Juventus coach Del Neri announces he will leave Turin

After another below average season, Juventus will once again put all their troubles down to the quality of their coaching staff. This time its Luigi Del Neri who will feel the force of the Juventus board. The former Sampdoria boss was adamant that he could've made an impact had he been given another season in Turin. However the Juventus board had other plans axing Del Neri - effective season end.

Juventus are at risk of not playing in Europe at all after falling three points behind Roma come last matchday. Juventus play Napoli, a team in scintillating form, not to mention the fact that they have also qualified for the Champions League. But Del Neri wants to end on a high note, and a win will certainly leave a sweet taste in the mouth of all Juventini, especially if Juve are able to leapfrog Roma into that elusive Europa League spot.

Last season Ciro Ferrara and Alberto Zaccheroni alike were sacked from the top spot in Turin. This along with a number of failed signings saw Juventus just qualify for Europe.

Rumours have already been floating around with Antonio Conte being linked with the job. For now however Del Neri will need to ensure that he finishes his time with Juve on a positive note. Qualifying for Europe is key for Juventus' ability to attract funding, sponsors and players alike. Lyon man Michel Bastos confirmed his interest in the Bianconeri this week, and could complete a move to Turin within the coming days, which would surely boost team spirits for next season!

The perfect A-league, a dreamers dream!

By Paul Frederickson

Everyone wants their team to be the best it can be. They also want their team to be in the most competitive and successful league possible. Imagine, if you can, that I have been presented with wishes by an FFA genie allowing me unlimited changes to the A-League. So here is my wish list for the A-League, granted it may be unrealistic, but nevertheless here it is!

Free-to-air channels and Pay television enter a massive bidding war in which the FFA reaches a $1.5 billion dollar deal that is distributed evenly to the ten A-League clubs. 3D games are shown in all local clubs and bars for no additional cost.

People can purchase pay-per view games for $1.99 on their mobile or home computer, accessing the game where and when they want.

The 2022 World Cup vote is re-staged and Australia is awarded the World Cup. Many tourists who stay afterwards attend A-League games and local supporters buy memberships in record numbers.

Games sell out on a regular basis and people go on waiting lists to see games and buy club memberships.

Merchandise is varied, well designed and people purchase home and away jerseys on a yearly basis.

Australian teams regularly win the Asian Champions League and perform well in the World Club Championships.

The A-League is the most followed and watched sport in the country and heads the sporting news on television. Football is on the back pages of the national newspapers for all the right reasons.

The competition has promotion and relegation where relegated teams are still well followed and financial. Thus, football supporters never have to worry about the financial status of their club.

People call soccer football.

Football fans who hear the word soccer embrace it for its history and do not get overly upset by its use.

The best footballers from around the world ask to come and play in Australia.

Finally, the people who run the game, love the game and even more importantly, know what they are doing!

A man is allowed to dream!

Special 1 TV: All In

The last episode of the season. Jose vows to returns for another season if "Manchester United win the Champions League". Do it!

               

European team of 2010/2011 - Vote Now!

 As the end of all competitions in Europe approach, Play the Advantage asks you to vote for your team of 2010/2011 in Europe. The compiled team will be analysed by PTA and posted with analysis on the website, at the conclusion of voting. What are you waiting for vote now. Not all voting is open yet and we will update the positions as we make them avaliable!

Ensure to add your selections if you feel we have missed out on any players. For some polls you may have to pick two players. We will also feature a substitution bench with seven players and a manager. Feel free to post suggestions you may have about the team. It will be a standard 4-4-2 formation. Get your votes in before polling closes. Our writing team will also post their suggested teams, which you can also comment on! 

Click here to vote for Goalkeeper - Van der Sar is currently leading

Click here to vote for Right Back - Abate is currently leading

Click here to vote for Left Back - Marcelo is currently leading

Click here to vote for Center Back - Chiellini and Vidic are currently leading

Click here to vote for Right Midfield/Wing - Robben currently leading

Click here to vote for Left Midfield/Wing - Bale currently leading

Click here to vote for Central Defensive/Central Midfielder - Xavi currently leading

Click here to vote for Central Attacking/Central Midfielder - Ozil currently leading


Click here to vote for Striker/Forward - Ronaldo and Messi currently leading

Click here to vote for Manager/Coach - Sir Alex Ferguson currently leading

The remainder of the positions will be released shortly. Until then vote for the back line of the team of 2010/2011 and feel free to add players you feel we have missed out on!

Special 1 TV: Pariah

This weeks epidsode sees Jose booted from his own show. Do it!

30 Champions 30. *** Kampioenen!

Can Juventus rebuild?

Turin giants Juventus have all but ended their hopes for another Champions League birth after being defeated 1-0 by Parma in a clash which saw loanee Giovinco score yet again against his parent club. Juventus sit 7th on the table just one point ahead of Palermo and three points behind Roma.

Juventus began the season in poor form losing 1-0 to Bari in the opening matchday. From here the Bianconeri seemed to improve going on a long unbeaten streak, just before the Christmas break, where they lost to Chievo and lost Quagliarella for the season. Winger Milos Krasic found his form and last season flop Felipe Melo began to take leadership in the middle of the park, brutally dominating any midfield that stood in the way of the Bianconeri.

The men from Turin alo had a brief spell in the Europa league, bowing out on the group stage after scoring six consecutive draws and equalling a record set by AEK Athens. Lively games against Manchester City brought out the best in the Bianconeri, who were unlucky to have done better in both legs against the Sky Blues.

It would be fair to say that the Bianconeri have the team to win the Serie A, when compared against the top seven in head to head the Bianconeri come out on top beating Milan, Inter and Roma this season. Where they have really lacked quality though, is in the area of consistency. Due to consecutive injuries and constant formation changes, Juventus never really developed into a team you would put your money on - so to speak. Even Del Neri's usually "set in stone" 4-4-2 merged into a 4-3-3 as less and less first team players became avaliable for selection.

So where to now for the Bianconeri?...... The transfer market?......... Again? In the last two season campaigns big name players have failed to make an impact with Juve, most notably Diego and Felipe Melo. But with the Juve board stating that they are keen to sign one or two big names, Juventus may just be turning to the cash once again as a solution.

In this constant spiral of buying and selling, Juventini around the world will be asking, when will we start to see results? Hope may just be on the horizon. Juventus' new stadium is nearing completion and will be in operation for the 2011/2012 season, this feat will see Juventus be the first Italian club to own their own stadium, also meaning they are the first Italian clubs to reap the benefits of owning their own stadium. With the new financial fair play system coming into play, the stadium could just be the saving grace for Juve, allowing them to sign high profile names, without falling beneath benchmarks set by FIFA and UEFA.

Juventus will, for a long time, be regarded as the best team in Italian history, but if they wish to hold that mantlepiece, they will need to prove that they have rebuilt from Calciopoli. Beating Milan, Inter and Roma all within the one season is a start, but qualifying for the Champions League for successive seasons, and progressing through the knockout will highlight that Juventus are back...... to their best!