Lippi Pays Capello Debt Of Thanks
Wednesday 20th June 2001
New Juventus manager Marcello Lippi has revealed he was touched by Roma manager Fabio Capello wishing him well for his second spell with the Turin giants. "He was the only coach to ring up when he heard I was on my way back to Juve," he said.
Lippi was delighted because Capello took time out from concentrating his efforts on leading Roma to their first Serie A triumph since 1983. "He rang when he was focused on the Scudetto," he said.
The returning chief, who quit Serie A runners-up Juve in February 1999 after a home defeat to Parma, is determined to learn from past mistakes as he returns to the Stadio Delle Alpi.
"I am a changed man," he said. "In the past, I have sworn too much and not had a great attitude."
"I should not have resigned like I did in 1999. Now I am here to win and I am not scared. This is the duty of every manager at a big club.
"I am proud and happy to have been called upon by the directors of the club. I am replacing a polite man in Carlo Ancelotti.
"I have an excellent group of players here and we just need to be more aggressive.
"My leaders will be Alessandro del Piero, Zinedine Zidane and also Edwin Van der Sar. I rate him and I'm sure I'll stick with him as my number one goalkeeper."
"Tacchinardi has changed a lot as he has grown up. I now consider him irreplaceable."
Lippi enjoyed a successful first spell in charge of Juve between 1994 and 1999, guiding them to three Scudettos and the European Cup in 1996.
He took over the hot-seat at Internazionale after leaving Turin, but was sacked after just one game this season after the Nerazzurri lost to Reggina on the opening day.
