‘I’d be surprised if he went there’: Rio Ferdinand expresses doubts over viability of Juventus hiring Zinedine Zidane as their season plunges to new depths with defeat at Benfica ending their Champions League campaign
- Juventus were dumped out of the Champions League by Benfica on Tuesday
- Season plunged to new depths with them being eliminated at the group phase
- Speculation has been abound that Zinedine Zidane could takeover this season
Rio Ferdinand has poured scorn on the idea that Zinedine Zidane could make a return to Turin as manager 21 years after departing as a player.
Juventus were eliminated from the Champions League on Tuesday evening at the group stage following a 4-3 loss away at Benfica, plunging the club’s season to new depths.
Discussing the famous old club’s current plight on BT Sport, it was put to Ferdinand and Joe Cole that Zidane could be the man to save the club.
Zinedine Zidane has said that he will return to management soon – but the pundits deemed it unlikely to be Juventus
However, both doubted the viability of Zidane becoming Juventus’ knight in shining armour with Ferdinand in particular doubting the attractiveness of the role to a manager such as Zidane.
‘I’d be surprised if Zidane went to Juve with the team and squad that they’ve got. He’s used to winning trophies and the Champions League,’ he said.
Zidane has been out of work since leaving Real Madrid last year. It has been reported that he has turned down a number of job offers, including Manchester United.
The former Real Madrid boss won three Champions League crowns while in the dugout at the Bernabeu club
Asked whether or not Zidane, who won three Champions League crowns as a manager at Real Madrid, gets enough credit for his exploits in the dugout, Ferdinand replied that he did not think so.
‘I’d be one of them (complaining about no credit) if I was in his shoes. I’d actually be doing a few interviews about it. But he just seems like one of those guys that is content, [knows his] worth and my value, it’s there for you…to see,’ he said.
‘”I don’t need anybody to tell me how good I am.” There aren’t many people like that in the world, you have got to be the best.’
Cole, meanwhile, suggested that Zidane holds all the cards and could go to Juventus with his plan.
‘The upside is massive. As a competitor, he’d be looking at it going right, and he’ll go and he’ll speak to the owners and if you want me to come, he can dictate. I need this, this, this and this to make this club successful,’ he said.
Zidane is himself a former Juventus player which could endear him to the Agnelli hierarchy
‘If they say yes, then great, he’s the upturn of making Juventus great again. If they say we might be able to do that, he can say “no, I’ll wait for the next opportunity” because what he’s done in the game, he can wait. He can be patient.’
Zidane himself has intimated a return to management soon. ‘I will be back soon. Wait, wait a little bit. Soon, soon. I’m not far from coaching again,’ he told RMC Sport.
Ferdinand suggested that his time away from the game is a result of him being a patient character and somebody who is in a position to bide his time and wait for the best gig.
‘He seems like that kind of guy, he doesn’t rush at stuff. He’s not impulsive. He’s very clear in what he wants and decisive so we’ll have to wait and see, time will tell,’ he said.
Benfica have dumped Juventus out of the Champions League after a 4-3 win on Tuesday night
