On Friday, Alberto Zaccheroni was named manager of Juventus FC. Ciro Ferrarra had been a dead man walking for weeks.
After elimination by Inter Milan in the Italian Cup on Thursday evening, Mr. Ferrara’s fate was sealed. Efforts to lure Guus Hiddink away from the Russian bench failed. There were rumours that former Juventus legend, Claudio Gentile, would be handed the reins. Or that Giovanni Trapattoni, the current Republic of Ireland manager, would return to familiar surroundings.
The Juventus brain trust of Jean Claude Blanc, Roberto Bettega, and Alessio Secco made a somewhat curious choice: A man who has only managed a few months in the last five years, although one who won the Scudetto with AC Milan in 1998/1999.
Temporary, but Experienced, Managerial Solution
Most likely, Zaccheroni is a temporary solution before Rafael Benitez leaves Anfield next summer for Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino; however, Zaccheroni may have other plans.
The tasks before “Zac?” Restore faith in the players, owners and supporters. Deliver a top four finish to ensure Champions League football next season. Produce a favorable presentation in the Europa League. Presently, Juventus is sixth in the Serie A table with 33 points from 21 matches. They have lost eight times already in this campaign, and were eliminated from the group stages of the UCL convincingly at home by Bayern Munich. Juventus will face Ajax Amsterdam in the next round of the Europa League.
Zaccheroni, 56, has managed five iconic Italian clubs: AC Milan, Internazionale Milano, Lazio, Torino, and now the Old Lady, Juventus. His first Serie A bench was with Udinese. Since he was sacked by Torino in 2007, he has not managed in the top flight. Twice during his managerial career, he has been replaced by Roberto Mancini. His sides feature a 3-4-3 formation.
During an interview with “La Gazzetta dello Sport,” he outlined what faces him in Turin.
“I’m not Rusty.”
“Voglio rimettere in ordine le cose non creare confusione nei giocatori”. In campo contro la Lazio si aspetta una Juve senza la paura degli ultimi mesi, con i giocatori ha iniziato subito a lavorare “sulla testa”. Partendo da una certezza. “Non sono arrugginito, vedrete. Me l’ha detto anche il medico dopo la visita medica”.
“I want to bring back order. Not to create confusion with the players.” On the ptich against Lazio (Sunday night) one expects a Juventus without the fear of the last several months. With the players, Zaccheroni has already begun to work ‘on their heads.’ He begins with a certainty. “I am not rusty, you will see. The team doctor also told me this after my medical.”
POCO TEMPO, TANTE IDEE — “Cosa mi manca? Il tempo per pensare. Ho un’idea vincente in testa, devo convincere i giocatori a condividerla. Per conquistare un obiettivo serve un’idea, per realizzare l’idea bisogna avere i mezzi giusti. Il pensiero comune è importante, è quello che ci permetterà di fare bene. Ho avuto mille impegni, mi sono buttato subito sulla squadra e sugli avversari. Spesso si ha subito la tentazione di trasmettere tutto quello che si ha dentro, il rischio è di dare troppi input e creare confusione nei giocatori. Voglio rimettere ordine, non far confusione. La disponibilità dei giocatori la do per scontata. Ieri nessuno di loro ha obiettato quando ho fatto questo discorso nello spogliatoio. La disponibilità è il punto di partenza, il talento è assodato”. Disponibilità ai dettami del nuovo tecnico, fra i quali ce n’è uno tutto particolare: mai buttare il pallone fuori dal campo quando un giocatore avversario è a terra.
Little Time, Many Ideas
“What do I need? Time to think. I have a winning idea in mind, and I have to convince the players to believe in it. To conquer an objective you require an idea, and to realize ideas you need the right pieces. The ‘common thought’ is important. It is what will allow us to do well. I’ve had a 1000 challenges. I’ve thrown myself straight away into the team and our opponents. Often, one is tempted to transmit everything that you have inside. The risk is to give too much input and create confusion with the players. I want to bring back order and not make confusion. I don’t discount the readiness (to his ideas) of the players. Yesterday, none of them objected when I spoke this way in the changing room. Openess is the starting point. The talent is assured.”
Being ready to accept the suggestions of the new manager, among them one in particular: Never kick the ball into touch when an opposing player is on the ground.
OBIETTIVI — “Abbiamo il dovere di fare la partita sempre e comunque. Domani sera mi aspetto che i giocatori si tolgano le paure che hanno condizionato gran parte delle ultime partite. La testa è il lato che di questa squadra conosco meno, quello più complicato. Devo capire cosa mi possono dare i giocatori, uno per uno. Non dobbiamo salvarci ma competere con la migliore del campionato, e vogliamo essere sempre in partita per 90 minuti”.
Objectives
“We have the obligation to always take hold of the game. Tomorrow night (Sunday against Lazio), I expect that the players will get rid of the fear that has saddled them for the great part of the previous matches. The mental side of this team is what I know the least about, but it is the most complicated. I have to understand what the players can give me, one by one. We don’t have to fight relegation but compete with the best of the Serie A, and I always want to be in the game for 90 minutes.”
IL CAPITANO E I BRASILIANI — “Ieri ho avuto un po’ di tempo per parlare con i giocatori nello spogliatoio. Ho iniziato con Del Piero, il capitano, mi sembrava doveroso. Gli ho detto cosa mi aspettavo da lui e ho parlato delle mie idee. Qualcuno dice che i brasiliani hanno fatto un blocco a sé, anche fuori dal campo? A me interessa quello che fanno a Vinovo e la domenica in partita, l’importante è che la squadra sia compatta. Il rendimento di tutti, brasiliani compresi, visto da fuori è inferiore a quello medio da loro stessi mostrato in precedenza. Il mio obiettivo è riportare individualmente tutti i giocatori alla media mostrata negli anni scorsi”.
The Captain and the Brazilians
Yesterday, I had a little time to speak with the players in the changing room. I began with Alessandro Del Piero, the captain, and he seemed very willing to me. I told him what I expected from him, and spoke of my ideas. Someone said that the Brazilians (Amauri, Diego and Felipe Melo) have made their own little group on the pitch and off of it? I’m only interested what they do in Vinovo (their training facility) and Sunday during the matches. It is important that the team is compact. The condition of everyone, including the Brazilians, seen from afar, is inferior to the standard they showed beforehand. My objective is to bring back the individual levels that the players demonstrated in the last few years.”
ELKANN — “John Elkann mi ha chiamato ieri dalla Cina per farmi i complimenti. Mi ha detto che ci vedremo presto, ha grande fiducia in me. Qualcuno gli ha parlato bene di me, lo ringrazio. Ho iniziato a sperare nella panchina della Juventus quando ho visto il mio nome nella lista dei possibili sostituti di Ferrara sui giornali”.
John Elkann, the American born grandson of Gianni Agnelli, Vice Chairman of FIAT, Chairman of Exor S.p.A.
“John Elkann called me yesterday from China to wish me well. He told me that we would see each other soon, and that he has great faith in me. Someone spoke well of me to him, and I thanked him. I began to hope for the Juventus manager’s job when I saw my name on the list of possible successors to Ciro Ferrara in the newspapers.”
Italian source courtesy of: La Gazzetta dello Sport, 30 January 2010.
Italian to English translation by Steve Amoia of World Football Commentaries.
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