Blog: Crisis of faith
Has the relationship between Juventus’ players and their Coach deteriorated beyond repair? Giovanni Spinella thinks that may be the case
The standard move for a struggling club is to sack their Coach. It is eye-catching, it sends a shock through the side and unlike players, whose transfers are tightly regulated within specific months of the year, a tactician can be removed and replaced at any time.
But this decision can be counterproductive. Any good Coach will have built up strong relationships with his players, fostering trust and working to create team-spirit. His sudden removal shatters these carefully constructed bonds and invalidates the work of months.
But there are times when a tactician’s removal becomes necessary – when the players lose confidence in him, when the team struggles to follow his directions and when they wonder if even he knows what he wants.
Decisions are questioned. Instructions are only half-heartedly obeyed or downright ignored. Everything, even injuries which are part and parcel of any season, is laid at the boss’ feet. And as poor results accumulate, a negative feedback loop begins.
Juventus’ relationship with Claudio Ranieri may have come to this. Over the last few games, many have questioned Ranieri’s decisions – including crucially, some of the players.
In the game against Napoli, from his decision not to start Sebastian Giovinco – arguably Juve’s most in-form player – to his inexplicable substitution of Alessandro Del Piero with a defender while the game was still winnable, the one emotion readable on the players’ faces was perplexed bemusement, soon followed by dark scowls.
Even all the muscular injuries that have plagued Juve so far this term raise questions – as to the fitness regime employed – and these doubts also include Juve’s lacklustre transfer campaign, with Christian Poulsen preferred to Xabi Alonso and only Amauri to really show for it.
There is a danger in overstating the situation. It is still only October and nothing – not even the Scudetto – is irrevocably lost. When the injured players return to action and recover their top form, the club’s fortunes will change.
But the one injury that no one ever heals from is the loss of faith. If Ranieri has lost the confidence of his players, then Juventus should take it upon themselves to end this fruitless relationship as soon as possible.
Channel 4