It`s a crazy time for football coaches; a lot is happening in this world. We were surprised by the `no` replies from Antonio Conte and Gian Piero Gasperini to Juventus, and Como`s `no` to Inter regarding Cesc Fabregas. We watched with curiosity Simone Inzaghi`s lucrative move to Saudi Arabia and the regret of former `fugitive` Roberto Mancini, who now misses the national team. And then, to our astonishment, we unfortunately witnessed a national team coach, Luciano Spalletti, announce his own sacking in a press conference, only to then sit on the bench the next day as a dismissed manager. A globally unprecedented story.
Amidst all this turmoil, we`ve heard many fans, and even read commentary from some experts, suggest that Juventus and Inter are `betting` on Igor Tudor and Cristian Chivu, placing the two clubs, and more importantly, the two coaches, on the same path. This comparison, in the opinion of the author, doesn`t hold water.
The only common point is that neither was the first choice for their respective clubs. As mentioned, Juventus first pursued Conte and then Gasperini, while Inter, left by Inzaghi unexpectedly (perhaps Marotta might have considered Allegri if he had time), faced Como`s refusal for Fabregas. That`s it. The similarity ends there. Because, looking at the facts, Tudor`s profile is not even remotely comparable to Chivu`s.
Perhaps Chivu will become a great coach – and we wish him the best – and maybe already at the Club World Cup and next season he will perform much better than Tudor. But currently, there is no comparison between the Romanian and the Croatian.
Chivu, aged 44, coached in Inter`s youth sector from 2018 to 2024 and only entered senior football this February on the Parma bench. His senior team coaching record to date is 13 matches, with a balance of 3 wins, 7 draws, and 3 losses.
Tudor`s career and experience, at 47 years old, are of an entirely different magnitude. The current Juventus coach began in 2009 as an assistant at Hajduk Split, also working in their youth sector until 2013, while simultaneously serving as assistant coach for the Croatian national team in the 2012-13 season. Since 2013, meaning for 12 years, Tudor has been a senior club coach, managing teams like PAOK Thessaloniki, Karabukspor, Galatasaray, Udinese, Hajduk Split, Juventus (as assistant to Andrea Pirlo), Verona, Olympique Marseille, Lazio, and Juventus. In total, Tudor boasts a record of 268 matches as a head coach, with a balance of 128 wins, 61 draws, and 79 losses. With Hajduk, Tudor won a Croatian Cup.
In summary, the Tudor-Chivu comparison today looks like this: 268 matches versus 13, 12 years of senior career versus 4 months. In essence, there is no contest, and no valid comparison between the two coaches.
