Former China PR and Juventus manager Marcello Lippi has officially retired from coaching.
Since resigning as head coach of the Chinese national team following a 2022 World Cup qualifying defeat to Syria, Marcello Lippi, has been unemployed since November last year.
“I’m definitely done with the coaching job,” Lippi told Radio Sportiva. “That’s right, it’s enough. Maybe I could be useful in other roles, let’s see. But nothing until spring.”
He lasted just six months in the job, his second time coaching China’s team.
After successful spells with Atalanta and Napoli, the 72-year-old Italian took over the manager role at Juventus in 1994 and led the Turin-based club to three Serie A titles and the club’s last Champions League trophy in 1995-96.
Across two stints as Juventus coach and a one-year stint with rivals Inter Milan, Marcello Lippi managed to bag five Serie A trophies, four Supercoppa Italiana crowns, the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Intercontinental Cup and Coppa Italia.
After leaving Juventus in 2004, Lippi helped Italy to World Cup glory in 2006 and he was re-appointed by the Azzurri in 2008 following two years away from the national team.
In light of this tremendous success, Lippi has bowed out of his coaching career after joining Guangzhou Evergrande in 2012 and equally enjoyed much success; three Chinese Super League titles and the AFC Champions League trophy alongside Chinese FA Cup and Chinese FA Super Cup.
During his time in China, Marcello Lippi didn’t have any success with China’s national team and announced his resignation in November last year after a shocking 2-1 loss to Syria.
“A team should give everything on the pitch. The tactics of the head coach should be carried out. If the player is afraid of losing the game, then there is no fighting spirit, desire, guts,” Lippi said post-match.
“It is my responsibility, the head coach’s responsibility, although we defeated Guam and the Maldives, but the team that we played against today was better, more coordinated and organised than us.
“My annual salary is very high. I am fully responsible for this loss. Now I declare that I officially resigned.”
