Former Juventus president, Giovanni Cobolli Gigli, discussed the change of coach at Juventus in an interview with Tuttomercatoweb.
Do you think Motta`s dismissal was justified?
`Yes, I believe the decision was right. And bringing in Tudor for these last few months to aim for Champions League qualification was also right. Then, they can decide on him and other potential coaches in the summer.`
Were you surprised by this decision being made now?
`I wasn`t surprised. I was more surprised by Giuntoli`s attitude, based on what I`ve been reading. I recall him saying `we must all be united` after the defeat in Florence when asked about Motta`s potential sacking. Now I read that he apparently said certain things to Motta, which seems incompatible, if true. Because it would add to Giuntoli`s work, which I haven`t appreciated, like the purchases of Nico Gonzalez, Douglas Luiz, and Koopmeiners for over 100 million. They were brought in to revive Juventus, but haven`t performed to their value. I try not to interfere, but to answer your question, it seems the top management of the club has been lacking.`
In what way?
`The CEO should have full powers. It seems they`ve given Giuntoli excessively broad power, and he hasn`t taken the position that others in the past who made certain types of statements did. Giuntoli has also acted as press officer. What`s missing at the top of Juventus is the CEO.`
What did Motta do wrong?
`He probably showed too much rigidity in wanting to impose his style of play and in wanting to make punitive decisions on players who didn`t seem to follow him. He made a mistake and risked compromising the value of Juventus players. Take Vlahovic: we all know he won`t be kept at these figures, but not playing him means devaluing him. I want to see who will make offers if he continues not to play like this.`
Is Tudor the best choice for Juventus?
`At the moment, yes. Other coaches, like Mancini, would probably have asked for different conditions. Tudor has bet on himself. If he manages to get them into the Champions League, those who have to decide might choose to keep him longer, provided there is someone to decide, I emphasize. Tudor is tough, but he`s someone who has lived the Juventus style, which is no longer there. We need to bring back the Juventus colors, which are not those of the yellow jersey they play in. Juventus style is missing right now. Giuntoli doesn`t have it, I`m sorry to talk about him, but he`s the one who has taken on many responsibilities.`