Italian Soccer In Need of Youth Movement

After Brazil wiped the floor with them, Italy and Marcelo Lippi must take a long hard look in the mirror. Sure the Confederations Cup does not have the prestige of the World Cup or European Championship, but the way they went out is still embarrassing.

We have seen this side age and struggle since 2006, showing all of us that Germany was their peak. They struggled to qualify for Euro 2008, and when they arrived, they received a footballing lesson from the Dutch. They were then tossed from the tournament after a gutless performance against Spain.

Marcelo Lippi returned to the squad, replacing Roberto Donadoni, after the Euros, but it was always a risk. As a World Cup winner, there was nowhere for him to go but down, and he has slipped further than most would have thought.

Lippi has insisted on relying on the 2006 squad to make up his nucleus, something that must be reevaluated. Fabio Cannavaro has not been the same since his move to Real Madrid, but it is always hard to drop a World Cup-winning captain. Therefore, unless Canna retires from international football before next summer, one would expect him to be in the lineup.

What is hard to gather, is why Lippi sent most of his youngsters to Sweden for the U21 European Championship, but kept Davide Santon with the senior team without giving him a game? Zambrotta, who kept Santon off the team, has been a loyal servant to his country, achieving 87 caps, but his performances in South Africa were far from convincing.

Genarro Gattuso is another player whose days should be numbered at the international level. Rino was injured for most of the season, but was still brought onto the team, and was unable to last the full 90 minutes in the two games he started. Pepe and Montolivo were far more effective when they were on the pitch, and added much needed speed to this aging side.

Up front, Lippi still relied on the likes of Luca Toni to lead the line. The Bayern Munich man has never hit his stride with the national team, and continued to struggle, particularly against Brazil where his hold-up play was horrendous.

It is hard to understand why Giaompaolo Pazzini was left at home after his good season with Sampdoria, but the lumbering and aging Toni was allowed to flounder yet again with the world watching.

Toni's inclusion against Brazil forced Vicenzo Iaquinta into an unfamiliar wide-left position, where he was completely anonymous. Iaquinta still has goals to offer for Italy, but they will come as a center forward, not a winger.

Mauro Camoranesi is another player who should be sacrificed by Lippi. At the age of 32, the Juventus winger has seen his play deteriorate rapidly. He was decent against Brazil, but could the live-wire have Giovinco produced more?

Even the enigmatic Antonio Cassano has a right to be in the squad at some point.

It should also be noted that he is Argentine, not Italian, and is the only player to not sing during the Italian National Anthem. While he certainly gives his all on the pitch, players who do not play for their country of birth are unfortunately becoming too common. While Giuseppe Rossi was born in the United States, he always made it his goal to play for the country of his parents, while Camoranesi only chose Italy after not being selected for Argentina.

Lippi must change things fast, for he will not be spared by the Italian media who labeled him as their savior only a year ago.

Although all is not lost for the Italians, the youngsters, such as Sebastian Giovinco, Mario Balotelli and Roberto Acquafresca, should be integrated to the squad soon, or Italy can not have much hope for 2010.