Fans can't expect immediate glory after 'soccer tsunami' - Juventus can't expect an immediate return to past greatness, coach Claudio Ranieri said Monday after a goalless draw with Sampdoria widened the gap from runaway leaders Inter and second-placed Roma, who both won.
''We're still rebuilding. And reconstruction will take longer than six months or a year,'' Ranieri told Italian radio.
''It's the first year after a soccer tsunami'', Ranieri said, referring to the Calciopoli scandal that put Juve through a year in Serie B and prompted many stars to leave.
He lauded the ''senators'' of the squad like Pavel Nedved and Alessandro Del Piero for helping newcomers fit in but admitted he had been disappointed by the performance of much-heralded signings like Portugal's Tiago.
Both Tiago and France defender Jean-Alain Boumsong have been linked to transfers after underperforming.
On Wednesday, in the Italian Cup, Juve take on Inter who beat Parma 3-2 on Sunday night thanks to a controversial penalty to stay seven points clear of Rome who beat Catania 2-0.
''We'll try and beat them. We want to get through and we'll put our all into it,'' Ranieri said, recalling that Juve put in one of their best performances of the season in holding Inter 1-1 in November.
Ranieri said he was looking to the man who scored the late equaliser that day, Italy winger Mauro Camoranesi, to come back from injury and keep Juve in with a championship shout.
''He's a world champion who gives us an edge,'' Ranieri said.
Although he argued that Juve ''still aren't up to competing for a Champions League place'', Ranieri said: ''Having said that, we want to keep repeating the word ''scudetto', so that we have it inside us when the moment comes''.
Juve are now five points behind Roma and three points clear of Fiorentina, who beat Torino 2-1.
In other comment Monday, Alberto Gilardino reiterated that his late winner for Milan at Udinese had been ''an important goal'' that would help him fight for a starting spot amid the likes of Ronaldo, Pato and Filippo Inzaghi.
Gilardino stressed he wanted enough playing time to compete for a place at Euro 2008 but said he wasn't leaving Milan to get it.
''I'm staying right here, confident I can get enough space to show (Italy coach Roberto) Donadoni I deserve a spot''.
