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.