Il Capitano Alessandro Del Piero (258 Viewers)
- Thread starter Chxta
- Start date
todays announcement was at best poorly planned,poorly delivered and crigeworthy. Alex should have been there to make the announcement himself,he either should have done it at the grand opening of the stadium in front of an adoring public and gave it the whole "i am so glad that i am able to open this new chapter in Juventus history as i end my own" or they should have left it until the end of the season and let him do a lap of honour in front of the fans
however......playing devils advocate here
the speculation surrounding Alex contract situation would have dragged on for months and months,causing feelings of resentment among his many fans that the club led them to believe he may have more time/another contact in him. dealing with it now offers them a chance to allow the fans a long kiss goodnight,a chance to appreciate the sight of him in a Juventus jersey knowing that the era is coming to an end.
personally i do not think he has another season in him at this level,he has been playing above what we expected of him at this age,dragging the team along at times with inspirational performances and goals....i do not want to see him end his career incapable of producing moments of brilliance
these last few months will be tinged with sadness but the time is right for Del Piero to go,if only the club could have shown a glimpse of his class with the timing and manner of the announcement
however......playing devils advocate here
the speculation surrounding Alex contract situation would have dragged on for months and months,causing feelings of resentment among his many fans that the club led them to believe he may have more time/another contact in him. dealing with it now offers them a chance to allow the fans a long kiss goodnight,a chance to appreciate the sight of him in a Juventus jersey knowing that the era is coming to an end.
personally i do not think he has another season in him at this level,he has been playing above what we expected of him at this age,dragging the team along at times with inspirational performances and goals....i do not want to see him end his career incapable of producing moments of brilliance
these last few months will be tinged with sadness but the time is right for Del Piero to go,if only the club could have shown a glimpse of his class with the timing and manner of the announcement
Wrong way to say goodbye
Antonio Labbate on the dubious way Juventus announced the 2012 departure of Alessandro Del Piero
It’s May 2012 and the Pressroom at Vinovo is heaving despite the fact that they all know what announcement is about to be made. In walks Juventus President Andrea Agnelli, the legendary Giampiero Boniperti – the man responsible for signing Alessandro Del Piero in 1993 – and the club captain himself. With a tear in his eye and a voice rocked by emotion, Pinturrichio tells the world that he’s played in his last game for La Vecchia Signora.
That is how it should have happened. Instead, on any old day in October during a shareholder meeting in Turin, Andrea Agnelli confirms that the 2011-12 campaign will be Del Piero’s last in the black and white No 10 shirt. For a man who is in his 19th season at the club and whose Bianconeri jersey is his second skin, that was pretty classless from an outfit where Lo Stile Juve was once a meaning and not just a remark. Alessandro deserved better.
Today’s announcement was clearly more surprising in delivery than in terms of content. Of course it was to be expected after the almost 37-year-old only signed a 12-month contract extension earlier this year, but the timing, the setting and the manner of the statement was all wrong. Del Piero, after all, is not just any old player – that’s Amauri’s role. This is a club flag bearer, a man who didn’t flinch at the prospect of Serie B football, a leader who has scored 284 goals in 682 games for the side to date and a forward who is still hungry for more.
One would hope that Agnelli’s words were said in accordance with Alex’s wishes, but they made no sense. Why reveal all after just six League games of the new campaign? Juventus, after two consecutive seventh placed finishes in Serie A, need stability and tranquility in their search for the Scudetto. Now, having returned to the top of the table, the club run the risk of being asked some uncomfortable questions about a man whose status in Turin inevitably makes him big news.
The allegation that the decision to today announce Del Piero’s departure from the field of play was designed to divert attention away from the club’s balance sheet is a little weak. The fact that Juventus have made an operating loss of close to €100m hasn’t been disguised by the Alex revelation. If anything, it has magnified it. One would think that Agnelli, and the board, are too savvy to realise that wouldn’t have worked.
The biggest danger is that the club, Agnelli, the player – or whoever made the decision – have jumped the gun a little. Admittedly Del Piero is no longer guaranteed a starting shirt in Turin, he hasn’t for a few seasons, but a player of his class and experience could certainly still be of use on a part-time basis. Was he not thrown on as a substitute on Sunday against Chievo, hitting the post in the process?
Hypothetically speaking, what will happen if Del Piero starts making a telling difference again for the side in the second half of the season? Do the club select reverse and proclaim that, actually, Alex is still good enough for Juventus and they subsequently want him to stay another season? That’s not to say that will happen, but why run the risk?
The day when Del Piero finally did leave Juventus was always going to arrive, but the day when that announcement was made should have still been some months away. It was the wrong way to say goodbye.
Football Italia
Antonio Labbate on the dubious way Juventus announced the 2012 departure of Alessandro Del Piero
It’s May 2012 and the Pressroom at Vinovo is heaving despite the fact that they all know what announcement is about to be made. In walks Juventus President Andrea Agnelli, the legendary Giampiero Boniperti – the man responsible for signing Alessandro Del Piero in 1993 – and the club captain himself. With a tear in his eye and a voice rocked by emotion, Pinturrichio tells the world that he’s played in his last game for La Vecchia Signora.
That is how it should have happened. Instead, on any old day in October during a shareholder meeting in Turin, Andrea Agnelli confirms that the 2011-12 campaign will be Del Piero’s last in the black and white No 10 shirt. For a man who is in his 19th season at the club and whose Bianconeri jersey is his second skin, that was pretty classless from an outfit where Lo Stile Juve was once a meaning and not just a remark. Alessandro deserved better.
Today’s announcement was clearly more surprising in delivery than in terms of content. Of course it was to be expected after the almost 37-year-old only signed a 12-month contract extension earlier this year, but the timing, the setting and the manner of the statement was all wrong. Del Piero, after all, is not just any old player – that’s Amauri’s role. This is a club flag bearer, a man who didn’t flinch at the prospect of Serie B football, a leader who has scored 284 goals in 682 games for the side to date and a forward who is still hungry for more.
One would hope that Agnelli’s words were said in accordance with Alex’s wishes, but they made no sense. Why reveal all after just six League games of the new campaign? Juventus, after two consecutive seventh placed finishes in Serie A, need stability and tranquility in their search for the Scudetto. Now, having returned to the top of the table, the club run the risk of being asked some uncomfortable questions about a man whose status in Turin inevitably makes him big news.
The allegation that the decision to today announce Del Piero’s departure from the field of play was designed to divert attention away from the club’s balance sheet is a little weak. The fact that Juventus have made an operating loss of close to €100m hasn’t been disguised by the Alex revelation. If anything, it has magnified it. One would think that Agnelli, and the board, are too savvy to realise that wouldn’t have worked.
The biggest danger is that the club, Agnelli, the player – or whoever made the decision – have jumped the gun a little. Admittedly Del Piero is no longer guaranteed a starting shirt in Turin, he hasn’t for a few seasons, but a player of his class and experience could certainly still be of use on a part-time basis. Was he not thrown on as a substitute on Sunday against Chievo, hitting the post in the process?
Hypothetically speaking, what will happen if Del Piero starts making a telling difference again for the side in the second half of the season? Do the club select reverse and proclaim that, actually, Alex is still good enough for Juventus and they subsequently want him to stay another season? That’s not to say that will happen, but why run the risk?
The day when Del Piero finally did leave Juventus was always going to arrive, but the day when that announcement was made should have still been some months away. It was the wrong way to say goodbye.
Football Italia
To those saying you shouldn't be surprise about. Try to look at from Rab & Hoori's point of view. These people got into Juve & Football in general though Del Piero. Same with me. I wasn't so lucky to have parents that supported Juve, and passed that down to me, or watched them in the 80's. All I had was a old case of Fifa 2000 & recorded tape of France with Zizou during the 98 WC to get me into Juve. I Knew that he wasn't going to last, but I didn't expect it so early into the year, and said that way. As if he's being forced out.
I'll still support this team like no other, but it's going to feel odd.
I'll still support this team like no other, but it's going to feel odd.
On the bus on the way to the Chievo game Conte announced the team, Ale didn't get off the bus until 10mins after everyone else
I mean come on...conte would not just throw that in the bus trip...he has no need to do that to his old pal unless alex requested it.
