Testing times ahead for Juventus

By David Lee Wheatley

Antonio Conte left the position of head coach at Juventus earlier this month despite having led the Old Lady to three consecutive Serie A title victories in convincing fashion.

Conte, one of the most highly decorated figures in Italian football, stepped down stating that he believed it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to be successful in charge of Juventus with a view to the future. Many observers took that as a dig towards the Juventus board in relation to their perceived lack of ambition regarding attempts to return the club back to the top of European football, a perch they last sat upon in 1996 when winning the Champions’ League trophy on penalties against Ajax. Furthermore, the rumours surrounding star midfielder Arturo Vidal’s future in Turin had people in some quarters speculating that Juve’s apparent willingness to do a deal at the right price was actually behind Conte’s decision.

Immediately following the former Azzurri international’s announcement in the middle of July, he was installed as one of the favourites to take on the vacant national team role. Meanwhile, recent news eminating from France suggests that big-spending Paris Saint-Germain have set their sights on recruiting Conte in place of Laurent Blanc at the Parc des Princes.

Of pressing concern back at the defending Serie A champions is trying to seek out a way of holding off the various vultures circling hungrily with their eyes firmly fixed on the prized Scudetto that Juventus have kept an extremely tight stranglehold on throughout the past three campaigns. Not only that, but how can they convince major players to stay on amid the upheaval at the club while mounting any kind of serious challenge on the European front?

The man entrusted with finding solutions to those conundrums is ex-Cagliari and Milan man Massimiliano Allegri, fresh from his mid-season sacking at the San Siro due to the Rossoneri’s atrocious form last season. He has experience of winning the league title in his debut campaign with Milan of 2010-11, which of course represents the last time anybody except Juve took home the plaudits. But he is a controversial choice due to former allegiances and also thanks to the embarrassing showing that he oversaw last term. Allegri has to win over the fans, deliver more silverware to the trophy cabinet and assist Juventus in their quest to make an impression on continental competition.

Rivals such as Napoli, Roma and even Inter will be confident of usurping the Bianconeri at the Serie A summit without the inspirational 44-year-old Antonio Conte at the helm and Allegri has a massive task on his hands to remain in charge of the team long-term. He must ensure Juve stay at the pinnacle domestically, while giving them realistic hope of progressing well in the Champions’ League. Meanwhile, talks will continue with Vidal once he returns from holiday in order to appease the Chilean and keep him performing in the middle of the park alongside talisman Andrea Pirlo, who has committed himself to his beloved black-and-whites for another two years.

Other sought-after stars Paul Pogba, Fernando Llorente, Carlos Tevez and Mauricio Isla will all want reassurance of the club’s determination to progress and improve; they won’t want to stick around if there is even the slightest hint of a backward step in the offing. Isla is already being heavily linked with a transfer to the English Premier League, while 29-year-old Llorente felt compelled to deny rumours of a move earlier this month. If Vidal or any of those other big names previously mentioned choose to jump ship this summer, then new boss Allegri and his board will find it incredibly hard to hold the remainder of their squad together.

If there was ever a time for the likes of Napoli and Roma to claim top spot in Italy, it is now.

Twitter: @davewh1980

Legend Rivaldo retires

By David Lee Wheatley

Former Brazil international forward Rivaldo announced his retirement yesterday at the ripe old age of 41.

Now president of Brazilian Serie C side Mogi Mirim, with whom he played his final match, Rivaldo pulled down the curtain on a fine career having featured alongside his 18-year-old son in a 1-1 draw with XV de Piracicaba.

He leaves the game having won the World Cup in 2002 as a crucial part of triumvirate Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and himself, while he also helped his country to the final four years prior. A Ballon d'Or winner in 1999, the Paulista native scored 34 times during 74 caps for his country despite rarely playing as an out-and-out striker.

Having moved to Europe when signing with Spaniards Deportivo La Coruña from Palmeiras in 1996, the young South American quickly found his feet in La Liga. His 21 league strikes caught the attention of the biggest clubs across the continent and he was off to Barcelona only a year into his time in Spanish football.

A glittering five-year stay at Camp Nou saw the club lift the Copa del Rey and UEFA Super Cup once each, while Rivaldo's considerable influence assisted the team in claiming the domestic league title twice consecutively in 1998 and 1999.

Of course, Rivaldo will also be remembered for the incident at the 2002 World Cup when a ball was kicked towards his thigh by a Turkish opponent before he inexplicably slumped to the ground while holding his face in apparent agony. It was one of the most blatant examples of play-acting ever to take place on a football field.

Thankfully, Rivaldo's talent as a footballer far outweighed such shenanigans and he followed up his World Cup winners' medal with a splendid UEFA Champions' League victory at new club Milan in 2003. The Coppa Italia and UEFA Super Cup also came the Italian giants' way that same year, but Rivaldo failed to make a single league appearance in the second season of his stint at the San Siro, thus leading him to a brief homecoming with Cruzeiro on loan.

Olympiakos was his next permanent destination after the end of a short loan spell back in Brazil and he got into the groove straight away when scoring many sublime goals for the Greek side. After three years there, AEK Athens took him on for one campaign previous to an unusual move on to Uzbek side Bunyodkor, accompanied by a mega-money contract. This started a worldwide farewell tour of sorts for Rivaldo, as he also went on to play for São Paulo and then unknown Angolans Kabuscorp before returning to his home country for good with São Caetano and finally back to his very first club Mogi Mirim.

It's been an incredible journey from his early days in the game, with a best period undoubtedly enjoyed in the famous colours of Barcelona. Not only is his longevity a mighty impressive statistic to behold, but also his silky skills on the ball, ability to find a killer pass and an unerring accuracy in front of goal were attributes which blended together to make him one of the finest and most versatile footballers of his generation.

Twitter: @davewh1980

Who'll sign the next Great Dane?

By David Lee Wheatley

Ajax schemer Christian Eriksen is a man in demand as several English, Italian and German clubs look closely at the possibility of integrating the 21-year-old prodigy into their squads.

Bayer Leverkusen recently failed in an audacious attempt to snatch Eriksen from under the noses of a clutch of bigger names waiting patiently to pounce. With his future still very much up in the air, which team will succeed in their pursuit of the most exciting talent to emerge from Denmark since the Laudrup brothers?

Eriksen's technical ability, probing passes and attacking instinct marked him out as a star from an early age. The youngster moved from Odense in his homeland at 16, going on to make a first-team debut for Ajax just shy of his 18th birthday. Head coach at the time Martin Jol instantly spotted the potential and even mentioned the midfielder in the same breath as Ajax alumni Wesley Sneijder and Rafael Van Der Vaart; high praise indeed for an inexperienced professional beginning to make his way in the game.

Having made a starting spot his own in Amsterdam, the skilful starlet performed a vital role in the heart of the side while Ajax swept to three successive league championships under Jol's successor Frank De Boer. Although reluctant to let go of his prized possession, De Boer accepts the time has come for Eriksen to spread his wings and develop further with another club.

Speculation mainly centres on major interest in the services of the midfield orchestrator from Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool and Milan.

Last season's Champions League runners-up Dortmund stole a march on Liverpool in the race to sign Henrikh Mkhitaryan earlier in the window, who plays a similar role to that of the Danish international. Whether that eliminates Jürgen Klopp's side from the reckoning remains to be seen, but it certainly heightens the urgency with which Liverpool will try to gain the upper hand over the German outfit on this occasion.

The biggest problem that at least partially damages Liverpool's chances of sealing a deal for the 2011 Danish Footballer of the Year is the lack of Champions League football at Anfield. Brendan Rodgers has the task of putting Liverpool back in contention for the top four places in the Premier League, but hasn't yet managed to haul them up to that standard in the short spell he's been on Merseyside. Ajax can offer such a challenge, therefore Eriksen may feel it unnecessary to join a club that currently cannot, despite Liverpool's glorious history.

Italian giants Milan appear in pole position to secure Eriksen for next season, as they attempt to close the gap on Juventus in the Serie A standings and guarantee their group spot in the Champions League via a play-off stage to be played in August. Milan are unaware of their definite opponents for that crunch clash, but nonetheless they'll feel confident of progression into the tournament proper whoever they eventually face.

Unless a last-minute and frankly unexpected bid comes in from Barcelona, Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain, then Milan look set fair to make Eriksen theirs. Having thought better of going up against Roma for PSV's Dutch international midfielder Kevin Strootman, one assumes Milan have lined up an alternative in the shape of the diminutive Dane.

Despite reported financial constraints holding Milan back in the transfer market this summer, the Rossoneri reserve the right to sell one of their current crop in order to fund the deal. Should a selection of sides firm up interest in unsettled Kevin Prince Boateng to the tune of £15million, the ammunition will go straight to chief executive Adriano Galliani to finally get his man.

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Twitter: @davewh1980