10 Reasons to Become a Juventus Fan

melanjutkan postingan sebelumnya. berikut ini gue postingin alasan kenapa lo harus jadi Juventini. sengaja gue copas abis dan ngga digoogletranslate-in biar ngga ngilangin esensinya.

This post is written for all the non-soccer (or newly-converted) fans out there, be it in the US/Canada, Asia, Africa, wherever! Every 4 years, The World Cup manages to pull plenty of new fans into “soccer.” I can definitely see that here in America, where a decent run by the Yanks managed to really pique some interest. Since then, I’ve had a handful of friends, previously who showed no interest in soccer ask me about different leagues and eventually, “what team should I support?”

Which is an impossible question, really. It’s cliche as hell, I know, but you don’t pick a team, it picks you. Though it was entertaining to read Bill Simmons “which EPL team should I pick”, it seems too methodical, too planned, too mechanical….too heartless. When I was in Madrid, I had no intention of following any Spanish team, but the tremendous fan support of Atletico Madrid made me a bit of a sympathizer. It’s not planned or calculated, it just happens. What I would do first, is choose which league you prefer, and then watch games.

Francesco over at the Italy Offside has a great post of 10 Reasons why you should follow Serie A. Many of you might consider following Serie A because you have Italian ancestry. Other very good reasons include the rich history of the league, the fact that it is fairly balanced, and it is a tactical league. If you enjoy a chess match, Serie A is your league. Spain’s league for me is too poor defensively, and England’s is just a case of kicking the ball up the field and hoping your big man can get to it. Both which lead to a lot of goals, but as time progresses…you might want something more.

So ultimately, why this post is 10 reasons why you should follow Juventus, you might not. You might start watching some Serie A games, and for whatever crazy reason, starting cheering for the team Juve is playing against. Or, for example, if you have Sicilian ancestry, you might watch a Palermo game and feel a genuine connection to the shirt. No one can make the decision for you, but here’s some reasons why you should at least watch some Juventus games, and give us a chance to be your squadra del cuore.

#1) Juventus is the team of all of Italy

Do you love Italy? Do you love every different city? Not sure where your family is from in Italy? Then Juventus is a good choice. Most teams in Italy have a very strong connection to the city of region they are from, in fact, almost all of them are named after the city. Juventus is the exception, it is massively popular everywhere, an estimated 33% of the Italian population pledges its’ allegiance to Juve, and that is widely regarded as being a low estimate, as it doesn’t count the massive amounts of fans (particularly in Southern Italy) who call Juventus their 2nd favorite team, after the local squad. You can find Juventini (Juventus fans) in cities like Rome, Florence, and Milan, all which are home to archrivals of Juventus. Last year, I went on a two week road-trip in Italy. When I was in northern Italy in Venice, the owner of a restaurant saw my Juventus jacket, grinned, dragged me into his kitchen to show me a massive Juventus flag and clock on the wall. Later, I was in Positano, in the Campania region (Naples) and two young kids playing some soccer in the streets, and started cheering Del Piero’s name upon seeing my jacket. (the captain of Juventus) No matter where you go in Italy, there are Juventus fans. No other team can claim that. There’s plenty of Juventus fans worldwide, too- the club has reported that 170million people worldwide call Juventus their team, distributed throughout the world. (About 100million in the Far East)

#2) Juventus has a very proud tradition within the Italian National Team

Gianluigi Buffon– the captain of the Italian National team, and the alternate captain of Juventus

If you’re a fan of the Azzurri, you probably know several Juventus players. The Old Lady (one of our nicknames) has a proud tradition of playing an Italian core, which is becoming rare in Italy. Juventus is the only team in Italy to have a player in every Italian World Cup squad. This year, as always, Juventus had a large contingent within the national team, though it went poorly for both. In the 2006 World Cup final against France, 5 Juventus players played for Italy. The last time Italy won, in 1982, seven Juventus players took part in the final against West Germany, including 4/5 of the defense, and two of the goalscorers. (Paolo Rossi and Marco Tardelli) It’s such a phenomenon, there is even a seperate “Juventus FC and the Italian national football team” Wikipedia article.

#3) We have some of the best players ever to play soccer/football

The prestigious and highly respected “Ballon d’Or” prize goes out on an annual basis to the best player, as voted by a panel of journalists. Juventus are tied as the club with the most honored players, with legends like Omar Sivori, Paolo Rossi, Michel Platini, Roberto Baggio, Zinedine Zidane, and Pavel Nedved winning it in Juventus colors. Platini is one of three 3-time winners, and he is the only player to win it 3 consecutive times in a row. And plenty of runners-up, like Gianluigi Buffon, Toto Schillaci, Zbigniew Boniek, Dino Zoff, and John Charles. And that’s only the Ballon d’Or. We have plenty of legends who are recognized as the best in their position, be it poacher-extraordinaire David Trezeguet, fantasista Alessandro Del Piero, defensive giants like Cabrini, Gentile, and Scirea, and brilliant midfielders like Tardelli, Conte, Davids, and a whole host of others that will be honored in the Hollywood star-style walk of fame at the new stadium.

#4) Our captain who is still playing, is the greatest Juventus player of all time

Our capitano, Alessandro Del Piero while playing for Italy

You could not pick a better idol than the captain of Juventus, Alessandro Del Piero. Now is a good time to start following him, because he won’t be playing for much longer! At 35 years old, Del Piero is not the young player he used to be, but is still plenty lethal. And he’s the greatest Juventus player of all time, and will probably not be surpassed anytime soon…or possible, ever. He has the record for the most games played for Juventus, as well as the most goals scored. He’s made over 600 appearances, and scored over 300 goals for the club. Hes finished top scorer of Serie B, Serie A, and the Champion’s League (twice), Europe’s premier club competition. Consider this- the average striker typically breaks into the first team around age 22-23, and retires around 10 years later at 32-33. There’s about 45 games a season give or take, and a striker would be proud of scoring 15 goals a season, and to do so consistently for 10 years would be tremendous. If a player did that, he’d finish with 150 goals and 450 appearances. (Barring injuries small or large, etc) Another words, still a far cry from Del Piero’s record. He’s also a phenomenal person off the pitch- he’s well known for being humble, not arrogant, a class act. He’s not the type of player to be seeking the limelight, he’s very much a “quiet” person. A lucky fan met him two months ago during the Juventus North America tour, and said Del Piero was extremely gracious and welcoming.

#5) Juventus is the most titled and storied team in Italy

Juventus celebrating our 29th national championship back in 2005-2006

29 national championships, 2 European titles, and we’re the first team ever to win every title possible, not just in Italy, but in all of Europe. We’re in a low-patch right now, and since we’re coming off our worst season ever, you won’t be considered a bandwagoner!

#6) Despite a very poor season, the future looks very bright

An artists rendering of the inside of our new stadium

Compared to, say, fellow Italian giants Milan, the future looks very bright, despite finishing 4 places below them. During the past season, the Juventus management completely revolutionized. Our new club President is Andrea Agnelli, who’s family has been a crucial part of Juventus for nearly a century now. We’ve snagged one of the smartest Directors of Sport (the guy who conducts trades) in Italy, in Giuseppe Marotta. The club is doing very well financially, and we have virtually no debt that plagues many of the other European giants. We’re building our own state-of-the-art stadium that unlike the rest of Italian stadiums, will be owned by us ($$$ goes to us, we can revamp it at will), will have modern facilities (restaurants, bars, stores), and will be the closest to the field in all of Italy. Lastly, our youth team, the Primavera, continues to churn out excellent talent, they have won the prestigious Viarreggio tournament the last 2 years in a row, and 6 times in the last 8 years. While we haven’t integrated them the best, they usually do get a chance in the first-team. Primavera graduates that have played at Juve in recent years include Antonio Nocerino, Raffaele Palladino, Domenico Criscito, Sebastian Giovinco, Claudio Marchisio, and Paolo De Ceglie. This year, we have the preceding three in the first team, as well as Davide Lanzafame. We may be in a lull right now, but with money, a new stadium, competent management, and great youth teams, the future is bright indeed.

#6) Our jerseys are awesome.

Black-and-white, and have been for over a century. Pure class.

#7) Our players are very technology-friendly, compared to others in Italy

Alessandro Del Piero, Giorgio Chiellini, and Claudio Marchisio on Facebook. Chiellini also has a Twitter account. More will probably join up soon.

#8) The greatest keeper in the world, of all time, is currently playing for us

His name is Gianluigi Buffon, and many reckon him to be one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, if not THE greatest. He’s struggled a bit with injuries in the last few years, but when healthy, there is no one better.

#9) The Juventus spirit is wonderful to watch

Legendary tough-tackling hardman Paolo Montero fighting for the ball in the 2003 Champion’s League final

Juventus doesn’t play the prettiest game in the world. We’re the type of team that prioritizes a clean sheet (conceding no goals) over scoring 5. And our players don’t always have the most flair. What we lack in style, we make up in spirit. The team is known for its “never-say-die” attitude, its grinta (determination) and mental toughness. Juventus doesn’t give up when the going gets tough, it digs in and fights back. It might not be sexy football, but after watching a few games, I guarantee you’ll learn to appreciate it. (Assuming our new coach, Delneri, brings it back. Last year, this spirit was sorely lacking)

#10) You have Roberto and myself, Aaron, blogging for you, and a great community in the comments section as well

Be it The Offside, or other blogs, writers come and go. Consistent blogging is tough work, let me tell you, people definitely underestimate the type of commitment required. Posts can take up to 2-3 hours. The Juventus Offside team, however, has been here for some time. Though The Offside was only formed in 2006, Roberto has been posting here since 2007, and I have been since February 2008. We try to bring you timely and relevant news, previews, reviews, what have you, all with a sometimes sarcastic, bitter, or downright bizarre twist. And the community down in the comments section is first-rate. They are equally, if not more informative and insightful than Roberto and I. (Give yourself all a hand) Whether you need links to watch a game online, info on when the game is being played, or thoughts on different players, they are fantastic. I’d love for frequent (or infrequent) commenters to add to this article, post below some other reasons to become a Juventus fan, serious or not.

For those fans who got a taste of soccer/football/calcio and enjoyed it, I hope you take my advice. Check out Serie A, as we call it, the most beautiful championship, and watch a few Juventus games. Whether you join us as a Juventino and a Juve Offsider or end up one of“those”, it’s definitely worth your time.

Write by: agiamba
Source: http://juventus.theoffside.com/team-news/10-reasons-to-become-a-juventus-fan.html
via http://www.juventusclubindonesia.com/