Former Italian World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippi has admitted that he is not ruling out a return to coaching on the international stage.
Speaking in Melbourne on Monday ahead of his side’s Asian Champions League clash against Melbourne Victory, the tactician confirmed that his club coaching career will be over following the expiration of his current tenure at Guangzhou Evergrande.
“As a club coach, this will be my last,” Lippi said.
“I don’t know if I will continue to coach, but if I do, it will certainly be a national team.”
The 66-year-old went on to pay tribute and laud the achievements of current Juventus boss Antonio Conte, whom he believes embodies the “juventino” spirit while also expressing his delight at parallels drawn between the two.
“Antonio Conte has kept intact his great characteristics of great determination and quality.
“As a coach he was able to retain his qualities and transfer them in a particularly difficult time for Juventus after what happened.
“He’s already won two Scudetti and this is probably going to be his third. What this squad lacks still is progression in Europe.
“Parallels with me? I hope that if someone has compared him with me, he is happy.”
The mastermind of Australia’s downfall at the 2006 World Cup reflected on that particular match, citing that the Socceroos made his team’s qualification to the quarter finals a very arduous task.
“That was a very good Australia of my good friend Guus Hiddink.
“They made it difficult for us, also due to the fact that we played for an hour with ten men because of [Marco] Materazzi’s expulsion, and then we only got through thanks to the penalty.”
The five-time Serie A and UEFA Champions League winning coach discussed the quality of Asia’s elite continental club competition and insisted that he has been impressed by the standard and development in the region.
“It is a great level – you need to look at the Korean teams, the Japanese teams and also the Australian teams,” he asserted.
“They come from countries that will play in the World Cup in Brazil and the level is good. Of course there is no Bayern Munich, Real Madrid or Barcelona’s but the gap between them and other European teams is also large.”
When asked as to whether he would consider taking up the Italian national team post one more time, the answer was quite clear.
“Three?,” he laughed.
“No, no, I have worked with the Italian Federation two times, no. Three times no.”
Follow Shaun Moran on Twitter: @moranshaun
