Juventus hired Italian great Andrea Pirlo as their new manager moments after sacking Maurizio Sarri. There are clues about what kind of manager he will be.
Dressed in the corporate uniform of Italy’s biggest club, black sport coat with Juve badge, white dress shirt, and black tie, Andrea Pirlo spoke to the media for the first time as first-team manager.
I wonder what the 41-year old drafted straight out of a fashion magazine was thinking. Nine days earlier, he was at the same table, with the same uniform being introduced as the manager of Juventus’ U23 side.
Now, with Sarri gone to hopefully a club that he can be allowed to build over the years, not months, Pirlo sits with the responsibility of running one of the biggest clubs in Europe on his broad shoulders.
Known for his quiet charisma and humility, the Italian’s head must have been spinning.
In the introductory conference, Pirlo was full of coaching cliches. He thanked the club’s president, confirmed that he has ambition for the team, is excited to get started, and explained that he is on the “right path.”
Andrea Pirlo thinks passionately and thoroughly about his words and actions. He has much more on his mind.