Time To Call it a Day, Claudio

By: alessio | May 4th, 2009

Dear Claudio,

While hesitant about your hiring, I’ve been one of your biggest supporters for the last two years. Despite a perhaps harsh reputation as a “loser,” I sincerely thought you could win some silverware with Juventus. I thought your tactics were solid, your man-management decent, and overall a good coach despite some questionable tactics.

But it’s time to throw in the towel, Claudio. I’m not going to criticize you for things I think are unfair, after all, you did deal with an unprecedented injury crisis at the club this season. Trezeguet, Buffon, Zanetti, Camoranesi, all are integral parts of the team yet the team managed to be within striking distance of Inter come the Derby d’Italia a few weeks ago. We had put together some strong performances, some good runs that nearly always ended with a break of some sort, and a Champion’s League run we should all be proud of.

It’s not the “losing mentality,” or the frustrating reluctance to play Giovinco, though you did do a great job in handing Marchisio the starting shirt ahead of worthless players like Tiago, Almiron, etc. It’s not the reliance on a 4-4-2, which like you, is my preferred formation whenever I’m playing Football Manager. It’s not your disappointing press conferences, where you always seemed satisfied regardless of the result. (Though given the situation against Inter, I agree, a draw was “good enough”) Really, it doesn’t have that much to do with your coaching, as much as an unfortunate sequence of events. You see, after our wonderful 4-1 win in Rome that relegated Roma to the Europe League, although Palermo may have something to say about that, we haven’t won a game since. We’ve drawn against relegation-battlers Reggina and Lecce. You’re not entirely at fault, Claudio, the players deserve a significant portion of the blame for throwing in the towel after the Scudetto race ended.

But it’s clear as of now, that you have lost the confidence of the players. It has nothing to do with the fans, really, we tifosi are fickle and do not have the greater picture in mind. The boardroom has always given you their vote of confidence. But the players…they are the most crucial part of all. Trezeguet has been complaining, too much, I agree. After all, coming back from double-knee surgery you cannot expect to waltz into the squad. And Camoranesi has had a horrible streak of indiscipline recently. But when I saw Gigi shake his head in disgust and anger, or Nedved sighing as he knew he’d end his last season of his glorious career silverwareless, or Del Piero groaning when you subbed him off, I knew you lost the Old Guard. And right now, they are the leadership of the team. Not you, not Blanc, not Gigli.

What worries me, Claudio, is that these legends who went to Serie B to fight in Arezzo and Frosinone, have given up. The worst possible thing that could happen is that they have given up the fighting spirit and have resigned themselves to mediocrity. Or to end their career on a high, these players choose to leave. No one would blame them, for all they have done for the club. Trez has plenty of suitors, Gigi could play for anyone in the world, Camo when uninjured is world-class, and while our Primavera is churning out amazing talent, they are still years from becoming the champions we already have.

Juventus isn’t going to sack you during the season, that’s not our way. And I don’t want them to. What you should do, is announce before the last game of the season that you are moving on. That way the tifosi can properly enjoy Nedved’s last hurrah, and perhaps give you some credit for the great work you’ve done with the squad, after all, your target last season was the Uefa Cup, and despite Secco’s disastrous signings, we made it comfortably in 3rd. I think you are a great guy, a decent coach, but it seems it’s time for us to go our separate ways.

We appreciate all you did. Thanks for all the great memories we’ve had together. All the best for the future wherever you decide to continue your coaching career.

Sincerely,
Alessio of the Juventus Offside