Blanc backs Ranieri 'for four games'
Tuesday 5 May, 2009
General manager Jean-Claude Blanc backs Claudio Ranieri, but asked for “unity in these four games, then we'll see.”
A few weeks ago the Bianconeri chief had given his Coach unconditional support, but he confessed to television cameras that things have changed.
“The figures in a club are tied to the results on the field. Today's message is we are all on the same boat. As directors we are capable of making decisions and right now the decision is to all work together on our path for the final weeks of the season.”
Today he called Ranieri to the club headquarters for an emergency meeting and then held the squad in the locker room for 90 minutes to discuss the seven-match winless streak.
“What is happening to Juve? It's a difficult moment in sport and the fact we have not won in 45 days is weighing on us,” Blanc told Sky Sport Italia.
“It was right to talk to the whole team and the staff, sharing what needs to be done an the objectives we must achieve. We came together and are united.
“In October we went through a similar period, so we will take the same steps and try to emerge from this crisis the way we did back then.”
Ranieri hinted he felt abandoned by the club hierarchy in recent weeks, so Blanc and director of sport Alessio Secco have pledged to change that situation.
“It was right we talk to Ranieri and we have taken the decision to spend more time together. We are checking the details more carefully in an important week that leads up to Milan-Juve.”
This coming weekend there is a head-to-head for second place at San Siro and there are reports another embarrassing setback could see the Coach sacked or resign.
“[Patron John] Elkann was right when he said a season can only be evaluated at the end,” continued Blanc.
“We will concentrate on the remaining four games and on doing as well as we can. We have the quality and mentality to emerge from this situation. I've asked for unity in these four games, then we will see.”
It is hardly a glowing recommendation and also hints that talk of a furious row within the Juventus locker-room has truth to it, specifically that Mauro Camoranesi was livid at half-time against Lecce when he was substituted.
Blanc moved to silence newspaper reports that Ciro Ferrara will be put in place as the caretaker Coach if Juventus lose to Milan.
“It is not true that we will put Ferrara on the bench. We will keep going with this staff until the end of the season.
“The club is on Ranieri's side. This is a difficult moment. But enough of the criticism, I demand respect for the work done by our staff.
“With the work Juve is doing, they do not deserve such strong criticism. A little respect would also help on an international level, so people could see Italian football doesn't just destroy everything with this criticism.”
source:
http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/may5t.html