Joe Montemurro’s era at Juventus Women has officially begun and, today, alongside Stefano Braghin, Head of Juventus Women, he was unveiled to the media in a press conference.
The media event kicked off with words from Stefano Braghin, where he provided an update on the team and the vision that he has for the future. Montemurro then took hold of the microphone as he revealed his pleasure to be at the club.
Here’s what was said:
STEFANO BRAGHIN
The last time we all met at the press conference here in Vinovo was the summer of 2017, the start of the Juventus Women project. After four years, we are here again for another crucial step in the history of this project, which until now, has given the club great satisfaction when it comes to writing very important pages in the history of Italian women's football. The evolution of a project passes through the imagination. This group has great potential: we have chosen a coach with great international experience, and his outlook can help us on the path of growth. The construction of the team is practically complete. On the market we continued to focus on young Italians (Aprile, Bonfantini and Lenzini) and on a high profile goalkeeper like Peyraud-Magnin. We are still looking for a left-footed defender. This will be a year of great transition towards professionalism, and it is a historic moment. The legal, regulatory and financial contexts remain to be understood. This year four girls from 2003 will be an integral part of the team. We have set a goal for ourselves to be, within three years, among the top eight in the international ranking.
JOE MONTEMURRO
First of all a big thank you to Juve, the Director and the President for this great opportunity. I am honoured to be here and I am experiencing this all with humility. I've been a great Juventus fan since I was a child. Italian football is growing, not only here. We hope to continue this process, both at the youth sector level, for the national team, and at a European level. Very important investments have been made in England by the top clubs. When we make the same leap in Italy, the gap will be filled, and professionalism will be fundamental. This week was very nice, we all met each other, and I'm understanding the situations of each player. I saw a great desire to grow, with a smile on each face. Juve must have more confidence on the international level and overcome some uncertainty. To achieve international goals, you have to work every day. Turin is a beautiful city; I received a great welcome. We have little time to prepare, we have to work well from a mental point of view to get to the Champions League; moreover, it is a matter of planning. I believe in possession of the ball and in a proactive attitude, which leads to dominating the games with the ball. Italian women's football is a bit undervalued, and this little exposure makes me sad, because at the level of organisation, it is at the level of many foreign leagues. Pauline Peyruad-Magnin is a modern goalkeeper, one of the few in the world to play well with her feet. She has great technical skills, is a great leader, and she wears the No. 1 jersey of the French national team. It is a great honour to have her here.