Ranieri: Juve'll love Stan! Saturday 5 July, 2008
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The Juventus fans may have launched protests, but Claudio Ranieri believes they’ll warm to Dejan Stankovic. “He is a complete player.”
The Inter midfielder was in advanced negotiations for a move to Turin when a petition from Bianconeri supporters put the brakes on.
“Stankovic is a universal player with creativity, a great shot from distance, strong in the air and able to push up to support the strikers,” insisted the Coach.
“He is a complete player. I am convinced it would only take two or three games for the fans to forget all their complaints.”
The tifosi are furious that an Inter player – one who was very vocal during the Calciopoli scandal, at that – could be brought in for a key role.
The club and President Giovanni Cobolli Gigli admitted this week that the protests had made them think twice, but Ranieri is undeterred.
“The fans give us an extra push and proved it last year when they took us by the hand and led us to this point.
“If everyone is to get along for the greater good, then we have to take their opinion into account, but I am sure Stankovic would win them over in a couple of matches.”