“It was the best start possible, there’s no doubt about that. The goal means even more given that it came at such a particular time as this. I wasn’t even expecting to play but these things happen sometimes in football. I’ve certainly never scored a goal that quickly”. Alex Del Piero spoke this afternoon about his winner in Wednesday night’s game against Cesena, only a few seconds after coming on as a substitute, and commented on his return the squad after a long summer’s rest: “Things are going well, but it’s inevitable I’ll need more time to reach my peak. There are players here who already have four or five friendlies in their legs, so after ten days training of course there’s more work for me to do”. And Sunday’s third round tie against Napoli? “I hope we can carry on playing the way we have been and go there with even more enthusiasm. I’m not sure what part I will play, given that I’m still not fully fit, but I will definitely travel”.
The Juve ace then turned his attention to the reasons behind his decision to stay with the Old Lady: “I knew I wanted to stay even before all this controversy emerged, and my decision remains the same today. I believe it takes courage to make a decision like this and I hope that myself, Pavel (Nedved) and Gigi (Buffon) will be remembered for it in years to come. I like the ‘Samurai’ comparison, they are mythical figures. In the end I didn’t have to think too hard about things, but it was a delicate decision which had to be made in the right way. I chose to stay here because of the glorious history of this club, because I’m happy in Turin, because I’ve always had the chance to succeed here. Now is a critical time but I’m closer to both John and Lapo Elkann and Andrea Agnelli than ever and I’m looking to approach things with a new kind of enthusiasm. My unique link with the club and the fans was also an important factor”. Along with the departure of Capello? “Well, yes. In terms of my involvement in the team and his rather negative handling of the group, my relationship with him was not particularly rewarding. The fact that no one here mourns his departure speaks volumes… Enthusiasm, the desire to play together and to feel part of a real group are all important. Last year we had a quality side, eight of our players took part in the World Cup final, yet we only won the Scudetto on the final day of the season and we were knocked out of the Champions League early on, not forgetting that if it weren’t for an error from the Werder Bremen goalkeeper we would have been eliminated even sooner, in the last sixteen. It was obviously no more than we deserved, given the quality and the volume of work we put in”.
And what does the future hold for the legendary captain? “My future is now, and I am committed to the work that needs to be done. I hope to stay in good condition and play for many years to come in the role in which I express myself best: as a striker. The goals I’ve scored are testament to this so why should I change now?” And working under Deschamps? “This is the first time I’ve had a former team mate as a coach but the signs are extremely positive. I knew him well as a player, he is someone for whom I’ve always had a great deal of respect, and these first training sessions have only confirmed how I’ve always felt”.
Alex then fielded the inevitable questions about the legal proceedings in which the club finds itself embroiled: “All I know is that I hope it will all be over and done with soon so we can get on with playing football. I wish there were no need, but for me, the course of action taken by the club is the right one; for the disparity of treatment between ourselves and the other clubs, and for the fact that we are the only ones who have changed the administration of the club and turned over a new leaf, the only ones who were willing to accept the sentence laid down by the sporting authorities. I share the views of the management, we had no other choice. I’m no legal expert but it is clear to see we have been treated differently and the club has a duty to protect its reputation”. And the three match ban from playing in Turin? “I just don’t understand it, it is totally irrelevant. The fans are the ones who lose out and they are entirely blameless”.
On a happier note, Del Piero revealed how his perspective has changed since that wonderful night in Berlin: “I see things differently now, I’m more serene. I’ve always played to win, enjoying myself was a bonus, now I hope the two will go hand in hand. My competitive spirit will never go away, neither will my pride, I just hope I can enjoy myself more than I have done over the last couple of seasons. Sportsmen must always keep that competitive edge but we have a lot of enthusiasm here and a great group of people, and that is certainly a recipe for success”
.
The Juve ace then turned his attention to the reasons behind his decision to stay with the Old Lady: “I knew I wanted to stay even before all this controversy emerged, and my decision remains the same today. I believe it takes courage to make a decision like this and I hope that myself, Pavel (Nedved) and Gigi (Buffon) will be remembered for it in years to come. I like the ‘Samurai’ comparison, they are mythical figures. In the end I didn’t have to think too hard about things, but it was a delicate decision which had to be made in the right way. I chose to stay here because of the glorious history of this club, because I’m happy in Turin, because I’ve always had the chance to succeed here. Now is a critical time but I’m closer to both John and Lapo Elkann and Andrea Agnelli than ever and I’m looking to approach things with a new kind of enthusiasm. My unique link with the club and the fans was also an important factor”. Along with the departure of Capello? “Well, yes. In terms of my involvement in the team and his rather negative handling of the group, my relationship with him was not particularly rewarding. The fact that no one here mourns his departure speaks volumes… Enthusiasm, the desire to play together and to feel part of a real group are all important. Last year we had a quality side, eight of our players took part in the World Cup final, yet we only won the Scudetto on the final day of the season and we were knocked out of the Champions League early on, not forgetting that if it weren’t for an error from the Werder Bremen goalkeeper we would have been eliminated even sooner, in the last sixteen. It was obviously no more than we deserved, given the quality and the volume of work we put in”.
And what does the future hold for the legendary captain? “My future is now, and I am committed to the work that needs to be done. I hope to stay in good condition and play for many years to come in the role in which I express myself best: as a striker. The goals I’ve scored are testament to this so why should I change now?” And working under Deschamps? “This is the first time I’ve had a former team mate as a coach but the signs are extremely positive. I knew him well as a player, he is someone for whom I’ve always had a great deal of respect, and these first training sessions have only confirmed how I’ve always felt”.
Alex then fielded the inevitable questions about the legal proceedings in which the club finds itself embroiled: “All I know is that I hope it will all be over and done with soon so we can get on with playing football. I wish there were no need, but for me, the course of action taken by the club is the right one; for the disparity of treatment between ourselves and the other clubs, and for the fact that we are the only ones who have changed the administration of the club and turned over a new leaf, the only ones who were willing to accept the sentence laid down by the sporting authorities. I share the views of the management, we had no other choice. I’m no legal expert but it is clear to see we have been treated differently and the club has a duty to protect its reputation”. And the three match ban from playing in Turin? “I just don’t understand it, it is totally irrelevant. The fans are the ones who lose out and they are entirely blameless”.
On a happier note, Del Piero revealed how his perspective has changed since that wonderful night in Berlin: “I see things differently now, I’m more serene. I’ve always played to win, enjoying myself was a bonus, now I hope the two will go hand in hand. My competitive spirit will never go away, neither will my pride, I just hope I can enjoy myself more than I have done over the last couple of seasons. Sportsmen must always keep that competitive edge but we have a lot of enthusiasm here and a great group of people, and that is certainly a recipe for success”
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btw i agree with him about capello..
