Juventus: The 6 Coaches Who Might Be on the Bench Next Year
Despite having spent upwards of €50 million in the summer, disappointing results mean that Juventus FC may find themselves shut out of Europe’s maximum competition for the second year in a row.
Luigi Delneri, who transferred from Sampdoria with newly arrived sporting director Giuseppe Marotta, will most likely bear the brunt of the organization's displeasure, and for the past several weeks, the newspapers have been rife with speculation as to who will be take over the Juventus hot seat next year.
Here are a few of the favorite candidates.
Luciano Spalletti
1 of 6
The ex-Roma and Udinese coach has been bruited about as a candidate since his falling-out with Rosealla Sensi three years ago, and this season is no different.
Spalletti has utilized the 4-2-3-1 system since before Jose Mourinho made it cool, emphasizing technical play and a stylish, attacking football philosophy. Following a breakdown in the defense and a fractious relationship with Francesco Totti, Spalletti left to ply his trade at Zenit St. Petersburg, where he returned the Russians to the championship for the first time in 11 years.
Spalletti stil has a few years left on his contract at Zenit, meaning this one is more rumor than reality. The notion of returning to the Italian top flight following two years in wintry east Russia may persuade him otherwise, however.
Fabio Capello
2 of 6
Capello is no stranger to Juventus, having coached the squad to two Scudetti (later revoked) from 2004-2006. Famously rigorous in his discipline, irascible, blunt and with incredibly entertaining facial expressions, Capello could be just the man needed to whip a demoralized side back into championship condition.
The current England boss has a superb record, having never taken on an appointment without winning some silverware (excepting, of course, the English squad). However, Three Lions fans are quick to point out the Friulian’s preference for older, physical battlers cost England in South Africa, and Juventus will recall his blacklisting of captain and legend Alessandro Del Piero.
But recent memory should not tarnish Capello’s record as a whole. The man has won quite a bit and deserves recognition as a true tactitian.
But his contract with England sees out Euro 2012, and he has publicly stated that it will be his last gig as a manager. Perhaps he will return at a directorial level, but that remains to be seen.
Louis Van Gaal
3 of 6
The only non-Italian on this list, Louis van Gaal’s name has been thrown around at Corso Ferraris after it was announced the Dutchman would resign his post at Bayern Munich at the end of the term.
Last year’s Bundesliga championship and an appearance in the European Final against Inter last year failed to keep van Gaal in the good graces of FC Hollywood, as fissures in the defence have undermined Bayern’s title run.
A coach in the Johann Cruyff mold, van Gaal regularly espouses his philosophy of attacking football in the 4-3-3 form, characterized by a Catalan tiki-taka with a touch of teutonic brawn. Notoriously unceremonious in front of cameras, van Gaal has also earned himself a reputation for acerbic, plain speaking.
Van Gaal was quick to stamp out rumours that his wife was overheard chatting up a transfer to Turin, stating that he intended to take a year sabbatical before returning to football. While certainly averse to the defensive tactics of Serie A, van Gaal would certainly guarantee the most entertaining brand of play.
Antonio Conte
4 of 6
Conte has been repeatedly linked with the Juventus bench, first following Claudio Ranieiri’s exoneration two years ago as well as that of Ranieiri’s replacement and Conte’s teammate, Ciro Ferrara.
During Conte’s 12 years in the black and white, he won every honour possible at the club level, including five Scudetti and the UEFA Champions League (1996, the last occasion the team held the “big-eared” cup) and embodies that winning spirit now absent at the team.
Conte’s tenure at Bari saw the Calabrians return to Serie A as well as the definitive explosion of Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Ranocchia (now at Juventus and Inter, respectively). During the brouhaha surrounding Ranieri’s replacement, Conte tied himself to the Bari team but was inexplicably let go before the end of the season.
Currently Conte helms the Serie B side Siena, now in second and all but assured a return to the Italian top flight.
Conte plays with a hyper-offensive 4-2-2-2, with two solid strikers fed passes by a pair of flighty wingers and two defensive, indefatigable holders in the middle of the pitch who maintain the equilibration between defence and attack. While his record in the Serie A is spotty (he was fired by a relegated Atalanta side), his familiarity with and history at the Bianconeri empowers his candidacy.
Walter Mazzarri
5 of 6
The organizational force behind Napoli’s sensational title run, Walter Mazzarri’s phenomenal success with the partenopei has not gone unnoticed through the peninsula, given his rise to prominence under Beppe Marotta’s Sampdoria side.
Mazzarri’s 3-4-3 has upended the Serie A and led Napoli to within less than spitting distance of leaders Milan (thanks in no small part to rampaging goal-scorer Edison Cavani). In short, he has delivered both results and spectacle.
Journalists have even designated the last 15 minutes of the match “Mazzarri time” as the team has snuck in 19 goals in the last stretch of the game (40 percent of their tally).
Of course, Napoli are in no hurry to see their talisman go to a direct rival, and the former Livorno man is tied to a 2013 contract. That isn’t to say he couldn’t be lured away.
Luigi Delneri
6 of 6
By this point, everyone has given up Luigi Delneri for dead. No silverware, an early exit from the Europa League and Italian Cup and in all likelihood another finish outside the top four are the highlights of a disappointing tenure.
But to heap all the blame on Delneri is a touch unfair. The team has been riddled with injury all term.
Vincenzo Iaquinta, Amauri, Jorge Martinez, Gigi Buffon and Armand Traorè have only made cameo appearances throughout year, while the season-ending bone breaks of Fabio Quagliarella and Paolo De Ceglie meant the loss of in-form players in crucially weak departments.
Furthermore, some of the liability must lie with Beppe Marotta, whose transfer activity has been hit or miss.
Not to say Delneri is without fault. He refuses to adapt the 4-4-2, the zone defence leaks goals like the Lusitania and he is maddeningly inconsistent with his selection. But all is not lost.
The Vecchia Signora won at Roma last weekend, beat Inter at the Stadio Olimpico and have enjoyed a rejuvenated Milos Krasic on the right and the goal supply of Alessandro Matri. Should Juventus continue winning and qualify for Champions football (through some miracle), we may yet see Delneri at Juventus once again.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
