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English teams aren't English, scoffs Italy coach Lippi
Italy coach Marcello Lippi, seen here in February 2009, has dismissed notions of a battle between English and Italian teams in the Champions League this season by claiming that the Premier League sides aren´t actually English.
ROME (AFP) - Italy coach Marcello Lippi has dismissed notions of a battle between English and Italian teams in the Champions League this season by claiming that the Premier League sides aren't actually English.
The Italy coach, who guided the Azzurri to World Cup glory in Berlin three years ago, told a foreign press meeting that he believes the Italian teams can progress in the Champions League against their 'international' opponents.
Juventus and AS Roma lost 1-0 away in their round of 16 first legs against Chelsea and Arsenal respectively while Inter Milan were held 0-0 at home by Manchester United.
Those results have cast a shadow over Italian football with many in the game convinced Serie A representatives will fall to English opposition for the second year in a row.
But Lippi hit out at the make-up of the Premier League sides.
"Chelsea, Manchester (United) and Arsenal, like Liverpool, don't represent English football," said Lippi.
"But instead, like in other countries, that of globalised football where the owners, coaches and the majority of players are not English.
"The true clash between the two (English and Italian) is only between the national teams."
Of the four English clubs in the Champions League only Arsenal are not foreign-owned; none of the four have an English manager.
Arsenal rarely field an Englishman from the start while Liverpool only really use Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher with any regularity.
Chelsea usually start with three Englishmen in John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole although Joe Cole would also probably play regularly if fit.
Even European champions Manchester United have a less English feel to them this season.
Only four Englishmen in Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Carrick are part of the regular first team picture.
However, injuries have prevented Owen Hargreaves, Gary Neville and Wes Brown from playing more often while there is still much more of a British feel to United than their rivals.
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson is Scottish as is midfielder Darren Fletcher while Ryan Giggs represents Wales, Jonny Evans plays for Northern Ireland and John O'Shea for the Republic of Ireland.
Bit-part players Ben Foster, Danny Welbeck and Adam Eckersely are English while Darron Gibson was born in Northern Ireland, but represents the Republic in international football.
In Sunday's League Cup final, United began the match with four Englishmen, two Irishmen and a Northern Irishman while Giggs came off the bench.
However in Wednesday's 2-1 Premier League win at Newcastle, they started with just three Englishmen, a Scot and an Irishman.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/2009 ... fbleurc1itaenglippi
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