Marco Tardelli has joined the calls for Alessandro Del Piero to take over at Juventus, perhaps more in the role Paolo Maldini has at Milan than as a direct replacement for Andrea Agnelli. ‘He’d be in the Giampiero Boniperti mould.’
The former captain and legendary Number 10 left the club in 2012 when he was not offered a new contract, continuing his playing career at Sydney FC and Delhi Dynamos until retirement in 2015.
He had not been back to the Allianz Juventus Stadium since that wave goodbye in 2012, until Saturday during the 1-1 draw with Bologna, given a standing ovation by the crowd.
His appearance prompted fans to call for Del Piero to come back into the fold and give the club a new direction, perhaps even as President replacing increasingly unpopular Agnelli.
The Corriere dello Sport can see a potential transformation of the top spots in the club, whereas Sport Mediaset points more towards an honorary presidency for Del Piero.
Another Juventus legend, Tardelli, agrees this would be a good move for the Old Lady.
“He’d be great in the Giampiero Boniperti mould. It’d be wonderful and I would be the happiest man in the world if that happened,” Tardelli told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Perhaps someone at the club didn’t have a good view of him, but the fans always adored Del Piero. It has always been important for a club to have legends in directorial roles, but it is also a potential risk that could backfire.
“For example, Paolo Maldini was considered almost an irritation at Milan for many years after his retirement, but now he is proving to be an important figure in this modern Milan. It was the right time.”
Pavel Nedved is already the Juventus vice-president, but his choices have not always been popular with the supporters or Agnelli.
“I think Del Piero ought to have a different role to Nedved. Del Piero was an intelligent player, he had ideas and was never banal. The main requirement to be a director is credibility, and Del Piero doesn’t lack that, nor does Maldini.
“Over the years, Del Piero has also proved he can keep a low profile and maintain humility, even in some ugly situations.”
𝔸 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕠’𝕤 𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕣 @delpieroale 🎉#ForzaJuve pic.twitter.com/RZZ62Lg1yS
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) April 16, 2022
Great idea! Make it a reality ASAP!
No. Leave my King in peace. They kicked him out like a trash, so let them stick with their president and clown coach.
No..this is not a good idea!!! In fact its a terrible idea!!! Just like it was a bad idea to make Pirlo the coach!!!
People have to stop clinging onto these romantioc notions, that great players from the past make greate coaches or presidents or VPs….