by Sports Editorial Staff
The new coach of Roma, the flag Daniele De Rossi, introduces himself: «With the love of the fans we can go back up. What I feel? Amazement, emotions, awareness”
«First sensations in Trigoria? Amazement because I struggled to recognize the streets and roundabouts in places that I have seen for 18 years consecutively – these are the first words of Daniele De Rossi, Roma’s new coach, following the dismissal of José Mourinho -, emotions because I saw many places and faces that have shared with me a beautiful part of my life and awareness that there is important work to be done and we cannot stay here looking around and seeing how the situation has changed.”
The new coach, 40 years old, has only 17 Serie B games experience at the helm of Spal last season, but he is a flagship man, the former Captain Future, Totti’s heir on the pitch, a fan favourite. «I didn’t fall from the clouds when they called me: I knew something could happen. You make yourself immediately available to meet them, talk to them and make them understand what was a speech that perhaps lasted ten minutes.”
De Rossi accepted a six-month assignment, without a parachute. «I am completely convinced that neither I nor the team need parachutes. I believe we have a strong team, with very important players. It also happens to the best teams that they have a moment of difficulty – explains the new coach, thinking of the table where Roma are in ninth place, -22 behind leaders Inter and -5 behind fourth-placed Fiorentina – it has happened, it will happen and it could happen to others, we will have to be good at taking advantage of them. I think there is every margin to go back up, we don’t need parachutes.”
Last time as captain, today as coach, how was the return to the pitch with the first session and the first speech to the players? «I hadn’t trained for a long time. They say it’s like riding a bicycle, even though I did it for a few months, it was easy. We didn’t prepare it as we would have liked – he continues – because I was busy carrying out all the bureaucratic and technical matters. It was all very quick, but it was recovery training, there wasn’t anything to invent too much, from now on we’ll start doing something more interesting.”
On how he imagines the return to the Olimpico, however, De Rossi says: “It will be a great emotion, I returned with the national team and as a fan, but it wasn’t the same.” Finally De Rossi sends a message to the fans: «When I was out of Roma I didn’t put too much emphasis on it, now I can allow myself to speak not only as a legend but as a member of Roma: I need them like in the old days. The wind will always blow, it has never stopped and I think something special is being recreated with the fans. With this love they can give us a great boost.”
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January 17, 2024 (modified January 17, 2024 | 7:59 pm)
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