Arrigo Sacchi is excited about the prospect of Antonio Conte returning to Serie A and believes he’d be better off going back to Juventus than Inter.
The 53-year-old Italian coach mutually agreed to terminate his contract with Tottenham last week, closing a 17-month spell that ended in a rather acrimonious fashion.
The expectation is that Conte will either return to Juventus or Inter, or will take a sabbatical year to reset after a tough time with Tottenham.
Writing in La Gazzetta dello Sport, Sacchi first discussed Conte’s qualities and revealed an interesting anecdote from the 1994 World Cup.
“I consider Antonio Conte one of the best coaches on the European scene and, after leaving Tottenham, his possible return to an Italian club can only please me, we would find a coach who has gained even more experience and knowledge to put at the disposal of his players.
“Antonio is someone who makes a difference on the bench, someone who leads you to win titles (Juve and Inter know something about that), someone who gives his life for football and his work. I had him as a player on the national team at the 1994 World Cup.
“Years later, when he had already quit, he confessed to me that, when he returned to his room, he would write down in a notebook all the exercises we did during training. He already had the mentality of a coach, he thought as if he were leading a team.”
Later in the column, Sacchi explained why he believes it would be better for Conte to return to Juventus instead of heading back to Inter.
“Logical that the big clubs are now lining up for him. Especially Inter and Juventus, they say. I believe that he would be better off with the Bianconeri, because he spent a lifetime in Turin, first as a player and then as a coach. He has won a lot, he is respected and loved by the people.
“When he arrived on the Bianconeri bench, Juve was coming from a black period: Antonio won the Scudetto immediately and knew how to build a team and give it a game. He left because of a misunderstanding.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the story between him and Juve started again, provided the Bianconeri managers are not happy with what Allegri is doing. Of one fact, I repeat, I am certain: one more Conte in Italian football can only do good for the whole movement.”
Conte has a history of success in Serie A, winning four Scudetti – three with Juventus and one with Inter – and two Coppa Italia. In England, he won the Premier League and FA Cup with Chelsea.