La Stampa 30/04/99 : Interview With Angelo Peruzzi
[NOTE: This is Angelo Peruzzi's first interview in the last 7 months. According to La Stampa, Juventus fined him for this interview]
Welcome back, Peruzzi. Why did you keep your mouth shut for so long?
"Because I'm still convinced that people aren't interested in my opinion. I was told that I was wrong in not talking to the press, but I'm still not convinced."
In the meantime, something has happened. For example, Juve has changed trainer. Right choice?
"I was sorry to see Lippi go and now I wish Carletto to win as much as his predecessor. But a lot of times, due to little things, some particular situations evolve, you find yourself at a crossroad and you hope to guess the right one. Lippi left to shake things up."
The doping inquiry hasn't reached any definite result. What's your idea on the subject?
"Guariniello has asked for more time, let's hope he finds some proof. The reason why there hasn't been a trial is because nothing certain has been discovered."
Del Piero's contract requests are very real, though. Do you think that Alex will sign?
"They will find a solution."
But, if Juve agrees with Del Piero, other people will show up at the counter.
"Juve has five important players and it won't sell all of them just to keep salaries low. If there are teams that have a salary cap of 4 billion lire, I don't see why there should be teams that have a limit of 2. We have to meet somewhere in the middle, right now there's too disparity."
Is this an invitation to Juve to pay better its star players?
"I think that the four, five teams that always fight for the championship should have similar salary caps, considering how much they earn. Right now, teams earn from TV rights something like 200, 300 billion lire each year."
[NOTE: Juventus' current contract is worth 180 billion lire]
Right now, do the players have the upper hand in negotiations?
"In some cases, yes. But also the teams have them when they deal with Stream and Telepi�."
What will you do?
"I have a contract until 2003, right now I'm happy. I don't think about the others, they will act as they wish. I'm not scandalized, though, in a world where there is a lot of money, if players want to earn more."
Do you plan to leave before 2003?
"The franchise players do not exist anymore. Everything is possible: I could leave or I could stay. When I feel that it's the right moment, I'll tell you."
Once, it looked like you were fed up of Juve. Did you change ideas?
"I've been here eight years and I'm very happy. But I will have other goals in mind, with other money, I will think about it. Maybe it will be Juve that will find a better and cheaper goalkeeper and it will let me go."
Davids said that he doesn't feel obliged to respect contracts.
"But it's Juve that wants that contracts should be respected. Until now, it has found a way to make everyone happy, nobody has remained against his will. Here you are on the top, but there are other teams that can challenge for the championship, not counting foreign teams."
Meanwhile, you are playing, even if hurt.
"I have had a problem on my knee for the past two months, it's not serious, but it can only be cured with time off, but I can't stop. I will bite my lips and go on for another month, then the doctors will see what I have through arthroscopy."
Do you fear losing your starting spot on the National team?
"If it will happen, it will mean that they found someone better than me and replacing me will be the right choice."
Interview by Fabio Vergnano
