Lippi hails Steven Gerrard as finest English player

Dec 13 2007 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

Steven Gerrard celebrates after Liverpool beat Marseille _320

WORLD CUP winner Marcello Lippi believes compatriot Fabio Capello is “the best possible choice” to become England’s new manager.

And the former Italy coach reckons Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is the finest player in the national team ranks.

Capello is firm favourite to succeed the sacked Steve McClaren, with the Football Association revealing they yesterday held “positive” talks with the 61-year-old.

And Lippi, who coached Italy to World Cup glory last year, reckons England have the right man.

“Capello is the best possible choice for England,” he said. “It’s enough to see how many trophies Capello won in his career to realise what his qualities are.

“Should an Italian be England manager? If the Football Association go trying to find an Italian manager then it means it is possible.”

Lippi was speaking after Liverpool’s 4-0 Champions League victory in Marseille, where he was working as a co-commentator for Italian television.

Asked if England have any good players, Lippi added: “You saw the best on the pitch tonight and that was Gerrard.”

McClaren was dismissed after failing to lead England to qualification for the Euro 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland next summer.

And Lippi said: “Like everyone else around the world I was surprised about that (England not qualifying) but personally I was also very sad about it.”