Editorial

Calcio Debate: No More Nice Guys - Should The Whole Juventus Board Resign?

Claudio Ranieri’s position at Juventus has become almost untenable, but Giovanni Cobolli Gigli, Jean Claude Blanc and Alessio Secco are now also under-fire. Carlo Garganese believes that all four of them are too nice to win in Turin…

Apr 23, 2009 1:20:45 PM

Alessio Secco, Giovanni Cobolli Gigli & Claudio Ranieri before the Lazio clash

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Alessio Secco, Giovanni Cobolli Gigli & Claudio Ranieri before the Lazio clash

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"Inter are always winning and I think it's because the Juventus directors are too nice." These were the words of the Old Lady’s ex-transfer guru Luciano Moggi just last week, and he is absolutely right. The entire Calcio world, barring joyous Inter supporters of course, are calling for Claudio Ranieri’s head, and rightfully so, but should the ‘Tinkerman’s’ superiors also be handing in their resignations?

Comparing the Triade of Antonio Giraudo, Roberto Bettega and Moggi to Giovanni Cobolli Gigli, Jean Claude Blanc and Alessio Secco is like comparing The Three Tenors to the Marx Brothers. And when you throw Ranieri in front of the camera as well, you really do have a comic act that surpasses anything ever seen in Hollywood. Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport have made it clear that they have no trust in the current Juventus project, and this morning blew up a huge front page picture of the quartet minus their weakest link Secco, headlined: “Restate Tutti?” – “Everybody Staying?”

The decision-makers appear to be well out of their depth at Juventus. Aside from numerous technical, strategic and transfer errors since 2006, they really are as Moggi said, “too nice” to succeed.

The honest person in life may be loved by everyone but he never achieves anything noteworthy. The businessman who plays everything by the book, obeys every law, and treats his staff like his own children - he will never build up an empire. You have to be ruthless and cynical. The nice guy never gets the girl. You can be her best friend, and treat her like a princess, but she would much rather go for the bad boy who offers a bit of excitement and intrigue.

Football is no different. The nice guy, who has no enemies, ends his career with an empty trophy cabinet – Claudio Ranieri being the perfect example. The callous and cold-blooded coach, who is prepared to win by any means, retires having won everything in the game – Jose Mourinho and Fabio Capello being two such illustrations.

Giraudo, Moggi and Bettega, particularly the former two, may have been somewhat shady characters, but they were born winners. They defended their family at all costs, and it never entered their heads that they may be offending anyone else. The only thing on their minds was Juventus. The current directors are so concerned with the new crystal clean image of the club that they have allowed it to affect their decision-making.

For example, Mathieu Flamini could have joined Juve on a free transfer from Arsenal last summer, but Gigli, Blanc and Secco did not want to damage their relationship with Arsenal, so they let in Milan. Did ‘The Gunners’ ever care about Barcelona’s feelings when they poached a 16-year-old Cesc Fabregas from Camp Nou, and he went on to become one of the best midfielders in the world? What about when Manchester United took Giuseppe Rossi from Parma, Federico Macheda from Lazio, and Davide Petrucci from Roma – attackers who are tipped for greatness? Perhaps this explains why the Premier League is so dominant right now. England may have completely lost its identity, it may be almost totally dominated by foreigners and rich owners, but all the top teams are interested in is winning, and these ruthless methods are clearly working.

Of course, there are unethical limits that no club or league should pass, but if Juventus are to return to the top, they need to lose their ‘nice guy’ image, and they may also need to lose some or all of their management team.

What are your views on this topic? Are the Juventus management too nice too succeed? Who should stay and who should go out of Gigli, Blanc, Secco and Ranieri? Goal.com wants to know what YOU think

Carlo Garganese, Goal.com

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