Juventus, Del Neri: 'Del Piero's renewal is not a problem'
Juventus boss Luigi Del Neri, speaking to Sky, said:
What effect did it have to hear that Del Neri was not good enough for Juventus?
"No effect. Skepticism is also logical and fair. People think that we should demonstrate our worth and what we do on the pitch. The big names have a significant return, then the big names, if they do not do well, can be excused, in general. The small name, when called, must show that he can act also in different places with different objectives, with different pressures to those he had to endure in the past. I am glad that slowly things are going the right way. Then, I do not know when I will be 'coach’ of Juventus. Hopefully soon ...".
You said that your team needed to regain the confidence lost last season. Was it like that?
"It depends on the results. It's clear that results give energy. The last few games have given awareness, we play more calmly, there is more awareness of what we do. It's a particular season, energy is lost because you do not understand, because you can not do want you want and because the results are maybe not as high as the situation. A little tension and difficulties are there. I always respect the work of those before me. I do not think about the past but respect the past. It's clear that we must reconstruct something important, give ourselves credibility, instill confidence in players who had lost it. And I think this work was done, beyond the tactics and technique, that is not relevent in football".What will the role of Juve be: Milan's pursuer, or something more?
The role will be to win every game, to go on the pitch with the intention to win every game, mentally. But I think that all teams do it, not just Juve. I think we all go on the pitch to win, without calculations. I think that no coach, no football team, from the smallest to largest, think of going on the pitch to finish zero- zero or to lose the game. All go to win the game.There are those who have more quality, who have more luck, the moments decide what you get. I do not think I'm the only one who wants to win, everybody goes out to win. This must be our philosophy. The philosophy of small steps lead to a great result. The philosophy of a big result is just a goal, instead, small targets lead to a great result. I always aim to stimulate the small objective, ie, score more goals, take less goals, score a point more than last year, finish fifth, then fourth, third, second. These are things that trigger motivation".Del Piero and renewal of his contract. Could it become a problem to manage him?
"The management looks after the players, not the players' contracts. He has played almost every game so far, so for me there are not and there will not be problems".
Do you fear the media impact of this deal?
"I am not that interested in the effect of the media. If I followed the media, I would have to play 30 players each Sunday. The idea is to choose who I think is useful to the team at that time, who is in form at the time, this is a right of the coach".
So today you would say the same things about Buffon, causing a fuss?
"Communication with the press becomes problematic when it wants or does not want to understand certain things. We are not two babies, neither I nor the press. There is always a glass half empty and half full. The press almost always chooses the glass half empty. And they run it as they want. I can not discuss the technical and tactical quality of players such as Buffon, who has taught many how to be a goalkeeper. When he was born, he was the prototype from which the goalkeeper had to learn. When I say that Buffon should return being an important player, I am not judging him from a technical and tactical point of view, I am judging him as a player who had an operation two months ago, so has to recover. I have a good relationship with my players".
Will Cassano going to Milan change the balance of our league?
"Yes, because he is a player of great caliber. You will also want to show his strength and will go into a world where there will be peace of mind on his part to meet the commitments in a different way than he did in other places".
