Italy manager glad to see the back of ‘foreigner’ Kaka

Marcello Lippi is quite a character. The Italy coach - pictured shirt lifting with Gennaro Gattuso - once claimed there are no gay footballers, and can now add a string of xenophobia to his thoroughly illiberal bow.

When Sky Italia asked about Kaka’s world record move to Real Madrid, the 61-year-old didn’t exactly lament Serie A’s loss:

The more foreigners that leave Italy, the better it is for Italian Calcio.

Granted, Lippi would have a greater selection for his national side if Serie A was devoid of any foreign talent, but of course, it would also make for a much weaker league, with far less revenue-generating potential.

If Lippi was coaching in England, someone would have thrown an egg at him in the street by now.

[Goal via Dirty Tackle]

Italy manager does his bit for homophobia

In the week that the FA are desperately trying to recruit footballers to front an anti-homophobia campaign, Marcello Lippi has tackled the subject by claiming there are no gay footballers. And if any remain in the closet, the Italy manager thinks they should probably just keep their ugly sexuality under wraps:

“I don’t think there are any gay players, or at least in 40 years of my career I have never met any. It could well be that there are a few with these tendencies, but they don’t go around telling people about it. Considering the way football players are, it really would be a complicated condition to deal with in the locker room. If someone came to me and confessed they were gay, I would advise them to not let any of that affect them, just concentrate on their profession and feel free to do what they want in their private lives.”

The World Cup winning coach will be disappointed to learn that many footballers are doing exactly what they want in their private lives, if an anonymous whistle blower named ‘Victory’ is to be believed. He is believed to be an ex-footballer and current rent-boy, who