I think Juve fans have to be thankful that this man's leading the club and trying to get Juve back to the place they truly deserve.
I might well be wrong but I think he sacrificed his image a whole lot with the way he handled Alex' issue. I personally never thought the announcement was unplanned or amateurishly handled. IMO, it was more like a gamble Agnelli took; don't forget that Juve were still far from title contenders when he announced Alex' retirement and it could have ended really bad for him if Juve hadn't had a wonderful season resulting in a long-awaited Scudetto. I believe it was a mutual agreement between the board and the coach. At this moment I'm willing to take back my word that it was something personal going against Ale. They knew/know that Del Piero was still better than almost every attacker Juve have at the moment but they decided that the time had come to take a very hard and painful but necessary step. With the new big star imminent signing, the endless comparisons with Alex could be too much to handle for a new player who, even at normal circumstances, would have a hard time adapting himself to the new environment. The pressure of taking a legend's place and wearing his jersey could be devastating. Fans will constantly compare the new star to Del Piero. With Del Piero still in the team, even if on the bench, it might have gotten out of control. Alex has to leave because he's loved, not in a bitterly jealous fashion, but because fans are ruthless when judging new players, especially when the new player is brought to take their idol's place.
Vucinic, a 15m signing, didn't have this problem because noone expected him to be nearly as good as even an old Del Piero but a +35m signing will be someone whom the club will have vastly invested on, if he doesn't live up to the expectations, it'll risk the club's money.
Alex was surely never going to make a fuss about it and the board had certainly counted on the fact that he's a classy player who wouldn't upset the dressing room and the stands. You can't see the board clearing the matters up regarding Del Piero either simply because they can't tell the fans that they are why the club has to make this difficult decision. It's my explanation of what's happened, could be wrong but makes sense most to me now that the whole thing is over.
It's Juve, the team you've been fans of for years, least you can do is to assume that the board's intentions are rational and try to choose the best and strongest interpretation possible.
Like i have said before.... the management is not stupid enough to sacrifice ale just for the sake of it. Those theories of "powerlust" and "im bigger than alex" are just wonky.
IMO, it was carefully planned decition...and in the end Agnelli said "ok guys, DP needs to go.. ill announce it and thats it". Agnelli took the first step because i dont think he was going to wait 3 more years for Ale to get 40 years and THEN think about what to do with his career.
It was done in the best momnet? no. It was carefully worded? no. It was ugly? hell yes. But lets remember something. This is not about Alex just warming the bench.. Del Piero like any good player, would like to play...and when he doesnt get playing time, he doesnt create a riot but he express himself in other forms. Maybe he doesnt do it publicly.. but im 99% sure that he had his good sour situations with Conte. Im pretty sure this time he took it like a champ because we are talking about Conte his friend and because dp was older now, . We need to rememebr that with Capello he had his rows (that time DP was TOTALLY spot on because capello was a fukin zlatan coksuker), also Ferrara once said something like "Del Piero always wants to play" in a manner of protest. What im trying to say is that Alex, as the champ he is.. will not accept being benched forever, and thats normal.... the problem was that Agenlli, Conte and the rest were not going let it go his way this time... because of all what King Ale said.
The amount of playing time he was going to get,the CL spot in the forward line,the pressure from the fans and maybe himself. All this factor i think that were the reaons of why agnelli , conte and marotta decided to do what they did with alex.
King Ale, i think ur theory is spot on and thats what i have been wanting to say in these past days. And yes, they got VERY lucky that we won the scudeto, and that this time alex took it like a real champ and didnt moaned or said any controversial words in the press, because alex could have create a war if he really wanted, but he has too much class for that.
I do not agree wih their methods and the way they made Ale feel and go out, but i just can understand why they did that and why they took this radical approach of "its now or never".