Juventus: What will Andrea Pirlo bring as a manager?

Andrea Pirlo had many role models.

Pirlo’s decision to get into the football coaching tornado has been quite recent as UEFA does not fully license him as a manager.

Yet, as a player, he was fortunate enough to learn from some of the best managers in world football.

The coaches that the Italian international admired the most also provide clues to what his tactics might entail

Andrea played for Marcello Lippi on the Italian squad that won the 2006 World Cup. The now 72-year old retired manager used a 4-3-3 attacking style.

Carlo Ancelotti, now at Everton, coached Pirlo while at Milan for eight seasons. His strategy emphasized more pragmatism based on the abilities of the players on the field. Notably, his quiet demeanor of making powerful statements with few words rubbed off on the young Pirlo.

In his book, the new Juve manager saved his highest praise for Antonio Conte, who was his coach at Juventus by stating the following:

"“Naturally we won the scudtetto at the first time of asking and it was all down to him. The success was all his, a triumph of bloody mindedness that went beyond everyone’s expectations. It really couldn’t have gone any other way, given the example we had in front of us every day. Conte was a man possessed, the very essence of Juventus burned deep into his soul.” — I Think Therefore I Play, Andrea Pirlo with Alessandro Alciato"

Conte, now at (ironically) Inter, utilizes a more defensively pragmatic 3-5-2 style of play. His tactics generally also feature a robust controlling midfield presence, which is something that Juventus currently lacks.

As a former holding midfielder himself, Pirlo knows how vital the role is to the on-field success of the team. Undoubtedly, it will be a point of emphasis.