Italy's return to glory rests with cigar-chomping Marcello Lippi
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-06-28 06:44

Marcello Lippi has been handed the unenviable task of trying to revive the fortunes of the once revered Italian football team which left red-faced from Euro 2004 after just three matches.

Lippi, 56, has accepted a two-year deal to coach the Azzurri after the Italian Football Federation decided not to renew Giovanni Trapattoni's contract.

Trapattoni paid the price for his failure to take Italy to the knockout stages in Portugal and now it is up to the silver-haired Lippi to see if he can replicate his success at club level on the international stage.

Bearing a striking resemblance to Hollywood actor Paul Newman, Lippi won five league titles and a Champions League trophy during his two spells with Juventus,from whom he parted company last month.

Often seen puffing on a cigar during matches, Lippi's calmness under pressure exudes confidence and his temper rarely boils over.

But behind his smooth exterior lies a no-nonsense man who cares little for big egos.

Many believe Italy's poor display in Portugal was down to Trapattoni's reluctance to drop big name players like Alessandro Del Piero and Christian Vieri, who both looked out-of-sorts and failed to score.

Trapattoni opted to stick with the old guard rather than take a chance on in-form Parma striker Alberto Gilardino - Italy's second highest scorer last season - who instead went with the under-21 team and helped them to success in their version of the European championships.

But whereas Trapattoni lacked the courage to drop his stars, Lippi has shown that it doesn't matter who you are but how you play - as Edgar Davids found out to his dismay last season.

Rather than keep faith in a player that wasn't in form just because of his reputation, Lippi dropped Davids to the bench in favour of Ghanaian midfielder Stephen Appiah.

Lippi was born in the Tuscan seaside town of Viareggio and enjoyed an unspectacular playing career, his most successful spell coming at Genoa club Sampdoria.

His managerial career began in 1985 with third division Pontedera before taking the helm of top flight club Cesena four years later.

After spells at Atalanta and Napoli, Lippi's big breakthrough came in 1994 when he was given the job at Juventus and he led the club to the Serie A title in his first season in charge.

He guided Juve to two more championships before enjoying Champions League success in 1996 when they defeated Ajax on penalties at the Olympic stadium in Rome.

Lippi resigned from Juve in February 1999 after a poor start to the season and took charge at Inter Milan for a little more than one season before returning to Turin.

He won successive league titles in 2002 and 2003 before losing the Champions League final to Juventus on penalties last year.

Italy have not won a trophy since they lifted the World Cup in 1982, but if the immensely talented but under-achieving Azzurri can keep their cool like Lippi, don't bet against them ending their barren spell in Germany in two years' time.

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