Lippi looks forward to time with squad

Italy's World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippi is looking forward to a rare opportunity of working with the squad for a concentrated period of three weeks during the Confederations Cup.

"The last time I had them together for a long period we didn't do too badly," he quipped in a reference to Italy's World Cup success in Germany in 2006.

"We usually only get the players for a short period of time so we will look to use this period constructively," Lippi told reporters in South Africa.

"We will be trying to mix up a few youngsters with the experienced players we have. This is how you blend a side for the World Cup next year."

Italy are competing in the eight-team Confederations Cup for the first time and have been drawn with Brazil, Egypt and the United States in Group B. South Africa, Iraq, New Zealand and Spain are in Group A.

Italy start the tournament next Monday with a match against the Americans in Pretoria but before that have a friendly against New Zealand tomorrow and a training game with a local club on Friday.

The Confederations Cup, a test event for next year's World Cup, begins on Sunday and runs until June 28.