Thread by @SeanEllul

Once there’s no data/history on Pirlo’s possible coaching style as Juve’s manager, I decided to pick up his book and give it a read. Hoping it would give me more insight into what kind of manager he’ll be.

I’ll be posting my updates here for anyone interested. #Pirlo #juventus

Just a small note about me;

I’m currently reading a Masters of Science in Risk Management, and I’m writing my thesis on the governance and management of Football Clubs, by specifically researching the effects of sacking a manager in football.

My research is still ongoing, and I’m still not able to make soundc scientific conclusions on the subject of managerial changes in the industry (for now)

However, it seems Pirlo has the potential to be on the upside of the debate, and could potentially be a major sucess at Juve

So just a heads up, my two cents will be a mix of opinions which are a consequence of:
- this book
- Pirlo as a player
- being a Juve fan
- the scientific research from my thesis

Keep in mind, this will be a long opinion post. Please feel free to disagree with me along the way.

I've started this book this morning, and I'm around 50% done. There are a few parts of the book I would like to highlight and analyse off the bat before I continue the rest of the book, which I think would be interesting to any Juve fan/football fan alike:

Pirlo: I perceive the game in a different way. It's a question of viewpoints, of having a wide field of vision. Being able to see the bigger picture. (1/2)

#Pirlo #juve

Pirlo: Your classic midfielder looks downfield and sees the forwards. I focus on the space between us, and where I can work the ball through. It is more a question of geometry than tactics. (2/2)

#Pirlo #Juve

Pirlo writes this at the beginning of his book, as he attempts to explain what makes him a unique player. His emphasis on the importance of 'space', and the use of the word 'geometry' is exciting and could be an early sign of a great coach/tactician in the making.

Chess players would say that the use of space, and awareness of geometric patterns is essential in being able to smoothly develop a cohesive attacking/defensive move.

The same applies to football. If you control the space on the pitch, you will effectively control the game.

With Pirlo being so aware of this, and such an approach being at the core of his philosophy as a player, I am excited to see:
- how he will coach his midfielders
- how he will develop his tactics
- if our team will learn to better exploit the effective use of space

However, this is an optimist's perspective, and there's no guarantee his approach will rub off on his players. As @ITruth98 has pointed out; this move represents a major risk, which can either boom or bust. Pirlo positively influencing his players would likely be a boom scenario.

Nerd Thesis Talk [1/4]

From researching literature and studies for my thesis, I've come across multiple studies which could potentially support the choosing of Pirlo, over managers like Poch, with only Zidane being a potentially stronger candidate than him.

Nerd Talk [2/4]

It seems, according to research conducted in leading football leagues in Argentina, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, England and Holland that the success of mid-season/general managerial changes has more to do with management of dressing rooms and fans than just tactics.

Fast Points [3/4]

- Dressing Room: One of Sarri's problems was that, as a fan, I wasn't convinced he had respect in the dressing room. Research shows that lacking respect and trust from your players will easily derail a project, and make it harder to influence your team.

Fast Points [4/4]

- Fans (often called the 12th player) are fundamental to the energy and drive of a club. Trends show that if fans dislike the manager, he is far less likely to succeed.

As a Juve icon and footballing legend, Pirlo is already a step ahead in both these points.

#Tactics in the Modern Game

A new manager at a club must adapt to the team they inherit. Changing a team requires multiple mercatos, meaning they are reserved to influencing philosophy and style, more than barebone, skeletal tactics.

#juvents

Having the respect of both the fans and the dressing room, automatically allows you to better facilitate your ideas to the team.

Pirlo clearly values philosophy and style, and more often than not tends to embody them, on and off the pitch, as a 'silent leader'.

Pirlo:

Ibrahimovic thought he was insulting Pep when he called him 'The Philosopher', but when you think about it, that's actually a very nice compliment.

#Pirlo #Juventus #philosophy

Pirlo:

Being a philosopher is to think, seek wisdom and have principles that guide and influence what you do. It is to give meaning to things and find your own way in the world.

#Pirlo #Juventus #philosophy

Pirlo:

"Guardiola has taken all that and applied it to football; an imperfect science. He racked his brain and dispersed the fog, more through hard work than mere thought. What he's achieved hasn't been about miracles, rather a gentle programming of his players."

#Pirlo #Juve

The fact that Pirlo was writing this 7 years ago is promising and shows that even almost a decade ago, he was already commenting on key coaching pillars which research is showing are imperative for success in the modern game.

#pirlo #juve #juventus

Tactics in the Modern Game:

Important SideNote: Every year, AI and Data Processors get exponentially stronger. If a big club enters 2020 without properly investing in a strong data science unit, they'll be at a significant disadvantage.

#ArtificialIntelligence #data #football

As years go by, the need for a coach to be a tactician is dampened, whereas the requirement for a coach to be a good motivator, thinker, problem solver and visionary is heightened.

#Pirlo has no experience as a tactician, and in 2020, that might not be as big of a problem.

The growing impact of #AI and #Data Science is arguably the most important, overlooked point I'll be making throughout this tweet.

Anyone who watched 'Moneyball' knows what I'm talking about. That was in 2002.

Check out this article if you're interested:
medium.com/the-spekboom/h…

Back to #Pirlo and the book:

It is no surprise that Pirlo thrived at #Juventus, with winning being a part of his DNA. It is no secret that he understands the club, its fans and their history, which will be a major asset in his tenure.

#juve #FinoAllaFine

What is more important for #Juve fans re mentality is his calm adaptability. With a squad as broad and uniform as ours, it is important to adapt and develop a strategy towards reaching your goals on the spot.

Remember: our problems won't be solved by one mercato alone.

Personally, this trait is most clear in his book when he talks about his near-insane QF 2014 penalty vs Joe Hart. I always found that goal to be phenomenal, and couldn't understand how he had the courage to pull it off

The book gives more insight into what went through his head:

#Pirlo:

"I made my decision right at the last second, when I saw Joe Hart, the England goalie, doing all sorts of things on his line. As I began my run-up, I still hadn't decided what I was going to do. And then he moved, and my mind was made up."

[1/2]

#Pirlo:

"It was all impromptu, not premeditated. The only opportunity I could see in pushing my chances of scoring close to 100%."

"Nobody will believe me, but my motivation was to select the best option to minimise the risk of error, not showboating."

#juve

[2/2]

This trait in #Pirlo will be an asset, and will hopefully push him to be a strong coach during his tenure at #Juventus.

However, what most #Juve fans will likely find surprising (or even troubling) is his words on his future after football, and on being a manager:

#Pirlo:

"I wouldn't bet a single cent on me becoming a manager. It is not a job I'm attracted to. There are far too many worries, and the lifestyle is far too close to that of a player. I've done my bit, and in the future, I'd like to get back a semblance of private life."

😶

Whilst most Juventini might raise alarm bells at this quote, it is important to note that Andrea was talking about how hard the life of a manager is, and how focused and committed you must to be to succeed in the job.

In his defence, it shows that he knows he's 'screwed'. 😅

Finally, to all those Juventini that were worried about our defensive situation this year, there's one more quote that brought me a bit of excitement, and hopefully, might bring about the same sentiments in you:

Pirlo:

"The really big mistakes that some club presidents make is not realising the importance of the defence when building teams.

Big names sell tickets, but it's the glue they have behind them that truly wins games."

[1/3]

#Pirlo #Juventus

Pirlo:

"The defence is the most important part of a team: in military terms, success starts in the zone behind the lines. Put more simply, the team that concedes fewest goals wins the match."

[2/3]

#Pirlo #Juventus

Pirlo:

"If I was a club President, I'd never build a team with champions upfront, and dummies in defence. That's just deceitful advertising designed to fool the fans."

[3/3]

#Pirlo #Juve

Benvenuto to everyone that joined the thread!

13hrs have passed, and I finally managed to finish the book and develop a few more thoughts. Final opinions will be posted in the next few hours on:
- Pirlo's relationship with Agnelli
- CL History
- CR7
- Vecchia Signora
- & more

An image that remained imprinted in my mind was Pirlo's reaction to losing the 2015 UCL Final with #Juventus. His tears stuck with me, and I wasn't sure what made the loss for a champion (who won the CL before) so devastating.

This now makes sense with his CL History in mind:

On May 25th 2005 Milan lost a Champions League final to #Liverpool after being 3-0 up at half time. They lost on penalties after Liverpool managed to secure a phenomenal comeback.

As Juve supporters, the devastating feeling of losing a UCL final is something we know all too well

#Pirlo:

"I hope I never experience another night like May 25, 2005. I wouldn't be able to cope, even if I was a cat on my ninth and final life. I'd rather commit suicide by taking a stroll through a cage of ravenous Dobermans."

1/3

#juve

#Pirlo:

"However, there are always lessons to be found in the darkest moments. It is a moral obligation to dig deep and find that little glimmer of hope or pearl of wisdom. You might hit upon an elegant phrase that stays with you, and makes the journey a little less bitter."
2/3

Pirlo:

"A message to future generations:

Feeling Invincible is the first step on the path to the point of no return."

3/3

#pirlo #juve #juventus

Juve supporters know what it is like to lose, but so does Pirlo.

With the loss of the mentality of great players such as Mandzu, Juve has been missing out on its iconic grinta and fighting spirit as of late. Quotes like these make me hope that Pirlo can bring some of it back.

It is no secret that Juventus has been in somewhat of an identity crisis as of late, and I personally believe that was one of the reasons why fans couldn't connect with #Sarri that well.

His image and rhetoric didn't fit the Juve brand.

The same cannot be said about #Pirlo.

#Pirlo on Juve's #Identity:

"Lots of fans will go crazy when they read this, but I'm convinced our recent success has come about precisely because we were demoted to Serie B.

It helped amplify the sense of belonging at the club to the nth degree."

#Pirlo on Juve's #Identity:

"Getting back to Serie A was hard but, over the years, that pure anger transformed into something more positive. Now there's no more room for shame. The negative vibes were cleansed, resulting in an explosion that brought about something remarkable."

#Pirlo on Juve's #Indentity:

"It was a black-and-white Big Bang. The creation of a new world, which descends from the old one.

Being a Juventino is to carry oneself with pride and dignity, until the very end, as President Agnelli would say."

#FinoAllaFine #juventus #Pirlo

As a Juve fan quotes like these don't just excite me but they remind me of what we're currently missing
Pirlo understands our history, mentality & desires as a club. He both admired and wrote about the club's unwavering spirit. He won & lost at Juventus & embodies Juve's identity

Pirlo:

"At #Juve, hard work is the order of the day. The spirit of sacrifice is an absolute must, not a request, where you can shake your head and say 'no'."

#juve #grinta #pirlo #FinoAllaFine

I am convinced that this is arguably Pirlo's strongest asset, and will aid him in gaining the respect of the fans, board and players simultaneously.

I feel this is one of the main reasons Agnelli, against all odds, entrusted him with the Juventus project as the clubs manager.

The more I think about it, the more I feel that Agnelli took a 'gut' decision when employing Pirlo with this role.

A decision that isn't easy to explain to pundits and board members, but which is extremely clear and lucid as the right decision in the eyes of the decision-maker.

Off the bat, it is clear that #Pirlo and #Agnelli have a strong, solid relationship, and I would argue it is because they agree with each other on a lot of things outside of football.

Both, in my opinion, are men of class, which understand each other's life philosophies.

Pirlo on Agnelli:

"His uncle was known as the avvocato. His father was the dottore. And he's plain old Andrea.

A simple title for a special man, who's cut from teh same cloth as all the other Agenlli. Lamb by name, lion by nature, and never, ever caged."

Pirlo on Agnelli:

"Andrea is a fan, with special privileges, because his words have the power to get the players on their feet and into action. Juve isn't his plaything; it is something far greater. He's a President; THE President. Coming from the past, to build the future."

Pirlo on Agnelli:

"I've realised Agnelli and I share something crucial in common: as soon as he wins a trophy, he immediately wants to win another. He is never content to settle.

It was footballing love at first sight, which is not guaranteed considering where I came from."

That said, it is refreshing to know that the President will be giving all his support to our current Manager.

Agnelli went all in on this, and staked his reputation with a risky move in favour of heart, mentality and intent over experience.

Will this work? Time will tell. 👌🏼

It is no surprise to note that Pirlo is also very tied to the city of Turin, as noted by @AroundTurin in one of their latest posts.

Once again, research shows that if the players, board and fans respect the manager, there's automatically a higher chance for them to succeed.

With all this in mind, I feel Pirlo is a strong choice as a long term candidate for the job. @Matt_Santangelo made a very good point on @StateOfPlayPod where he said if Juve are signing Pirlo to test him in the short term, rather than the long term, they're stupid.

He is right.

With the club's philosophy, history, culture and goals at heart, Pirlo has the intellectual and 'existential' seeds needed to flourish at Juventus.

If he manages to cultivate a strong 'grinta' mentality, and be tactically sound, I'd bet that those seeds will find fertile ground

A Del Piero Quote shard by @ForzaJuveEN touches on this. The modern game is changing. Managers no longer need to prove themselves in lower leagues as much as in the past.

With the rise of disruptive tech, managing is now more about leadership, rather than analytical minds.

Quick Note on 'Stylish Football':

Sarri was brought in to Juve on the call of playing 'attractive football'. Once again, I believe this feat failed because Sarri's image and rhetoric did not fit well in the club.

It was awkward, and more often than not felt like oil and water.

QNote [2]:

Attractive Football has more to do with philosophy and identity than tactics. Tactics and plans are fundamental, but they must be built on the foundations of collective identity, team spirit and a common, shared objective. That is where a 'style' is developed.

QNote 3:

The reason we get goosebumps when we watch Atalanta is because they weave, ebb and flow together as a team. Passes connect. Players find space. The team is seemingly empowered with a 'higher vision', where teammates are aware of each other and move together collectively

QNote 4:

This is something we missed at Juventus, and it had to do far more with mentality rather than planned tactics. Without heart, a team is engineless.

Missed passes, unutilized runs and players feeling isolated was common, and a lack of shared identity played into this.

There's a reason why moments like these were special to use Juventini. They showed collective character, a dash of identity and spirit, and above all, cohesive teamwork.

With Pirlo's knowledge of the game and understanding of Juve's culture, I think we might see more of this.

This thread has become ridiculously long, however, there is one more point to add to the discussion before I conclude:

Pirlo is a self-professed Italy ultra.

Many Juventini might note that the amount of Italians left in the squad has dwindled over the years.

Pirlo will definitely aim to change this. This is why I'm not surprised if he will push for Tonali to be brought into the project.

Once again, Pirlo is spot on in his understanding the importance of using the clubs history and culture to its own advantage when he says:

Pirlo:

"There are a lot of Italy Players at Juve - perhaps the most precious strength in the whole environment. As Italians, the players are aware of the club's history, and know the peaks and falls the club has experienced by heart."

Once again, the revitalisation of Juve's identity will be the area Pirlo is most likely to succeed in his time at Juventus, and I'm certain this influenced Agnelli's decision a lot.

If he does well, I'm willing to bet he will move on to coach Italy after Juve.

Ultimately, football is one of the most unpredictable industries in the world, and none of us are fortune tellers.

This thread was written in an optimistic tone, but that could be because I am biased; both as a Juventus fan, and as a fan of the way Pirlo influenced the game.

Whilst I'm certain our team-sheet issues can't be solved in one Mercato alone, I feel as if this season will finally have a major 'culling', in space for fresh (likely) Italian talent.

The fans must understand this; the true transition period has begun, for better, or for worse

Corona would likely limit our spending, but will also add urgency to removing dead weights on the club.

I have a feeling that Pirlo will opt for a 433/4312 variation tactically, but this is just speculation. We will very likely see more faces leaving than joining.

As a fan base that has become seriously accustomed to winning, it is important that we do not take anything for granted. We are not invincible, and this season will be extremely difficult for us, irrespective of the coach we have or transfers we make.

With the squad being arguably weak, and the number of tactical solutions at our disposal being generally limited, we can find solace in the fact that we have a coach hellbent on recultivating our brand, identity and fighting spirit.

On further analysis, Agnelli's decision to appoint Pirlo is not as sporadic and random as it may initially seem.

However, we're dealing with one of the most unpredictable sports in the world, and the only certainty is that season 20/21 is going to be an emotional rollercoaster.

Therefore, all I can say is:

Buckle Up and Enjoy the Ride

Because the next few months, no matter what they bring, will be history in the making.

#FinoAllaFine

PS: If you made it this far, you have both my respect, and my gratitude!

I'm immensely grateful for the response this post generated, and I would honestly love to hear YOUR feedback, even if it is just a simple 👍 or 👎.

Are you excited with Pirlo's appointment at Juve?