Former Juventus full-back Alessandro Birindelli believes the Bianconeri have made the right choice in appointing Andrea Pirlo as coach.
Speaking to TuttoJuve, the Juventus legend offered his views on the big changes underway in Turin and why Pirlo could be exactly what Juve need.
“Juventus made the decision in unsuspecting times,” Birindelli told tuttoJuve, “there was already an idea to change things, for a thousand reasons.”
“Sarri has never managed to get his ideas across and the relationship with the players and the environment itself, perhaps Juventus is his really too heavy.
“Is Pirlo a risk? They took some risks, but the club decided to take the path of a ‘renewal’. I think there have been wide-ranging evaluations, Pirlo’s choice is certainly due to a joint decision. That’s what he was looking for, for the near future.
“Was i surprised? Here, however, we must make a reasoning: if the coach is to be the most present and direct figure with the players, I think Pirlo may have all the qualities to do this since he was a leader in the locker room when he was a footballer.
“The club will have to be good at building a quality staff around him in order to file that inexperience he currently possesses. I think this is a very correct choice, so Andrea will have more freedom to be a communicator and embody the figure of the manager who is becoming more and more important in today’s football.
“In my opinion, when there is a ‘failure’ – even if you have won the championship – because the team has never given the impression of being like the teams of previous years, the blame must always be equally divided and it is not just the coach.
“Sometimes, however, I had the impression that they were playing because they were forced to, I didn’t see a united team, who wanted to reach a goal. It needed a change on the bench: Andrea has always shown that he is not afraid of changes and for this reason I hope that this intuition will prove to be as correct as the previous ones.”
Birindelli’s ex-teammateIgor Tudor is expected to be a technical collaborator for Pirlo’s technical staff.
“He is a very good coach, when he arrived in Italy he showed that he knew how to adapt and also offered good football. He also found some situations that were a bit crazy, despite this he did a great job.
“He has always been gifted with great football and charisma, in this environment it could be very useful. It can be said that he will embody Juventus even more within Juventus.
“The transfer market? I have read all the names linked in recent weeks, it’s all up to Juve but it will be necessary to understand what the Pirlo project will be. Everything will depend on him….
“In attack, for me, the right profile to play with Ronaldo and Dybala must have the characteristics of Benzema. I mean a striker who can guarantee depth, one who holds the ball, who is good at picking up the team and at the same time being ready in the penalty area. What we hear are great strikers, clearly Suarez would be an exceptional signing. But then we have to see everything in reality.
“Midfield and defence? Regardless of how they play in defence, Juve will have to do something on the wings. Gosens, for example, would be a great name. I would also change something in the middle of the field, it takes a little more quality and dynamism instead of just physicality.
“Dybala? I would keep him because he is a great player, the difference was made this year when he demonstrated together with Ronaldo that in moments of great difficulty, he was able to keep the boat afloat”.
