FIFA chief Sepp Blatter has raised a fresh stir in Italy by criticising England's decision to pick an Italian, Fabio Capello, as national coach.
In remarks to the BBC on Capello's first day in charge, Blatter said it was ''surprising that the cradle of football has ignored a sacrosanct law, that a national team coach shouldn't be a foreigner''.
Blatter, who was widely criticised for his no-show at the presentation of the 2006 World Cup to Italy in Germany, went on to raise doubts about Capello's ability to manage England without being proficient in English.
''It's essential to speak the language in order to be able to motivate the players,'' Blatter told the BBC.
Renzo Ulivieri, the president of Italian coaches' association (AIAC), responded by pointing out that Italy had itself had at least one foreign coach in Lajos Czeiler of Hungary in 1953-54 - not to mention legendary Argentinian Helenio Herrera's brief co-tenure after Italy's humiliating exit to North Korea in the 1966 World Cup.
''Once more, the FIFA president has shown his ignorance of soccer history,'' said Ulivieri, who coaches Serie A struggler Reggina.
The AIAC chief recalled that he crossed swords with Blatter in the run-up to the World Cup, when the FIFA chief remarked that Italy's Calciopoli scandal was ''like something that could only happen in an African country''.
''Then, too, I spoke out, and defended the honour of African nations''.
Italy legend Gigi Riva, however, argued that Blatter's words should be seen as ''an honour for Italian soccer''.
''I'm convinced Capello will do well on that bench and achieve great results,'' Riva added.
Riva also stressed that Blatter had long since explained his failure to present the World Cup to Italy, saying he had meant Italy no disrespect.
