Lippi tinkering can go on

Six months after Marcello Lippi took charge, Italy still look like a work in progress as they prepare to play Russia in a friendly on Wednesday. Cagliari’s Antonio Langella became the 46th player to be called up by Lippi since he replaced Giovanni Trapattoni after Euro 2004.

Langella was added to the squad following the withdrawal of AS Roma striker Antonio Cassano. The 22-year-old Cassano, who has a reputation for being difficult to manage, pulled out with a knee injury on Sunday despite playing in all of AS Roma’s 1-1 draw with Bologna just hours before.

Former Juventus coach Lippi has been true to his promise that no-one would enjoy the right to automatic selection and current form rather than past performance was the more likely to earn a call-up to the national side. His policy has claimed several notable casualties.