Del Piero unsure of next move

Posted Sunday, May 04, 2014 by

Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero admits he is still unsure of his next step after announcing his exit from Australian outfit Sydney FC.

Del Piero - who became one of world football's biggest names during an outstanding 19-year stint at Juventus - swapped Turin for Sydney in 2012.

His two-year stay in the A-League has recently concluded and the 39-year-old says he wants to play on in a new destination.

Early reports have linked him with a switch to Japan or the United States, but Del Piero told newspaper L'Avvenire: "I haven't made a decision yet.

"It's not just the football that fascinates me, but also the project around it, the environment, the opportunity to build something important on and off the field, just as I did in Australia. My objective is to work not just for a club, but for an entire football movement.

"I certainly don't want to experience what I've already seen, but go for something new. That is my philosophy in life as well as in sport. I have many dreams left to fulfill and an interview is not long enough to list them all."

Del Piero did acknowledge he has missed life in Italy, hinting at a return to his home country once his playing days are over.

"It might seem banal, but it's true...being away from your country makes you appreciate it even more," he added. "You realize everything we have that at times we don't value, but that is recognized and appreciated elsewhere in the world."

He also offered a view on the state of Italian football after Juventus was knocked out of the UEFA Europa League at the semifinal stage on Thursday.

Milan was the only Serie A outfit to reach the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League, in which the club suffered a 5-1 hammering at the hands of finalist Atletico Madrid.

Serie A has come in for criticism as a result but Del Piero said: "As for Italian football, I am not one of those who have to criticize at all costs.

"There are problems, especially because some big champions preferred to go elsewhere, but we can get back on track. It already happened in the past. Off the field we need to look around and understand what has to be improved."