Choosing an inexperienced coach is always a gamble. Sometimes gambles pay off, yes, just look at Zinedine Zidane and Real Madrid. Look at Steven Gerrard and his title winning Rangers side. But at least they had prior experience at youth level. Their gamble was one that carried less risk. Juventus, by some contrast, went all-in on Andrea Pirlo, a legendary midfielder with a grand total of zero management experience. The Juventus Andrea Pirlo gamble has not paid off.
They played their last hand in hope of winning the lot, but, by the looks of it, the rest of the Serie A were all showing professional poker faces as Pirlo arrived. Now, at the end of the season, the likes of AC Milan, Atalanta and Inter Milan are holding the most meaningful cards and Juventus have been left looking like the joker.
The Andrea Pirlo gamble has far from paid off for Juventus. The sooner they realise that, the better.
The Juventus Andrea Pirlo Gamble Has Not Paid Off
From Titles Galore to Struggling for Top Four
Football is always a strange game, but around Europe, there have been a list of certainties in the last five years with one being Juventus retaining the Serie A crown. Maurizio Sarri was hit with more criticism than any Juventus manager had been hit with for years despite winning the title.
His side weren’t up to the usual standards, but, crucially, they were still labelled champions of Italy. Yet, off he went, dismissed by Juventus, replaced by a man with all the know-how on the pitch but, clearly, little when in the technical area. And, yes, the argument could be had that he needed this season to learn, but surely there are better ways to learn than by ending Juventus’ near decade of dominance and costing them a place in the Champions League?
Andrea Pirlo has had plenty of resources, too. He has Paulo Dybala, Alvaro Morata and Federico Chiesa all at his disposal. And that’s without mentioning one of the greatest players of all time in Cristiano Ronaldo. Resources have not been the problem for Pirlo. Tactics combined with inexperience have.
The Italian giants are lucky to still have a chance at a Champions League place. In truth, if it wasn’t for Serie A top goalscorer Ronaldo, they’d already be down and out for the count.
Potentially the Beginning of the Juventus Downfall if Andrea Pirlo Stays
As alluded to before, the goals of Cristiano Ronaldo have carried Juventus on far too many occasions this season. From a Juve point of view, they’ll be grateful to have one of the world’s best. But from a Ronaldo point of view, frustration will be starting to set in.
At 36, is the former Manchester United man really going to stick around for a season in the Europa League? And, even if they do qualify for the Champions League, Will Ronaldo stick around knowing a title win next season is unlikely?
He has dragged Juventus into a position of slight hope, but a player of Ronaldo’s stature will not think twice of releasing the Andrea Pirlo anchor so that he can sail to success one more time in his illustrious career.
Main Photo
Embed from Getty Images
