Italian new soccer coach Marcello Lippi was formally back at the Italy helm on Tuesday, promising to put the squad back on the track which allowed it to win the 2006 World Cup.
"I'm back to win," said the 60-year-old former Juventus coach at his official presentation to the press at the headquarters of the Italian Soccer Federation, where he fielded questions on when and how he was approached to return to old job.
Lippi was asked to replace Roberto Donadoni, who stepped down last week after Italy's elimination from Euro 2008 in a quarter-final penalty shootout with Spain, which went on to win the tournament on Sunday.
According to Lippi, the soccer federation approached him when problems arose over Donadoni's contract ahead of Euro 2008.
"My reply was: let's wait and see how Italy does in Euro 2008 and then discuss it."
He also denied ever trying to undermine Donadoni to get the job, a possibility the ousted coach hinted during his farewell press conference.
Donadoni said he had always felt Lippi's shadow hanging over him, like a Sword of Damocles.
To this Lippi replied "everyone has their own way of looking at things and at themselves".
"For five months after the World Cup I refused to even talk about Italy and afterwards every time I spoke about the national squad it was only to say positive things. I even said several times that I saw no team stronger than Italy," Lippi recalled.
Looking towards the future, Lippi said he wanted to bring back the technical staff he had with him at Germany 2006, plus former Lazio and national goalie Angelo Peruzzi.
He also ruled out the return of AS Roma captain Francesco Totti and AC Milan defender Alessandro Nesta, who called themselves off the national roster after the World Cup, mostly due to their age.
"I don't see them coming back. They've made their decisions. I speak to Totti often and we never talk about that," the Italy coach said.
Lippi left the Italy job in July 2006 after leading an unfancied team to World Cup glory and becoming arguably the most successful coach in Italian soccer history.
The only official reason he gave was that he felt his role "had been completed".
As coach, Lippi won everything at the every level in the game.
(Xinhua News Agency July 2, 2008)