Under-pressure Ferrara vows to fight on at Juve

(China Daily/AFP)
Updated: 2009-12-22 09:01

ROME: Juventus coach Ciro Ferrara has vowed to fight on despite his team's fifth defeat in six matches leaving their season in tatters.

Juve and near-novice coach Ferrara came into this campaign with lofty expectations in Serie A and the Champions League but the past six matches have changed all that.

The Italian giants lost their last two European games against Bordeaux and Bayern Munich to leave them with Europa League football to look forward to next year.

And three defeats in their past four league matches against minnows Cagliari, Bari and Catania has left them nine points behind champions Inter Milan, who beat Lazio 1-0 on Sunday and with little hope of landing a first league title since 2003.

But despite his team's dire results, Ferrara insists he will stick things out.

"Ours is a boat in a storm and to get through this we have to stick together, not for one moment have I thought about abandoning ship," he said.

In his first senior coaching job, Ferrara took over the Juve reins two matches before the end of last season after Claudio Ranieri was sacked but since winning his first six league matches he has won only seven of the past 18 in all competitions.

Juve have picked up just 18 points from their past 13 league games, a points to games ratio that would see them below 13th placed Cagliari if they'd done that since the start of the season.

But for their four straight wins at the beginning they would be in crisis.

"It's a difficult time for everyone, we're desperately disappointed, we're struggling and our opponents are making the most of it," said Ferrara.

"Strong men and strong teams need to react but it's not easy because morale is low. However, those who are used to and work in sport know there are difficult times that need to be overcome."

The problem is that the fans are increasingly turning against Ferrara and the team.

They were jeered throughout Sunday's shocking 2-1 home defeat to rock-bottom Catania and several hundred fans staged an angry protest outside the ground after the final whistle.

"The dressingroom shares their disappointment as does everyone going through this difficult time in which we are not achieving results worthy of this club," said Ferrara.

"We can't be happy. If there was just one problem we would already have resolved it. There are many things that aren't working ... but the answer lies not in the transfer market."

Ferrara is under pressure with rumors abounding that he may soon be given the boot, with Guus Hiddink allegedly on the Old Lady of Turin's wanted list, although the Dutchman's agent poured cold water over that speculation.

"It's not true, no-one from Juve has contacted me," said Cees Van Niewenhuizen. "I've also read that we were seen at (Milan's) Malpensa airport but that's not true either, it's ridiculous."

Ferrara has found an unlikely ally, though, in predecessor Ranieri who explained how tough the Juve job can be. "There you have to win so it's normal that fans protest. I did what was asked of me and I was still sent packing," he said.

For now, though, Juventus are publically backing their coach. "We believe in him and his staff. We all need to work harder and look at ourselves," said president Jean-Claude Blanc. "The winter break has come at just the right time to reflect so that we can come back afterwards with better morale so that we can improve our results."