Ferrara: «My intention is to see a different Juve»

Ferrara: «My intention is to see a different Juve»

Ciro Ferrara: a defence stalwart of the Juventus which saw so many successes, the director of the youth sector who has achieved great satisfactions since his appointment and now the new Juve coach called to a difficult mission: that of gaining direct access to the next Champions League in the remaining two matches against Siena and Lazio.

Mr. Ferrara had little time to think about his decision and yet he accepted the challenge without blinking an eyelid: «I was very direct with Jean-Claude Blanc. I would like to thank all those who beleievd that I could be useful at this moment. Perhaps it is partially due to my recent past with this jersey. I did not ask questions or make any requests but I made myself available for the club. I have been part of this club since 1994 and after retiring in 2005 I was given a managerial role and therefore I feel I should make myself available. For me it is a great honour. I told Blanc and Secco to feel completely free with regards to the next coach were it to be me or somebody else. If I am not the coach next season I will return to my post as director of the youth sector without any problems. The club should not feel obliged to confirm me for next year. I am proud to have been chosen for these two day at least. When it comes to the future we’ll see but the club should do what it thinks is best».

The team’s performances have been rather bleak recently, to say the least, with no victories in the last 2 months and therefore a drastic change is necessary: «My intention is to see a different Juve. I know I have little time and that I must intervene but i can’t change a team completely in these two weeks. Hopefully by the end of the week I will be more precise with regards to details. Apart from the technical, tactical and physical aspect of the role i think I will have to work on other things. I think I will have to show the players the difficult time the club is going through. Sometimes little details are necessary to make big changes. I think the problem is not the scarce physical condition but that the players must find the right motivation for these two matches».

Ciro, as he is amicably known, may boast of a great past as a player and a great present as the director of the youth sector and now as from tomorrow his future is that of Juventus coach: «It is clear that it is difficult to judge me technically since I have two weeks to work. I will try to work well and try to bring out the players’ capabilities even because I know them. Since I took on the managerial post I have put my footballer days behind me. I want to be judged on the work that I will do as coach from now on. I felt obliged to give my contribution and do not fear risking in this strange moment».

The new Juventus coach played with a few of the current members of the squad and now finds himself as their boss: «I don’t think I will need to spend much time speaking to the boys. I will use the right words but most of all get on the field and work intensely. We have 10 training sessions left in these two weeks and these 10 sessions must be intense so as to achieve the right results. I am sure to find players who are intelligent and who understand my position and the final objective. They are all fundamental to me. At this point I am the coach and even though I am friends with some of the players we must be able to distinguish a friendly relationship and a work relationship. When Ancelotti was our coach even though I knew him well from the national side I always tried to understand his choices. I don’t care if they call me Mister or simply Ciro, what interests me is working well».

Finally a word about the supporters: «At this moment we really need the supporters to reach a difficult objective that is the direct qualification to the Champions League and therefore we have to work together».

*juventus.com