Confidence as a virtue is much needed at the big cups but stupidity is not.

We're good, don't know if we're good enough to go all the way though.

All I know is that Italy is a third rate team nowadays, that's why I'd love to have them in our group

Axeslammer wrote:

Super Higuain wrote:
Axe
So next year is Holland's year?

Confidence as a virtue is much needed at the big cups but stupidity is not.

We're good, don't know if we're good enough to go all the way though.

All I know is that Italy is a third rate team nowadays, that's why I'd love to have them in our group

Historicus wrote:Italy will play a 4-5-1 with 5 DMs like they always do.

Super Higuain wrote:But still Holland couldn't beat Rusland and looked the second best all game long.

Football Genius wrote:Is it just me, or is it a little niave and silly to write off the opportunity to bring a player as part of his WC squad?

He may not be in Lippi's thinking for whatever reason right now, however a surge of injuries / form would surely then create a whole new proposition.

For an experienced manager burning bridges and closing doors seems schoolboy stuff to me.

Axeslammer wrote:

Super Higuain wrote:But still Holland couldn't beat Rusland and looked the second best all game long.

You do realize that our entire team was completely demoralized by the Boulahrouz miscarriage ?

Even then the Russians, who in that match put in the best performance of any team in the tournament, needed extra time to beat us....

Without the miscarriage we would have won the tournament, I'm sure of that.

Italy played three crap matches in the group and were "half" decent against Spain, who were clearly in control for the entire match.

Since then Holland has gone on in style, while Italy has even further deteriorated.

Yeah, I'd really pick Italy over us

Axeslammer wrote:
You do realize that our entire team was completely demoralized by the Boulahrouz miscarriage ?

Even then the Russians, who in that match put in the best performance of any team in the tournament, needed extra time to beat us....

Without the miscarriage we would have won the tournament, I'm sure of that.

Italy played three crap matches in the group and were "half" decent against Spain, who were clearly in control for the entire match.

Since then Holland has gone on in style, while Italy has even further deteriorated.