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Interview: Italian coach Lippi says he spent three fantastic years in China

Xinhua, November 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

The positive experience in China has made Marcello Lippi want to coach a team again in Italy, the Italian legendary coach told Xinhua in an interview on the sidelines of the China Awards event held here in Milan earlier this week.

Lippi, 67, received the special Golden Lion award at the 10th edition of the China Awards charity dinner, held in the Italian business capital in the presence of distinguished guests, for his great contribution and active participation in the relations with China.

"I did enjoy very much the time that I spent in China," Lippi told Xinhua.

"The three years that I spent in China were fantastic, not only because of the sporting victories but also for the human relations that I built with my city and with the whole of China," he added.

Last February the World Cup-winning coach resigned as the coach and the technical director of Chinese Super League (CSL) champions Guangzhou Evergrande, citing health and family considerations.

Under Lippi's guidance, Evergrande claimed the Chinese top-flight league in 2012, 2013 and 2014, won the CFA Cup in 2012, and made the history by taking the AFC Champions League title for the first time in 2013.

Lippi said he felt very welcome by China. "I perceived great estimation and respect in every place that I visited in China," he went on saying.

Lippi told Xinhua that when he was in China, he often happened to talk with the industry experts about the development of football in the Asian country.

"I always told them that in order to push the progress of football in China, it is certainly important to acquire good players and coaches from all over the world, but it is more important to lay the foundations for a development of the youth sector," he pointed out.

In his address to the China Awards awarding ceremony, Lippi added that he will travel to China in the next days for some cultural meetings, also with the local students.

He said that after coming back to Italy from China, he realized that he was not tired of being a coach, but was still enjoying the job, thus was now eyeing opportunities to take charge of a team.

In fact, Lippi also explained to a public of local authorities and company representatives, he resigned his post in China not because he was tired of the job, but as he was feeling too far away from his family and home.

"If it had not been for this reason, I would have continued very gladly with that experience in China," he highlighted.

The China Awards is a ceremony organized by the Italy China Foundation and daily business newspaper MF Milano Finanza to praise and encourage the Italian and Chinese companies and personalities that have best seized the opportunities of the two markets and contributed to enhance mutual knowledge and friendship. Endi