Friday 25 May 2007

Report: Deschamps to leave Juve!

Italian television are reporting on Friday evening that Didier Deschamps will step down as coach of Juventus at the end of the season.

The reports have not been officially confirmed by the club but it would come just less than a week after he guided the club back into Serie A after a year of turmoil for the Turin giants.

The club started the season with a 30-point penalty, which was reduced to nine-points on appeal, following the Calciopoli trials. Then in December, two youth team players - Alessio Ferramosca and Riccardo Neri - died in a tragic accident at the club's Vinovo training complex.

But last Saturday, even with the points penalty, the club clinched promotion back into the top flight with a 5-1 win at Arezzo. Following the match, President Giovanni Cobolli Gigli announced: "Deschamps will certainly stay and I never had any doubts on his future."

There was already speculation in the Italian and French media that Deschamps would leave the club and join French champions Olympique Lyaonnais following the resignation of their coach Gerard Houllier earlier today.

Top coaches were already being linked with the Juve job including former coaches Fabio Capello, who is currently at Real Madrid, and Marcello Lippi, who stepped down as Italy coach following last summer's World cup triumph. Gianluca Vialli, Delio Rossi and Walter Novellino would also be candidates.

If confirmed, the decision for Deschamps to leave at the end of the season gives Juventus plenty of time to name his successor, and for the new man to plan for life in the top flight.

The Bianconeri need just one more point from their remaining three games to clinch the Serie B title. They play play-off chasers Mantova at home on Saturday.

[Juve clinch promotion]

1 comment:

  1. I hope Lippi will return. I don't want Capello!

    Forza Juve!!

    ReplyDelete