I'll start the ball rolling..press conference with Luppi..
Lippi: “We’ll try again next year
Let’s go on holiday. Today, 30th of May, Juventus finishes his 2002/2003 season, started on the 18th of July, after having conquered the Supercoppa Italiana, the Scudetto and after having reached the Champions League final. Despite the match in Manchester, it has been then a wonderful season. Ten unforgettable months, closed with the sadness for the Final but also with a lot of desire for starting over again after the holidays.
In the last pres conference after the well deserved holiday, Marcello Lippi goes back to the English evening: “The sadness is great, you saw it on my face after the match. We’re all sad, especially the ones who has been playing with Juventus for a long time and who lived a similar experience. Reaching four Champions League Finals in man’s career is a great thing and we always had wonderful performances, always in two competitions, and three of these seasons ended with the Scudetto. Unluckily, for a reason or another, we always reached the Finals with some injured players, like Del Piero in 1997, Del Piero and Inzaghi in 1998 and this year with Nedved disqualified and Davids and Tudor who got injured during the match. Only in Rome we were at our best and in fact we won, at penalties, but after having dominated the match”.
Two days after the match played at the Old Trafford, Marcello Lippi replies to the critics addressed to him and to the team: “I want to remember to everyone that the match ended 0-0 and we didn’t lose. But only for the fact that Ac Milan won the Cup, that means that I picked up the wrong players for the match. Being without Nedved, I preferred to add quality, that’s why I put Montero and not Birindelli on the left area of the defense. I also saw that Camoranesi was in a good condition in the two weeks before the Final. The penalties? It’s not a technical thing but a psychological one: it doesn’t mean anything if a player hasn’t kicked a penalty before, it’s not easy to go and try to convert it in front of 60.000 people and millions of Tv viewers. Even Vialli preferred not to kick the penalty in the Rome’s Final. Anyway I’m not offended by the critics on my choices for the team but I am when I read false things, like that I had an argument with a player of mine”.
But, among the others, there’s a label that Lippi doesn’t really like, the one of being a “loser”. “If I am a loser? Maybe, but I’m a loser with some victories. In six years and a half I’ve been here, in each season we won something important: 5 Scudetti and one Champions League. After the match against Ac Milan I had some thoughts, even to quit, but I’m so much in love with this group, that gave me so much, that I decided at once to try again. I want my fifth Final and If I win, good, otherwise I’ll dedicate myself completely to my nephew. We’ll play another season with fighting spirit and we’ll try with all our energy to win the Champions League, without forgetting the league. All through these years we proved that the best way to obtain something is not to give up in anything. Anyway, now let’s think about the holidays, we all need some”.
i think they should get a good substitute for Nedved. even if Nedved is injured or suspended, at least they still got some1 to replace him. just look at the CL final match
Originally posted by demouse i think they should get a good substitute for Nedved. even if Nedved is injured or suspended, at least they still got some1 to replace him. just look at the CL final match
06/03/2003. Juventus and David Trezeguet still have to agree to terms on the new contract they have been discussing for more than six months now.
This stalemate is making the situation between the team and the player extremely tense, and it won't be a surprise to see the Frenchman move to Arsenal over the summer.
For this reason Juve are spotting players that could take over the striker role Trez could possibly leave vacant.
Reports from Italy suggest one of these is Guingamp's Didier Drogba, who scored 25 goals in the season's Championnat.
06/05/2003. Chievo defender Nicola Legrottaglie has revealed that Juventus are ahead in the race for his signature.
"Juve, Roma, Inter, Milan and Parma are the same, I'll go in the club that will make the higher offer, but right now I believe Juve have an edge," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I know that Juve and Chievo met yesterday.
"I'd love to play with Ferrara," he added. "But I absolutely want to play in the middle, and not be moved on the right like they did with Thuram."
Chievo value the player at 16 million euros but Juve have offered between 5 and 7 million plus one among from Brighi, Maresca and Sculli and two youngsters among Gastaldello, Paro and Cassani.
06/05/2003. Juventus are in talks with Lazio regarding the signings of Stefano Fiore and Bernardo Corradi, according to reports.
The two clubs met yesterday in Milan to start negotiations.
It is rumoured that Juve offered Marco Di Vaio and Enzo Maresca in exchange for the duo, although the former has gone on record as saying how happy he is with the Bianconeri.
06/05/2003. Juventus' general manager Luciano Moggi announced that the Bianconeri won't make any other market operations besides the return of three players formerly on loan, during the official introduction of midfielder Manuele Blasi.
"This summer you will only see three introductions" Moggi said. "Today Blasi, within a few days Miccoli and Maresca. We are a healthy club that wants to keep on paying the players' wages regularly. We have our policy, any rumor regarding purchases of other players is false".
According to Moggi, "Blasi doesn't need any introduction: he's a very good player, he's young and he has a five-year contract based on his performances. It's not the first time we do this. It's our policy, and I see that most of the other clubs are imitating us".
"Soon I'll start my experience in one of the best teams in the world" Blasi said, "and I just can't wait. Juve have many champions? I'm not scared. It's going to be tough, but I'll do everything I can in order to stay here and play as much as possible. Me the new Davids? Please be serious, I still have to grow up".
Alessandro Del Piero has shielded the Juventus Coach from criticism, discussed his future and his role for the Azzurri.
“Even if we lost the Champions’ League Final,” noted the Bianconeri captain, “this has been a great season for the club.”
Del Piero was one of only two Juve players to successfully convert their penalties in the shoot-out with Milan.
“We won the Scudetto and reinforced our position on the European stage after two unimpressive campaigns. Obviously we are all still upset, but it will give us the strength to aim for the trophy next year.”
Marcello Lippi was heavily criticised in the press for his tactics during that Old Trafford Final and there were reports he offered to resign.
“Lippi will stay with us and all together we will try to get the Champions’ League back to Turin,” insisted the forward.
“The criticism was unfair. It’s too easy to use hindsight when something doesn’t go as planned, but I say Lippi did everything he could to help Juve beat Milan.”
Giovanni Trapattoni has revealed that Del Piero will be pushed out wide onto the left flank if he starts against Finland.
“I came here with the intention of playing,” he pointed out, “but this is not club level and all players must accept sitting on the bench at times. As for my position, playing out wide is not a problem.”
Juventus are currently embroiled in contract renegotiations for several star players, including David Trezeguet, Edgar Davids and Del Piero.
“You can never say never in football,” he noted, “but I really don’t think I’ll leave Juventus. There is less money circulating in the sport now and it’s tough to get a transfer if you are on high wages.”
Del Piero is one of the highest paid players in Europe, but admits he is willing to reduce his deal.
“I am not worried about my contract. It is only right that a contract is divided between steady wages and a performance-related percentage of pay.”
Director General Luciano Moggi claimed this week that there would be hardly any new buys making their way to Juventus over the summer.
“Moggi doesn’t always tell the truth,” smiled Del Piero. “I think the club will work wisely on the market without making massive changes to a successful team.”
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