On-loan AS Roma forward Luca Toni said he is still dreaming of a place in Italy coach Marcello Lippi's 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ squad after bouncing back to form since the turn of the year.
Toni has featured little since Lippi came back to the helm following Italy's quarter-final exit at the UEFA EURO 2008 two years ago.
And after being frozen out at Bayern Munich over the first half of the season his chances of a FIFA World Cup call up seemed to have disappeared. But a loan move to the Italian capital as helped rejuvenate not just the 32-year-old but also his chance of heading to South Africa, although he recognises that there is a lot of competition for the striker positions.
I've had some good games and I've got my form back. If I do go it will be a dream, otherwise I'll still be supporting Italy.
Luca Toni
"There's many of us in contention for the Italy shirt, Lippi already has his ideas on his squad. I hope to go, he knows me well," said Toni. "I've had some good games and I've got my form back. If I do go it will be a dream, otherwise I'll still be supporting Italy."
As for his club future, Toni admitted he doesn't know where he will be playing next season. He has made it clear he would like to stay in Rome and reiterated that as long as Luis van Gaal is the Bayern coach, he cannot see a future in Bavaria.
"I have to think about finishing the last three games on a high. I've still got a contract with Bayern, my relationship with the club is very good but if van Gaal stays it will be difficult for me to do so," he said. "We'll get together around a table and decide what's best for everyone. They helped me a lot in coming to Rome and I have to thank them for that."
