Roma captain Francesco Totti has hinted that he may be open to a nationalteam recall following the return of FIFA World Cup™ wining coach Marcello
Lippi. Totti won the last of his 58 caps for Italy in the 2006 FIFA World Cup
final in Berlin before he dithered over whether to officially retire that
summer and only did so in 2007.
Lippi recently declared that he will respect Totti's decision to retire and
that he has no plans to entice back the man who scored the last-minute
penalty that beat Australia in the second round in Germany.
However, Totti told Sky Sports Italia that with Lippi back at the helm he
would need to speak to the new coach before he changes his mind and that for
the time being his is concentrating on his recovery from knee surgery.
"I have an excellent relationship with him, away from the field as well and
we are often in touch with one another. It is up to him to see and for now I
am only thinking about my recovery. I've not yet spoken to Lippi about this,
we will have to weigh things up in the future."
Hopes for a striker:
With Totti missing the last two months of the 2007-08 season, Mirko Vucinic
was Roma's only out-and-out attacker in the title run-in in which they
finished second to Inter Milan.
Whilst the Stadio Olimpico club has strengthened its squad in the summer
months, the 31 year-old is hopeful that another striker will be added and has
high hopes that Fiorentina's Romania striker Adrian Mutu will be lining up
alongside him when the league kicks off on August 31.
"I hope that we sign a top striker. The important thing is that it is a
player who can make a difference. I would take Mutu over everyone else. He
would enjoy himself here," Totti said. "(John Arne) Riise and (Simone) Loria
are two excellent buys. Riise is an international player and in his role
Loria is one of the strongest players in Italy."
It has been a long summer for Totti, who has been battling back from his knee
injury with the Italian Super Cup against Inter on August 24 his target,
while while haggling over a new contract with his current deal set to expire
in 2010.
"The target (for his return from injury) is August 24, but the important
thing is to return when I'm ready. I miss football, but even when I'm not
supposed to, I will have a secret kick about. The directors have always said
that I will sign for life. My current deal ends in 2010, so this is the last
year for renewing it."
was Roma's only out-and-out attacker in the title run-in in which they
finished second to Inter Milan.
Whilst the Stadio Olimpico club has strengthened its squad in the summer
months, the 31 year-old is hopeful that another striker will be added and has
high hopes that Fiorentina's Romania striker Adrian Mutu will be lining up
alongside him when the league kicks off on August 31.
"I hope that we sign a top striker. The important thing is that it is a
player who can make a difference. I would take Mutu over everyone else. He
would enjoy himself here," Totti said. "(John Arne) Riise and (Simone) Loria
are two excellent buys. Riise is an international player and in his role
Loria is one of the strongest players in Italy."
It has been a long summer for Totti, who has been battling back from his knee
injury with the Italian Super Cup against Inter on August 24 his target,
while while haggling over a new contract with his current deal set to expire
in 2010.
"The target (for his return from injury) is August 24, but the important
thing is to return when I'm ready. I miss football, but even when I'm not
supposed to, I will have a secret kick about. The directors have always said
that I will sign for life. My current deal ends in 2010, so this is the last
year for renewing it."
Source: fifa.com
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