31 May 2016
Ninety minutes, just like a football match, but this evening Juventus president Andrea Agnelli was interviewed for precisely the same length of time on Sky Sport.
Facing a whole range of questions, Agnelli commented on the club’s latest triumphs and upcoming objectives, as well as outlining his vision for the present and future of the game.
Insight into presiding over Juventus
“Running Juventus in the last decade is vastly different from what it was in the early ‘90s. We’re now seen as an important company also by the banking and insurance sectors, we have a turnover of 350 million euros and approximately 700 employees. We’re no longer just a game, but a big business in one of few industries that is expanding at present. In the last six years, we’ve gone from a loss of 90 million euros to breaking even and our three-year financial plans have always been followed through and respected. The club is well-equipped to face and overcome the challenges of the next two to three years, after which we’ll need to have a clearer idea of what will happen in Italian and European football.”
Evolution of the game
“We need to give ourselves realistic objectives in the current climate, which poses plenty of regulatory limitations: we must understand what our model is, what Serie A’s ultimate aim is and formulate a plan to remain competitive on an international level. Thinking that we can emulate other countries, because they have regulations which have in some way suited them can’t bring us on level terms with the other clubs.
“We need to try to innovate and give a precise definition to what we want to be. Think about where the top Italian, Spanish, English and German clubs were at the start of the new Millennium. Things have changed a lot since then, also because in 2006 Italian football failed to keep evolving following its glory years and we’ve since lost a lot of ground on the other major leagues. It’s now more difficult for Italian clubs to compete globally, not only in terms of turnover but also in developing models and planning in the medium to long term.
“If you take the strongest clubs historically in Spain or England, namely Real Madrid and Manchester United, or even the likes of Barcelona and Chelsea, they’ve all become significant forces in the game by taking full advantage of the last decade and they’re now genuine household names across the planet. This has the very clear effect of increasing the chances to monetise a plethora of activities from merchandising to online subscriptions and not merely the famous ticket office or pay per view.”
Comments on the latest campaign
“The best thing about last season was that we started and finished it with a trophy, namely the Super Cup in Shanghai last August and the Coppa Italia won in Rome this May. The most difficult aspect of the campaign was dealing with the challenges that faced us between the start of September and November. This period, though, gave us confirmation of the fact that united minds and spirits make the difference. If I look at this year’s squad, it’s probably the most complete of the last six years. We knew that there would have been a transitional period this term, even if, as Massimiliano Allegri already said, we didn’t think it would last quite so long. Counterbalancing that tough beginning, we put together an extraordinary run of victories.”
Role of responsibility
“My job has always been that of choosing and delegating responsibility to people. I’m fortunate to have an excellent group of directors, who are young and, if we stay together for the next five years, would become the strongest managerial team in Europe.”
Relationship with Marchionne
“Sergio (Marchionne) is someone who I like talking with. He’s very experienced, competent and cultured. Meeting him every month enriches me and helps a great deal.”
Family ties in Turin
“There are many things that link my family to Turin. The residence belonging to myself and my cousin John (Elkann) is here. When one thinks about the great investments made over recent years in the city, Juventus Stadium and the Maserati factory in Grugliasco come immediately to mind. The corporate headquarters of FCA may be in the Netherlands, but Turin is still one of the company’s four executive centres, managing matters in Europe and Africa, so it’s absolutely essential. Besides the various investments, there remains on my part certainly and that of the rest of the family too an enormous level of affection towards this city.”
A tale of two Quinquenni
“My grandfather paved the way all those years ago and now we are very happy to have equalled such a fantastic feat. It’s great to think that Maria Sole Agnelli, who witnessed the first Quinquennio, was able to deliver in person the trophy of our latest history-making side to J-Museum. This is all in keeping with the sense of continuity, tradition and style of Juventus, which is, of course, to win.”
