Juventus took a chance on youth and now they have opted for
experience after announcing the appointment of Alberto Zaccheroni
as their coach on Friday.
The 56-year-old agreed a four-month deal to replace Ciro
Ferrara, who was sacked following the club's dismal form this
season.
"I recognise the work done by my predecessor," said
Zaccheroni, who becomes Juve's fourth coach in three years.
"Earlier this campaign, Juve showed good football but it is
time to turn the page.
"I like challenges and a new cycle begins.
"Juve has a very important group and I'm not sure there are
many teams out there that are superior to Juve in this respect."
Juve had believed the 42-year-old Ferrara was ready for the
challenge of leading one of European football's most famous teams,
and they stuck by him until they had to make a move in a bid to
stop the Bianconeri slipping further down the Serie A table.
Last weekend's 2-1 defeat to Roma was their fifth loss in six
league games and saw Juve drop to sixth in the standings, four
points behind fourth-placed Napoli.
The final straw was Thursday's 2-1 defeat at Inter Milan in
the Coppa Italia.
Ferrara had already been on thin ice after his team's failure
to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League.
"Ciro will always remain a part of this team," said Juve
president Jean Claude Blanc.
"I thank him and I am very fond of him from a professional
and personal standpoint.
"But football is cruel and sometimes it forces you to take
painful decisions.
"Zaccheroni guarantees experience at the highest level and
that is what is needed in this difficult time."
Zaccheroni has coached in Turin before but that was with
Juve's city rivals Torino.
He was sacked by Torino in February 2007 and had been out of
a job since then.
Among his achievements was a scudetto win with AC Milan in
1999, and Zaccheroni will make his coaching debut with Juve in
Sunday's home match against Lazio.
"I bring all of my experience," he said. "But especially, I
am convinced that I will succeed in my challenge.
"I have coached just one team of great level and that was
Milan and I think this Juve team is very similar to the quality
that side had."
