Destroyed And Sorry Italy Receive Unwelcome Return In Rome; Lippi & Players React

Italy have arrived back on home soil following their World Cup 2010 exit, and while few fans turned up for the home-coming, a group of angry supporters did make for an uncomfortable arrival.
Lippi and the team arrived at Fiumicino at around 08:00 CET amid a barrage of criticism.
Around 20 fans surrounded the car laid on for the coach and hurled abuse at him. Police and the authorities had to restrain fans and journalists from getting close to the coach as he was bungled into the vehicle before it whisked him away as reporters chased it.
As he was waiting for the driver to drive off, a group of angry protestors made their voices heard on what was a quiet and sombre morning in Rome.
"Shame on you! What a disgrace, you should be ashamed!" shouted the fans as they held up newspapers reporting Italy's failures.
Lippi did find some words, but they are not what everyone wanted to hear.
"I have finished with my comments. My flight was good," he said.
However, there was a sound of optimism as one fan shouted: "you are still great."
Players who are based in central and south of Italy disembarked in Rome. Those based in the north remained for a conncecting flight to Milan's Malpensa.
Quagliarella was one of the first to emerge and his mood was damp, despite playing well in the last game against Slovakia.
"I would have preferred to have gone through rather than play well myself, "We have all taken responsibility. There's nothing more to say. We tried." he told Sky Sport Italia.
On his future the Napoli man said: "I am going on holiday."
Riccardo Montolivo summed up the feelings in the Azzurri camp.
"We are all sad for this and we feel destroyed," the Fiorentina man said.
Antonio Di Natale added: "We are all sorry."
Giampaolo Pazzini hopes he has a brighter future under Cesare Prandelli who will be unveiled as the new coach on July 1.
"Yes we are all bitter with what happened. Prandelli? Yes I know him well," said the hitman.
Daniele De Rossi was altogether in no mood to share his views.
"No, no, I am tired," he said as he rushed past the chasing press gang. Salvatore Bocchetti, who didn't play in the tournament, said: "We are the first to be sad."
And Simone Pepe agrees with most of the headlines that greeted the players upon their arrival.
"Yes, it's a tragedy for Italian football," said the Juventus man.