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Del Piero chooses Sydney over Liverpool

Juventus and Italy legend Alessandro Del Piero has rejected a late offer from Liverpool in order to sign for Sydney FC.

By Reuters | Eurosport – 12 hours ago

Del Piero, who ended his 19-year association with Juve when leaving on a free transfer at the end of last season, has signed a two-year deal worth an annual 1.6 million euros to complete the biggest transfer in the history of Australian football.

Liverpool's failure to sign a new striker on transfer deadline day had forced them to attempt to sign Del Piero as back-up to Luis Suarez and Fabio Borini, but the forward shunned the chance to move to Anfield at such a late stage.

Del Piero, who scored 208 goals in 513 appearances for Juve, will explain his decision in a press conference in Turin on Wednesday afternoon.

"It is a special day for me," Del Piero said. "I'm happy to announce that I have signed agreement with Sydney for the next two years.

"I'm happy to begin this adventure and I want to thank all the teams that I have talked to. There was no better option than this, thank you Sydney FC and everyone in Australia.

"A lot of clubs contacted me, Italian teams too and I thank all of them. Today my new adventure starts and my emotions are mixed. "I thank Sydney for this opportunity and his fans that already adopted me. I will discover a fantastic city and a fantastic country. I am grateful to my family for being with me in every moment.

"I will continue to cheer Juventus. In Australia I will be able to deepen my passion for rugby. Above all I'm here to score a lot of goals and to try to improve Australian football with my experiences. I hope Australian people love football."

Del Piero will play with the same Number 10 he donned at Juventus, Tony Pignata, Sydney's general manager, said in Turin.

"This signing is a major coup for Sydney FC and marks a historic day for football in this country," club chairman

Scott Barlow said in a statement. "This is for all Australian football fans".

Football's popularity in Australia trails behind the rival football codes of rugby league and Australian Rules in the congested domestic market place.

With most of Australia's best players plying their trade abroad, the top flight A-League has suffered from lack of star quality since it was launched for the 2005-6 season.

Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke, England striker Robbie Fowler and Socceroos John Aloisi, Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton were among the best known players to have graced the league before Del Piero's signing.

The presence of Kewell, now departed, and Emerton, who will play alongside Del Piero for Sydney FC, helped push attendances past the average mark of 10,000 last season.

Del Piero's arrival could not have been more timely time for the A-League.

The Football Federation of Australia (FFA)'s TV deal, which comes with the sweetener of the hugely popular Socceroo matches, expires at the end of the season and the arrival of such a high profile player can only help negotiations.

The new season begins in early October with twice champions Sydney FC taking on New Zealand's Wellington Phoenix across the Tasman Sea in their opener on October 6.

Edited September 5, 201213 yr by SydneyChelsea

An absolute legend, was hoping the rumours linking him to southampton were true so i could possibly watch him play a few times.

One of my favourite players ever. Too bad he went to Sidney, because I'm not likely to go there. Would love to see him play before he ends his career.

A true gentleman. Legend.

Looking forward to seeing him visit Suncorp this season.

No player from Juventus with respect for themselves and the clubs history would join Liverpool. Never.

As if Del Piero would join Liverpool to play back up to Borini who couldn't score in a brothel.

No player from Juventus with respect for themselves and the clubs history would join Liverpool. Never.

Liverpool wanted Del Piero, but he said that because of the Heysel event he would not join them.

No player from Juventus with respect for themselves and the clubs history would join Liverpool. Never.

You're on the money, according to one of his former agents.

Ok so some big news in the Australian league, first we had Del Piero signing with Sydney FC ($2mil AUD for 2 years), then the big news came through that Emile Heskey ($1mil AUD for 1 year) had signed for Newcastle Jets earlier today (Terms agreed anyway subject to a medical) and the latest rumour doing the rounds is that one of our exes is looking to make the move down under with Michael Ballack being linked to West Sydney Wanderers (A brand new expansion club for this season) for $1.6mil AUD for 1 year.

Should know more about this soon but all I can say is I'm getting super excited for this season's A-league and the chance to see these guys in the flesh

Heskey and Del Piero very exciting...if Ballack is added to that, it'll be amazing.

Ballack would be the biggest of the 3...but I don't think it'll happen.

Ballack wouldn't be close to Del Piero to be honest. Del Piero is a living legend.

The other problem is Ballack has been barely fit for 18 months whereas both Heskey and Del Piero were playing top tier football prior to moving.

I have enormous respect for both ADP and Ballack...maybe it's the Chelsea tinted glasses which have me thinking Ballack, but both have been world class players and enormous names in the football world.

I am happy with Brisbane's team, without a marquee, but with effective players, but would still love to see these sorts of players in the league. Heskey may be a bit of a joke, but he's also been a very good player, and cap wise, he's 62 times the player that Francis Jeffers was haha

ADP's signing could well be a seminal moment in Australia's football/soccer history, never mind the A-League. Think about the overseas interest in the country's football now that ADP has joined, especially in Turin and maybe even the rest of Italy. Think of the merchandising. Think of the increased crowds. However, will the FFA capitalise on such interest? I'm not sure.

Ballack wouldn't be close to Del Piero to be honest. Del Piero is a living legend.

The other problem is Ballack has been barely fit for 18 months whereas both Heskey and Del Piero were playing top tier football prior to moving.

Wouldn't be close to Del Piero in what sense, exactly? I sincerely hope you're not suggesting that Del Piero is a much better player than Ballack.

Del Piero is a living legend in large part because he was a one club man for the vast majority of his career. 19 years for Juventus is amazing and Del Piero deserves a ton of respect for his consistency and longevity. Ballack, on the other hand, had a lot of injury troubles throughout his career and changed clubs far more frequently, but as a player he wasn't inferior to Del Piero. He could play any role in the midfield, was Germany's captain, had a better international scoring record than Del Piero and won more individual honors.

One of my favorite players, a true legend

Wouldn't be close to Del Piero in what sense, exactly? I sincerely hope you're not suggesting that Del Piero is a much better player than Ballack.

Del Piero is a living legend in large part because he was a one club man for the vast majority of his career. 19 years for Juventus is amazing and Del Piero deserves a ton of respect for his consistency and longevity. Ballack, on the other hand, had a lot of injury troubles throughout his career and changed clubs far more frequently, but as a player he wasn't inferior to Del Piero. He could play any role in the midfield, was Germany's captain, had a better international scoring record than Del Piero and won more individual honors.

I would argue that Del Piero was a much better player than Ballack, but that isn't what I am getting at.

Del Piero was voted Italy's greatest ever sportsman. He has a character and a popularity that transcends rivalry and when it comes to marketing that is an intangible that Ballack (who played for two of the most polarising teams in Bayern and Chelsea) doesn't come to close to, even though Ballack would be the better player right now.

Ballack and Del Piero aren't really comparable. Del Piero was at his most effective as a second striker/trequarista, while the most forward Ballack played was as an attacking midfielder. However, I would say that Del Piero's peak exceeded Ballack's given that he was capable of ripping it up in what was the best league in the world during the late 1990's (Serie A). Even later in his career, he had the odd excellent season, notwithstanding Serie A's decline through the 2000's. On the other hand, Ballack was more effective at international level despite his injuries and had a more rounded game than Del Piero did, being far superior defensively and having better physical traits. However, the Bundesliga was not the world's best league at his peak.

Ballack and Del Piero aren't really comparable. Del Piero was at his most effective as a second striker/trequarista, while the most forward Ballack played was as an attacking midfielder. However, I would say that Del Piero's peak exceeded Ballack's given that he was capable of ripping it up in what was the best league in the world during the late 1990's (Serie A). Even later in his career, he had the odd excellent season, notwithstanding Serie A's decline through the 2000's. On the other hand, Ballack was more effective at international level despite his injuries and had a more rounded game than Del Piero did, being far superior defensively and having better physical traits. However, the Bundesliga was not the world's best league at his peak.

Agreed. My original point TBB was that Ballack is not a household name in Australia. Del Piero (partly because of our large Italian population, mostly for reasons you would not understand unless you are a Sydney FC fan) is.

Possibly not; I support Brisbane Roar (living in Brisbane and all).

I think a few Australians would recognise the name Ballack, but Del Piero would be better known, yes.

Feel sorry for the team ended up getting Heskey, the true Liverpool legend

Hope there are more big signings to come, should be a fun A-league season.

Possibly not; I support Brisbane Roar (living in Brisbane and all).

I think a few Australians would recognise the name Ballack, but Del Piero would be better known, yes.

I meant TBB haha

I don't know how much you know about the demographics of Sydney vs Western Sydney but Del Piero's signing pissed the FFA off heaps, they completely stole WSWs thunder in an unimaginable way. Del Piero is a hero to many of the WSW demographic, Ballack is a consolation.

I meant TBB haha

I don't know how much you know about the demographics of Sydney vs Western Sydney but Del Piero's signing pissed the FFA off heaps, they completely stole WSWs thunder in an unimaginable way. Del Piero is a hero to many of the WSW demographic, Ballack is a consolation.

I'm not familiar with the demographics of Sydney. I assume that the west is the Italian enclave?

I'm not familiar with the demographics of Sydney. I assume that the west is the Italian enclave?

Specifically a strong Euro enclave, filled with fans of overseas clubs who felt disenfranchised by the new league structure in 2004, and never followed the A League.

That was West Sydney Wanderers (the new, Western Sydney club) target market and ADP's signing ripped the heart out of their plans, forcing many that jumped ship from the Sydney FC bandwagon to come back tails between legs.

Specifically a strong Euro enclave, filled with fans of overseas clubs who felt disenfranchised by the new league structure in 2004, and never followed the A League.

That was West Sydney Wanderers (the new, Western Sydney club) target market and ADP's signing ripped the heart out of their plans, forcing many that jumped ship from the Sydney FC bandwagon to come back tails between legs.

That's amusing. I didn't realize they were a brand new club.

At any rate, it must be an exciting time for football fans in Sydney. Two of the best footballers in the past few decades joining rival teams one after the other. My only hope is that Michael doesn't fall prey to a drop bear. I hope he's aware of their existence and has taken adequate precautions.

That's amusing. I didn't realize they were a brand new club.

At any rate, it must be an exciting time for football fans in Sydney. Two of the best footballers in the past few decades joining rival teams one after the other. My only hope is that Michael doesn't fall prey to a drop bear. I hope he's aware of their existence and has taken adequate precautions.

If you think it's exciting in Sydney, imagine being in the regional city of Newcastle.

They signed Emile Heskey.