I have been living in the rainforest here in NZ for many weeks now. The wild natural beauty of this country continues to astound, inspire, even cause me to consider a new path in life to lean my ever shifting slow then manic moving train of thought and steam in this direction longer term. Throughout my adventures here at Te Henga, daily dalliance with the savage ocean ever hungry for souls, and beyond, as I have traveled around the north island on a little nipper Duke 390…pristine beaches, translucent turquoise waves lapping upon the shoreline, bathing in volcanic hot pools, tumbling into ditches on two wheels in the middle of ever darker forests yet saved by wild natives…what have I been glued to? On the screen of my box of tricks battered, drowned, thrown, stabbed, strangled rasputin Motorola?? It was Juve.
No matter how much of an avalanche my cynicism tidal waves, my disgust, my wrath, then my apathy takes hold, regardless I remain connected to this culture. This thing we call Juve. A shirt. A history. A badge. A misspent life following those in our colours on the grass. I imagine many of us feel the same, for good and ill.
Somehow, despite the repeated horrors and setbacks of these last fateful six seasons, whenever a major change is made to try solve the issues I can still miraculously find hope revive. Which is how I have felt since it was confirmed that Tudor was replacing Motta at the helm a few days back. A period of gloom and despondency instantly ended, stardust floats around my love of the shirt which suddenly feels divine, magic is in the air…
All is yet again aflutter. Though something feels different this time. Something hard to explain to those fans/followers of the club who didn’t live bonded to the club through the 2010s let alone the 2000s and 1990s. The difference maker is Tudor…What he represents as a juventino to the core. As well the promise and value as a coach he has shown over the last few years.
I remember watching some of Motta’s first press conferences as Juve coach. I was left increasingly underwhelmed, uncomfortable, even worried. After the initial flurry of nervous smiles, there seemed very little emotion, he became robotic in his responses, those chuckles had changed, now almost hinting at something sly and terrible of anything organic flowing beneath the icy exterior. To contrast this with Tudor’s opening of his heart and soul of yesterday’s official presentation is like changing universes. His passion, humbleness, transparency all unmistakably sincere, aligned to a steely will to revive and inspire to thrive, this beloved club of his and millions of other hearts so eager to beat as one for the cause…
My concerns of the overall management of the club remain quite terrible. Make no mistake on this score. I do not believe we just needed to make this one change – a key position of course – then all would be well. Far from it.
I differ with the view of many in regards to Elkann. To my mind, he hasn’t changed a great deal since our mega successful period of the 2010s. Nobody seemed to care much about him then, because we were winning close to everything. The spiral of ruin began with his cousin choosing the usurper Paratici and Ronaldo circus over Beppe in 2018. It became worse, more dizzying over the years passed since, culminating in the whole BoD forced to resign and as for Elkann???…Needing to pump in EU900m to keep the club solvent and in any way afloat as well as hastily construct a completely new management team.
No, he has never been an owner who attends every game. He runs an empire, with Juve not at all his major focus. This does not mean that he doesn’t care for the club, that he doesn’t recognise and value the longstanding bonds between his family, his blood and the shirt.
His moves to replace the BoD made sense from a perspective of sending in trusted administrative professionals to clean up the mess left by Andrea Agnelli and his merry stooges. Adding Giuntoli to this felt a strong and intelligent move. However, the balance was not right. Our SD has behaved more a de facto president than his expected, reported role. Whilst the President (Ferrero), CEO (Scanavino) and other directors have proven close to ghost like figures, or high powered clerks ever with their eyes on spreadsheets and discussing behind closed doors figures, due diligence, club administrative processes and stock value. And maybe that is what they were expected to do? With Giuntoli picking up the slack and basically running the whole show from a sporting perspective? Whatever the intention, he was given too much power, too little oversight.
It feels wrong. Unbalanced. We remain in dire need of a President and Directors of established football pedigree. I understand why Elkann put in place who he felt could be trusted to clean up the business side of our horror show. Now is time for him to take note more of a balance is required, if we are to become more serious in our goal of returning to greatness on the field. Hence why I was very pleased to find stories- albeit yet to be proven more substantial than rumours – of Chiellini’s role now including a sense of go between for the owner to have regular reports of a credible insight into the inner workings of the club from essentially his position outside. Some will have read that it was a meeting of the two who brought about Chiellini’s entry into our upper management last Summer. That story read of Giorgio impressing John so much he amended his plans of the BoD makeup. More of this is needed. They need not be former players. Simply proven professionals with demonstrated success running a high level football club. The idea of Chiellini having the ear of Elkann encourages me greatly.
What this means for Ferrero, Giuntoli and Scanavino especially I cannot say beyond my assumption all are under review by Elkann. Calvo is slightly different, having former experience at Juve and elsewhere in similar roles and his recent successful nomination to the FIGC council. Hate this as some do, and I can understand and relate, I can also acknowledge the idea that it can be more strategic to have some influence on the inside of enemy lines than to howl and roar and raise the drawbridge, meet with cannons and other hellfire if they ever approach. Both tactics have their merits. The latter, unfortunately, is unlikely a war we can ever hope to win…unless, somehow, we can work from inside their setup.
I believe Elkann understands that the club needs more than professional administrators to be successful as a football club. More than one director of any football pedigree autonomously running the sporting project absent of regular oversight and guidance. Which isn’t to suggest I hope to see Giuntoli culled. It is to assert we need a more balanced BoD, ideally a President who leads in and outside of the boardroom and office.
My thoughts on Giuntoli would require another, separate mega ramble. Suffice to say for now that I am more critical than praiseworthy towards his work at Juventus. I see positives and negatives, more of the latter, which could well include a perceived inability to understand the need for and seek to foster a climate of transparency, clearly expressed values and respect.
Which brings me back to Igor Tudor. Whose name to mention now makes me smile, even giggle like an excited child. This insensible attachment I have to the club, no matter how wretched our journey becomes, has long seemed as unshakeable as an extra limb, something I can try forget about, even threaten to amputate but never quite manage to do so. A life long magnetism impossible to break from. Tudor, I believe, feels similar.
He was close to tears referencing Marcello Lippi during his press conference. Everything he said, and he certainly had a lot to say, felt so real, refreshing and emotional. I have not seen before such a powerful introduction of a new manager at Juve or anywhere else. He also exudes a deep rooted sense of decency, of treating people the right way and demanding others do the same.
A week or so back, my only interest in watching the Genoa game was to see Miretti. Now you find me eager to see all of our players in black and white, from their first breath on the field to their last, as well as Tudor on the sidelines making every tackle, lunge, shot, hack, header with his troops. It is already hard not to expect some kind of explosion to take place! From a team looking barely animated corpses in their last two outings in our colours, emerging from the tunnel I envisage a squad of berserkers with crazed zeal in their eyes, war cry deafening, led by Tudor dressed as a roman centurion!
You see! This is how quickly hope springs eternal. Its both a terrible and wonderful curse. And the healthier path is to seek the middle ground.
Tudor is uno di noi. He spent 7 years playing for the club during a period which epitomises the traditional spirit associated with Juve. Lippi, Ancelotti, Capello all passed through the club during these years 1998-2007. Igor was loaned out for one of them, and whilst remaining with the club when we were gunned down to Serie B, injuries prevented his meaningful presence on the field. For some of these seasons we were regarded as one of the best clubs on the planet, managed by coaches still renowned as of the highest level.
As a manager, he has moved around a fair amount, remains young for the industry at 46 and it is his last 3 stints which bring the most encouragement. He improved Lazio and Verona quickly. I believe the former ended up gathering more points in the tail end of last season under his guidance than all others than high flying Atalanta. His Verona side became horrid to play against and exceeded expectations. His lengthiest sample size in recent years was at Marseille. Again impressive. Shaping an intensely hard pressing, direct, aggressive team always playing on the front foot.
It wasn’t the results which caused him to leave these clubs, it was the lack of his vision matching that of the club management above. This is important to note. He demands a huge amount of himself, his players and the club. It may be worth bearing this in mind if he does succeed – yet still leaves in the Summer.
Some regard him as a poor man’s Conte. I can understand the comparisons. Both fiery characters, demanding mega work rate from their players. Yet Conte seems to throw tantrums when his teams are under-performing, his loyalty is first and foremost to himself, not his values, nor Juve – which does not seem Tudor’s style. They also both share a history in black and white, though beyond a preference for 3 at the back, the comparisons tend to loosen hereafter. Many modern coaches play with a high press.
Other detractors point to his recent time at the club ostensibly as assistant coach. As Tudor has noted since then – which was not a season I count as a failure for the coaching staff or squad – Pirlo didn’t operate in a typical fashion. Essentially he was relegated to a lesser role than expected, not working as the closest advisor to the manager.
“I decided one thing: I will never be anyone’s assistant again.
“Pirlo called me to Juventus. That’s how it went, there was a list with five names compiled by Juventus and [Fabio] Paratici left the decision to Pirlo.
“He chose me. But since he is very close to [Roberto] Baronio, he brought him too. And another one, an analyst, and he put us all on the same level.
“It wasn’t fair, because after all I’m a coach. But I accepted it because it was Juve.”
(Tudor)
He seems driven, has found himself in his dream job. Brings demonstrable success stepping into difficult situations and bringing swift improvement. Has more understanding of the historic values of Juventus than anyone else in the building, other than Chiellini. Many positives, though the reasons his arrival has been brought about are less cheerful.
I do not see this appointment as assuredly confined to these last 12 games of the season (including the CWC). I see it as an audition for a future beyond. For a man who drove 1000km to heed the call from management to take this role. Same chap who paid out the remainder of his Split contract to join Juve even as an assistant previously.
Tudor inherits a team whose offensive game for many months has been in complete tactical atrophy. Our attacking players are often isolated. We barely create any threat from set pieces, from through balls with runners breaking the lines, from long shots or from cohesive team moves. I cannot remember a Juve side ever so lifeless up front. Motta created a passing machine focused 99% on the first two thirds of the pitch. It was as if he threatened to bench any players but the front line vanguard who dared to spend more than a few seconds in the opposing box. If the game was won on possession alone, we would be chasing the title.
Due to the man management issues, we also have a team lacking togetherness and good cheer. Motta appears to have cultivated a climate of fear, where anyone speaking out or not performing strongly even when given a few minutes was benched or exiled to other clubs. Veterans would speak in criticism of the squad not Motta, then be never heard of again! (I was pleased to learn from Tudor that Perin is still alive)
It seems to me mainly a task for the new boss of filling the players with belief, encouragement and ideally imbuing into their hearts and souls a hint of Juventinita. There is no time for drilling any complex new tactical models. Simply putting the players in their best roles and inspiring their war cry could be enough to spur us onto a solid stab at confirming 4th spot for CL qualification.
How quickly Igor can manage this will determine both whether his dream becomes a reality and if this latest change in the hot-seat is another false dawn.
Regardless of what happens next, I welcome him back with great feeling and hope. If he is able to transmit a drop of his pride for the badge to these players, we may well find the right man to lead this shapeshifting, faltering project and make it his own…
He is uno di noi.
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