Italy coach Marcello Lippi hopes to start bringing through more young players.

Italy take on Montenegro on Saturday evening and then welcome the Republic of Ireland to the Stadio San Nicola on Wednesday April 1 for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

Lippi called up three debutants for these matches, former Under-21 stars Giampaolo Pazzini, Salvatore Bocchetti and Marco Motta.

"I want to gradually integrate youngsters into this squad. I asked the old guard to give me a hand in teaching them what the Nazionale is.

"I promised [Under-21 Coach Pierluigi] Casiraghi I would leave him the players who earned their place in the European Championships, but seeing as the Azzurrini are having a friendly this week, I called a few up.

"Pazzini was my first choice when [Alberto] Gilardino got injured. Bocchetti is doing very well, but there are also others who are impressing me at the moment.

"Among them are [18-year-old Inter defender Davide] Santon, but I considered it best to let him go through the process of the international scene and so I think he should start from the Under-21 side."