Lippi Warned To Stop Spending And Start Winning
Friday 4th January 2002
Juventus owner Umberto Agnelli has ruled out any more major signings this season and urged coach Marcello Lippi to make better use of the �80 million he spent last summer.
The purchases of Gianluigi Buffon, Pavel Nedved and Lilian Thuram stretched resources at Juve in the close season - although they did pick up �48 million from the sale of Zinedine Zidane to Real Madrid - and Agnelli believes the current squad should be capable of winning the Scudetto.
"It's true that we did not have a good first half to the season," he said. "I can't say that I'm happy, but that doesn't mean we need more players."
Juventus have been a striker short since Marcelo Salas snapped knee ligaments in October and they were expected to move for �10 million-rated Udinese striker Roberto Muzzi this month.
But Agnelli insisted on Friday that Lippi would have to make do with the current squad in his bid for Scudetto and Champions' League glory following the winter break.
"Everybody has been saying that we are close to signing Adrian Mutu [Verona] and Roberto Muzzi, but I have a different opinion," he said. "Our squad is complete.
"Ciro Ferrara is back to his form of three years ago, Antonio Conte is a new player despite his age and his injuries. And Igor Tudor will be back from injury very soon.
"And we shouldn't forget that up front we have Nicola Amoruso, who has scored a lot in his career and who is no less important than Muzzi or Mutu."
Juve's share price has fallen since flotation last month and Agnelli added that the club would now be following the policy set by title rivals Inter, Roma and Lazio.
"Costs have to be reduced," he said. "Inter president Massimo Moratti has done the same thing as Roma president Franco Sensi and Lazio president Sergio Cragnotti."
Juve, in fourth spot, start the New Year at home to Udinese on Sunday, looking to trim the six-point gap to leaders Inter.
