Lippi rules out return to club

Marcello Lippi has ruled out returning to club coaching when his stint as Italy boss is up.

"I say this officially - after my experience with the national team you will never see me coach a club again," Lippi told Swiss media expert and freelance journalist Klaus Davi.

"In part it's because I couldn't be there answering the pundits' questions for half-an-hour after a match that has not gone well," he added in an interview yesterday.

The 61-year-old took over the national team in 2004 and led them to World Cup victory two years later after having proven he was a winner in two successful stints at Juventus.

He quit after the 2006 triumph in Germany but returned to replace Roberto Donadoni after the Azzurri's poor showing at Euro 2008.

Lippi, who has also coached Inter and Napoli, said he could see plenty of positives in the effects the global economic downturn was having on football.

"The economic crisis is hitting the world of football deeply. It's restoring its health, bringing its feet back on to the ground," he said, citing Milan's relatively prudent transfer market activity.

"The economic crisis has brought out a desire in almost all managers to downsize this toy. As in Formula One, this resolution to reduce (costs) is extremely positive."