Jose Mourinho has hit back at Fabio Cannavaro for advising Davide Santon he should leave Inter.
Inter boss angered by Santon claims
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho has hit back at Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro for claiming that staying at Inter could wreck Davide Santon's World Cup hopes.
Defender Santon made his first-team breakthrough with Inter last season and was rewarded with his international debut in June aged just 18, but experienced foreigners such as Maicon, Lucio and Walter Samuel have kept him out so far this season.
Both Santon and Cannavaro are currently with the Italy squad preparing for Saturday's World Cup qualifier in Georgia.
Cannavaro, 35, has told media that Santon should consider leaving the Nerazzurri if he cannot be guaranteed enough first-team football.
The veteran Juventus defender believes that staying at Inter could prevent Santon staking a claim for a regular place in the Italy squad.
Reaction
And Mourinho has reacted by turning the spotlight on Juve, saying the same goes for some of their most promising home-grown players.
"Cannavaro is still a player, yet he speaks like a coach, a sporting director or a president," he said.
"Talking like he does, he makes mistakes and forgets other things such as, considering he and (Giorgio) Chiellini play at Juve, Nicola Legrottaglie should consider changing teams in January. Otherwise he risks missing out on the World Cup.
"Also before (Sebastian) Giovinco got injured, he played very little and should evaluate his choices in the future."