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DD – Dicing with Doubt Didier Deschamps has led fallen giants Juventus back into Serie A. But, as Antonio Labbate explains, the club seem unsure of whether to back him or sack him

DIDIER DESCHAMPS

Ask Juventus who’ll be their Coach next season and the answer will be the same. No matter if you ask President Giovanni Cobolli Gigli, director general Jean-Claude Blanc or sporting director Alessio Secco, they will all say Didier Deschamps. However, it’s simply not that black and white in Turin these days. Didìì arrived last summer in what some at the outfit were hoping was a match made in heaven. His successful past as a Juventus player made him an ideal candidate. After initially being pipped to the post in 2004 when Luciano Moggi made a midnight swoop for Roma’s Fabio Capello, the former midfielder accepted the task of replacing the latter when the Don left for Real Madrid. It was a brave move by Deschamps given the circumstances. Not only were Juve demoted to Serie B with a 30-point penalty, the Coach was also given few guarantees regarding the squad because of the queue of players that had formed to leave. The club may well have moved up the table quickly, aided by a reduction in the points penalty to just nine, but the reality is that Deschamps still needs to convince that he deserves a chance in Serie A. “Some people think I’m incapable of leading Juventus, but I knew accepting this job would mean taking a few hits,” he recently stated. “Everyone has doubts in life and every Coach is always put to the test. I didn’t think I was the greatest before I came and I don’t believe myself to be poor now.” Deschamps’ outburst fuelled rumours that there was friction between employer and employee. Some alleged that he was at odds with Secco over the club’s transfer strategy, even if the young sporting director – who came in after the departure of Moggi – denied any sort of rift. “There are no problems between us,” he stated. “After all, I was the one who wanted Deschamps here in the first place. He is a young guy with new ideas, a great worker and he had all the characteristics we were looking for.” That’s the official line, but the truth may be a little different. A number of sources in Turin suggest that La Vecchia Signora have already contacted an old flame in the form of Marcello Lippi about a possible return, but he seems to have reservations about a third stint there. Parma’s Claudio Ranieri, Lazio

boss Delio Rossi and Cesare Prandelli of Fiorentina – before his Viola extension – have also been linked in the newspapers. So what’s gone so wrong for Juventus to be considering a change? It would be fair to say that the outfit have hardly looked to secure promotion with champagne football. Despite their superior squad, Juve have put in some disappointing displays against the smaller sides and have struggled on the road. Quite simply, at times they’ve been uninspiring. Deschamps’ coaching pedigree is also limited despite some high Ligue 1 finishes. Although he reached the Champions League Final with Monaco in 2004, he had difficulties in the principality. He was almost sacked after a poor start and was only saved because the Monte Carlo boys could not afford to get rid of him. A lack of experience may also have been a factor in Monaco’s failed title bid in 2003-04. Despite having a healthy lead at Christmas, Lyon still took the crown. Then of course there are doubts regarding his man management skills. His Monaco adventure was blighted by personal clashes with the likes of Christian Panucci, Marcelo Gallardo, Oliver Bierhoff, Florin Raducioiu, and most notably Marco Simone. “I think he has a problem working with players who have strong personalities. He simply has no idea how to be a manager,” stated the Italian striker. “The only reason he was appointed at Monaco in the first place was because they were after a big name when Claude Puel left. “I cannot understand how Deschamps was ever appointed. His management technique is catastrophic. He has simply not understood anything about being a Coach. He thinks he is better than everyone else just because he won the World Cup.” Deschamps responded by claiming that Simone was nothing more than “a substitute of substitutes” at Milan. Deschamps’ return to Italy has also been made more problematic by Juventus’ restructuring post-Calciopoli. The current club is a very different proposition to the one with which he won a European Cup in 1996. There are no longer any real old school football heads present following the demise of Moggi, while the Agnelli brothers are no longer there to offer their contribution. Today Juve have a director general in Blanc who is nothing more than a numbers man and Secco who is still learning his trade. As a

Didier Deschamps Club: Juventus Born: Bayonne (France), 15/10/68 Serie B coaching debut: Rimini 1-1 JUVENTUS, 9/9/06 Season Club Div Placing 2002-03 Monaco A 2nd 2003-04 Monaco A 3rd 2004-05 Monaco A 3rd 2005-06 Monaco A Replaced 2006-07 Juventus B 1st?

result, the seemingly uncertain direction may sit uncomfortably with a perfectionist like DD. That’s underlined by the fact that some at Juve HQ are too optimistically talking about a Scudetto bid next term. “Winning the League next season is pure utopia,” noted the former Valencia and Chelsea man. Deschamps can also hardly count on the backing of the Bianconeri faithful. Recent polls suggest that the fanbase is split straight down the middle when it comes to whether Didier should stay or go. Yet Juventus can’t afford to make any rash decisions. He’s still very well respected across the Alps which makes him an ideal contender to replace Gerard Houllier at Lyon next season. “He’s phenomenal,” Spanish striker Fernando Morientes once stated of his former Monaco boss. “Why? He’s still new to coaching but he knows the whole world of football. He’s played in Italy, France, England, Spain and he has won everywhere.” In short, Juve must consider the possibility that Deschamps may just be a great Coach waiting to happen. Now we’ll just have to sit back and see whether they give him the time to prove it...

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