Sky Sport Italia suggest that Fulham head coach Marco Silva is now one of the leading candidates for the vacant Juventus job as he is a favourite of the incoming sporting director Damien Comolli.
Juve, who sacked Thiago Motta in March, are currently seeking a permanent boss with Igor Tudor taking interim charge during the Club World Cup, which gets underway in the United States next month. The Bianconeri were hoping to lure Juve legend Antonio Conte back to the club but the former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur coach has decided to return at Napoli, whom he just guided to the Serie A title. Gian Piero Gassperini, who was also high up on the Juve
shortlist, has agreed to take charge of Roma.
Gazetta dello Sport and other Italian newspapers have listed Juve’s current leading candidates as being Roberto Mancini, Stefano Pioli and Bruno Genesio as well as Silva. The Fulham boss is said to be the frontrunner as current Juve sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli had contacted Silva’s agent Jorge Mendes before Conte had confirmed his intention to stay at Napoli. Whilst Giuntoli is set to be replaced by Comolli next week, the Frenchman is known to admire Silva’s success in re-establishing Fulham as a Premier League club.
The former Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool director of football, who has been president of Toulouse for the past five years, has held informal talks with Mendes on Juve’s behalf to ascertain Silva’s level of interest in taking the Turin job, according to Sky Sport Italia. Whether Silva, who was emphatic in the aftermath of Fulham’s final day defeat by Manchester City last week that he would be at Craven Cottage next season, would be willing to navigate the turmoil of Juventus’ unstable boardroom politics remains to be seen, with Di Marzio highlighting that the former Hull City, Watford and Everton coach has already rejected approaches from Al Hilal and Spurs to continue at the Cottage.
La Fidanzata d’Italia‘s hierarchy will have to placate a furious fanbase, who have already ridiculed Silva’s credentials with Le Zebre reeling from the disappointment of finishing four in Serie A last term and the collapse of confidence in Motta as Italy’s most successful side in the twentieth century ended this term twelve points behind Napoli.
Would be sad to see him go but, what an opportunity for him.
I’d have hated it if he’d gone to Spurs (poisoned chalice job).
Very difficult decision to make. Glad it’s not mine.
I’d hate to see Marco go! I think he’s done an incredible job at nurturing players. I’d also hate to see him leave and get consumed by vicious boardroom politics.
It seems like Silva’s time at Fulham really is winding down. Could he really have more than two seasons left with us? If all of that is true, then it’s less of a sacrifice for him to give up the “stability” at Motspur for the “you’ll get fired in 9 months” energy of a big Serie A job.