Opinion: Love him or hate him, Juventus world is much less charming without Allegri

When you envision a football manager achieving a historic feat, the first image that might cross one’s mind is Carlo Ancelotti posing with a cigar, or awkwardly dancing with his players without a care in the world after adding another trophy to his ever-growing cabinet.

Nevertheless, Massimiliano Allegri walks to the beat of his own drum. He doesn’t truly follow the rules of society that the rest of us mortals must adhere to.

So on the night he became the most successful coach in the Coppa Italia history, the 56-year-old unleashed his “Mad Max” persona, leaving everyone in Rome both perplexed and terrified of the unfiltered beast.

In the final weeks of the season, Allegri knew something was amiss. The plot to oust him from the club was in motion, while Cristiano Giuntoli and company tried their best to keep him in the dark with their public reassurances. This is the Juventus way after all, as Andrea Pirlo and Maurizio Sarri can testify.

So in the end, Max vented his fury at the match official, his own jacket and tie, Tuttosport editor Guido Vaciago, and even snubbed Giuntoli’s compliments, refusing to embrace the Juventus director during the trophy celebrations.

Some might say Allegri’s surreal antics cost him big time, as he was sacked a couple of days later and could lose a large chunk of cash in the process. However, others will admire the departed Juventus coach for writing the script of his own farewell rather than being shown the door with a pat on the back.

How many of us dream of leaving our jobs after raising havoc and telling the boss and his cronies exactly how we feel about them? Well, Allegri’s fiasco at the Stadio Olimpico is probably the closest thing we’d see on that level, even though threatening another person of “chopping his ears” is hardly advisable.

Hence, the toxic love-hate relationship between Juventus and the Livorno native ended on a sour, yet perfectly befitting note.

For the last three years, the vast majority of us have been complaining about the lack of action on the pitch, with Juventus becoming increasingly stagnant, boring and unadventurous. Personally, I have been calling for a managerial change for quite some time, as the squad hasn’t been showing any signs of improvement in terms of team play.

Yet, I find it hard to celebrate the departure of a man who, despite his not-so-progressive approach, managed to fill the Juventus world with his elusive charm. Allegri could make us smile, laugh, celebrate, cringe, and despair while effortlessly placing himself at the very center of the action.

The Tuscan often appeared at the training center with a big smile on his face, sharing jests with his players who were undoubtedly heartbroken by his departure as evidenced by the wave of emotional farewell letters they posted on social media.

Allegri also delivered some of the most entertaining press conferences in Calcio. In the age of political correctness, the former Cagliari and Milan coach wasn’t afraid of dropping some controversial bombs that shook the stagnant waters.

Who can ever forget about his “Cops and robbers” dig when the Scudetto race with Inter was reaching its climax? Max kept the Italian media buzzing for weeks with a simple line.

Whether Thiago Motta will succeed the 56-year-old or someone else, this remains to be confirmed in the coming days and weeks. But regardless of the identity of the next Juventus boss and how competent he is on a tactical level, Allegri’s departure leaves an unfillable void on the human level.

If Jose Mourinho is the Special One, Max Allegri might just be the Unique One.