Post by Salem6 on Jul 31, 2007 14:47:11 GMT
After twelve days of personal training to get into the best possible shape for another season in the spotlight, Gigi Buffon has gone back to normal on his return to Turin: he joined the others from the very first training session and then he held a press conference to assess the situation. The best goalkeeper in the world is wired and ready to once again give his huge contribution to Juventus' triumphs.
Trentino cures: “At camp I took advantage of the facilities to undergo a complete check-up, I'm getting older and I needed to have this preventive 'pit stop' before getting back onto the pitch. Everything's fine now and I'm joining the group as normal for our trip to England and Germany”.
The contract's renewal, a faded memory: “I don't think about it any more. I did think about it a lot before, and in the days immediately after I signed. Now everything has been digested. When I make choices, it's because I'm convinced, I seek the things that make me feel better and here we have projects and objectives that are achievable in the short or medium term”.
Good adviser: “I had the chance to speak with my team mates this summer. I spoke with Trezeguet only after he'd renewed. I called Nedved when it seemed there were a few problems. The whole year he'd been very insistent on me staying, it seemed strange that he was the one not renewing in the end. We need all our best players if we believe in this project”.
Summer confirmations: “The summer signings were the best confirmation for us of the club's ambitious plans. Juve were never going to have a passive role, in fact I believe we were the club who operated best. It was inevitable; you can't be one of the also-rans if your name is Juventus. You're always in the spotlight and you’re expected to be a contender”.
Seasonal objectives: “I back what my team mates said, our idea is to be in the spotlight. This year it'll be important to understand that we can challenge anyone; we have to regain this conviction. At the moment other teams are the favourites, but that's the beauty of football and I for one am not settling for any placement. I'm also realistic however, and a place in next year's Champions League would already be a significant result”.
Ranieri: “He's a man of the world. Due to his foreign experiences, he likes to maintain a human relationship with the players, and this gives great responsibility to us. He doesn't have a boss-like attitude. He puts faith in everyone and it'll be up to us to repay it”.
The new team mates: “I haven't seen a lot, but I was impressed with Almiron's technical skill in shooting, he already had me once. But I must also mention Tiago's passing skills. Nocerino has great personality and he's very adaptable; he marries skill and substance”.
Young keepers growing: “I heard good things about Vanstrattan, he has great qualities and you can see it in training. Novembre has good potential, he's done well in the lower leagues and playing at this level he can mature quickly. I hope Mirante can do well at Sampdoria too. A lot of foreign keepers this year? I'm the only Italian keeper who's a first team regular in one of the top teams, but it's a burden I'll happily carry. On a technical level, we Italians have nothing to envy anybody else. But foreigners seem to be able to remain calmer before big matches; it's essential not to give in to the pressure”.
The defence: “I'll wait 'til I'm between the posts to judge it. Some people believe it's not up to par? You need to have proof before judging. We still have several games before the summer market ends. They'll be our testing ground. At the end of the day there's only one universal language of football and everybody learns it. Apart from one or two youngsters who have shown they have what it takes to become excellent players, I think the others who have joined the team have had a very respectable career so far, at international level too”.
Importance of the group: “The best groups are the ones where you fit in well, where you have one soul and one way of thinking in common. When you have that mentality, there can be 20 or 30 of you, it doesn't really matter”.
Elkann's greetings: “We were pleased with his visit. He told us the executives' and the Agnelli family's thoughts, and they're all positive ones”.
Memories of Serie B: “The most memorable game was the one in Genova. It was like playing in the Champions League. I saved a penalty that night and I saw that the rival fans had made a banner for me. I understood that some clubs, even when relegated, they still remain top class organizations. And I won't forget the Rimini match, I was moved and it was where I understood I had a lot to give”.
Seeded team: “I'm pleased they've put us among the seeded teams for the next championship, even if it doesn't change the substance of things much, in the end we still have to meet every team. In fact if you meet the big teams earlier in the season you have more chances to win. Allow me this joke, maybe they seeded us because everybody fears playing against us early on!”
The opponents: “If you want to win a trophy you have to beat everyone. Against AC Milan and Inter Milan, but the derby too, those will be special games. The important thing is that the rivalry stays on the pitch, especially the one with Inter Milan. The ghosts of the past can only hurt; we have to start looking to the future. It's up to everyone to try and avoid controversies: from us footballers, to the journalists and the fans. People are emotional; they’re easily affected by a player's behaviour, or by a newspaper title. We all have to be careful. We have to give out signals of peace and avoid exaggerations”.
In the Italian team without Totti: “I'm sorry about him quitting the National team, because he's a great player, invaluable to the team and most of all he's a nice guy. His decision took guts, and it was consistent with the last year he’s had”.
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