Igor Tudor could be the perfect coach for Juventus, and the timing couldn’t be better.
Tudor took the job last weekend, stepping in for Thiago Motta at a time when the famous Italian club is in turmoil.
Juventus has been knocked out of all competitions, including the Champions League and the Italian Cup. In Serie A, their slim chance of challenging for the title disappeared after they lost 4-0 and 3-0 to Atalanta and Fiorentina, failing to score a single goal and conceding seven.
This has left Juventus in fifth place, and they risk not qualifying for the Champions League next season. Motta had also reportedly lost the support of important players.
Here comes Tudor.
At 46 years old, Tudor has a reputation for fixing struggling teams, having done so at Udinese (twice), Hellas Verona, and Lazio.
Tudor is known as a tough coach who can deal with difficult players and stands firm in his beliefs, rather than trying to please club executives.
He left Marseille and Lazio after falling out with the club management.
“Am I someone who resolves problems? I consider myself a coach,” Tudor said in a press conference on Thursday. “I started coaching young, and I’ve been doing it for 10-15 years, I have been around a lot, and I can be a bit particular because I make choices with my heart.
“I continue if I feel it’s right. If not, I go home regardless of my contract. I live in the present. I want to be here for 10 years, but I will do my work the same way. We can’t control what happens in the future.”
Thiago Motta reacts in the gameTudor’s contract runs until the end of June, covering the rest of the domestic season and the Club World Cup in the United States. His contract will reportedly be automatically extended for another year if Juventus qualifies for the Champions League.
Juventus is one point behind fourth-placed Bologna, and Tudor’s first match as coach will be on Saturday, at home against Genoa.
“I believe a lot in this team because it has quality players and a great desire to improve,” Tudor said. “We know that we are going through a difficult period and that there has been little time to work on changes, but there are no excuses in life and I have never looked for them.”
Tudor knows Juventus well, having spent almost a decade as a player at the club, and later returning as an assistant coach to Andrea Pirlo in 2020-21. Pirlo and Tudor were both fired at the end of that season.
The Croatian coach is very aware of the high expectations at the 36-time Serie A champion.
“At Juve I learnt a lot, both as a player and as assistant coach,” Tudor said. “This club has a unique work culture. I’ve told the lads about some moments I experienced here as a youngster … what makes up Juve: Respect, discipline, sacrifice, and the will to win.”
“Over the years I have been involved with many teams and I have never seen a mentality like the one I found here. At Juve, hard work comes first and every choice is made with great care. This spirit must be our starting point.”
One of the many stars Tudor played with at Juventus was Lilian Thuram, who was his teammate for five seasons.
One of Thuram’s sons, Khéphren Thuram, now plays for Juventus.
“I spoke to Lilian yesterday and he told me that if Khéphren does something wrong, I have to immediately give him a smack,” Tudor said with a laugh.
