Gian Piero Ventrone

When Ventrone joined Juventus, he brought 43 computers for the pursuit of perfection in every exercise and tools no one had ever used.^[8] He made the players train by making them listen to the music of Queen and of Nirvana.^[8] He gave the players a bell called the "bell of shame"; those who were exhausted would ring it.^[8] He explained its use with, "in this sport there is no limit".^[8]

Ventrone was nicknamed "marine" for his very hard and tiring training sessions.^[9] His rhythms and workloads knocked out a number of professional athletes.^[7][10] Images of Harry Kane collapsing and vomiting and Son Heung-min almost fainting and lying agonising on the ground in a summer preparation in Seoul went viral.^[7] Alessio Tacchinardi, who was coached by Ventrone, considered Ventrone "a good sergeant, a reference point for everyone and a jackhammer".^[8]

Ventrone was born in Naples on 14 April 1960.^[7] He took part in the 1st San Marco Regiment.^[8] During his military service, he took a refresher course in America with the United States Army Special Forces.^[1] When Lippi left Juventus in 1999, he remained in Turin.^[8]

On the evening of 4 October 2022, Ventrone was taken to the Fatebenefratelli hospital in Naples and put into a coma for mechanical ventilation.^[7] A few days earlier, he learned he had acute myeloid leukemia.^[7] His death occurred at 6:45 on 6 October due to a brain haemorrhage.^[7] He was 62,^[2] though reported to be 61 in some English sources.^{[4][11][12][13][14]} His funeral was held three days later in the San Luigi Gonzaga church in Naples.^[15] Conte, out of respect for him, did not hold a press conference for the game against Brighton on the day he died.^[7][11] Before the match, the Tottenham players warmed up wearing a shirt that read "Forever in our hearts".^[16] During the minute's silence dedicated to him before the match, Conte cried.^[17] Harry Kane dedicated his winning goal to him.^[15]