Moggi Flops

Inilah 10 kesalahan transfer yang dilakukan Moggi

10. Edwin Van Der Sar
The first foreign goalkeeper in Juventus’ history, the Dutchman was netted from Ajax as the club attempted to replace the legendary Angelo Peruzzi. After a mediocre first season, it is Van Der Sar’s second – and last campaign – that will be remembered for the wrong reasons. A string of howlers, including a dodgy performance against Lazio, even saw his eyesight questioned. Blamed by many for the loss of the Scudetto, he left for Fulham and was replaced by Gigi Buffon in 2001.

9. Salvatore Fresi
An enigma of the Italian game, Fresi was again given an opportunity to prove himself at the highest level by Juve. A star of the Under-21 side, he was expected to develop into the new Franco Baresi. Unable to do that at Inter, Moggi signed him in 2002 after a decent campaign at Bologna. A goal on his debut against Atalanta proved a false dawn as he left in January 2004 with just 17 games and one goal in all competition.

8. Fabio Pecchia
A fine player at Napoli, the gritty midfielder’s career came to a halt just when it seemed that he was almost ready for the full international side. Although equipped with lungs of steel, his path to regular first team football in Turin was blocked by Edgar Davids. After 37 games in total, a frosty relationship with Moggi saw Pecchia moved on to Sampdoria before a string of other clubs. He deserved better.

7. Jocelyn Blanchard
One of Moggi’s more mysterious buys, the Frenchman was brought in after nothing more than a decent campaign at Metz. Signed as a new Didier Deschamps figure, the midfielder left quite an impression in a summer friendly against Newcastle United. But a stunning goal in that game was about as good as it got for a man who was back in France with Lens less than a year later.

6. Jonathan Bachini
Acquired by the Turin giants to fill the small but substantial boots of Angelo Di Livio, it just didn’t happen for him. The Juventus stage was bigger than the Udinese one which he shined on, while it was widely accepted that Bachini was a player built for 3-5-2 and not the rigid 4-4-2 which Carlo Ancelotti used at the time. He made 32 appearances in two years before joining Brescia.

5. Olivier Kapo
Enticed by his Bosman free status, the Ivorian-born Frenchman accepted an offer from Lucky Luciano in 2004. He did very little in his brief Turin stay to justify the headlines which his switch got at the time. The lasting memory of his Bianconeri days is a late equaliser at Reggina which was then ruled out for offside. Kapo moved to Monaco and Levante on loan before the club got rid of him to Birmingham City.

4. Sunday Oliseh
Nigerian international who didn’t turn out to be the midfield enforcer which Big Luciano hoped for. Signed from Ajax in 1999, Juventus were Oliseh’s second Italian club after a previous spell at Reggiana in 1994-95. Rarely used – he made just eight appearances for the Old Lady in Serie A – he was moved on to Borussia Dortmund.

3. Athirson
An attacking Brazilian left-back – “He’s the new Roberto Carlos,” some inevitably claimed – who was suggested to Moggi by Omar Sivori. It took Juventus the best part of a year to sign him after a number of bureaucratic problems and it was time unwisely spent. Athirson made his debut on April 1, 2001, in the first of only five appearances. Loaned back to Flamengo with a view to recalling him, that never happened as the club chose to rescind his contract instead.

2. Fabian O'Neill
Signed in 2000 as an alternative for Zinedine Zidane if necessary, the man who Cagliari got £8m for failed to convince Ancelotti. Little changed following the arrival of Marcello Lippi, who attempted to use him as a replacement for the suspended Edgar Davids in a deeper midfield position. The Uruguayan’s Turin stint lasted just two seasons and 14 Serie A games. What a waste of talent…

1. Juan Esnaider
Argentine forward who was signed in January 1999 to cover for the absence of the injured Alex Del Piero. He turned out to be no Pinturicchio as the player who impressed at Atletico Madrid and Espanyol failed to show up. No goals in 16 Serie A appearances, he netted just twice in 25 games overall before being released to Real Zaragoza. “My professional career starts today,” he said at his official presentation. In some ways, it ended instead.
Words: Antonio Labbate