SPAL coach Daniele De Rossi did not hold back in his press conference, expressing his frustration with the club’s management for their transfer market work.
The 39-year-old former midfielder took over at the Ferrara based side in October of last year, signing a two-year deal. Since his arrival, he has overseen 14 Serie B matches, winning three and drawing six.
In the January transfer window, SPAL picked up three players: controversial veteran Radja Nainggolan, Greek winger Giannis Fetfatzidis and Inter loanee Gabriel Brazao.
Speaking in a press conference, De Rossi first explained why the January transfer window was a strange experience for him.
“The first experience with the market was quite surreal, I wouldn’t know how else to describe it. I read that director Lupo said I was satisfied, I’m used to speaking for myself and he knows that what he said is not true.
“I’m satisfied with the players I have, but in my opinion in a cooperative relationship you should listen to the coach’s indications on the characteristics of players. Unfortunately for two months now this has never, never, never happened.
“On the contrary, I have found myself with players taken when everything had already been signed. This is a situation I’m very sorry about, Tacopina knows it and the directors know it because I told them to their faces.
“Fortunately, there will be no more talk of the market, but it’s not that because I’m young and in my first year I have to be happy with everything.”
The former Roma midfielder continued expressing his frustration with the behaviour of the club’s directors.
“I’ve been in football for a long time, and I know how things have to be done. I think you can’t get a player, then you go and get another one with those characteristics but a little less strong.
“Then you don’t even get that one because the clubs don’t agree for the money or whatever, you follow others with those characteristics until you arrive at one from Serie C, who maybe doesn’t even play all the time.
“The coach’s requests should be followed. This unfortunately has never happened and so I’m sorry that Lupo says I’m satisfied. I am with the players I have.”
He revealed what he told SPAL’s management when discussing transfers.
“When we sat down at the table I said: ‘Get me players other than the ones I have or much stronger’. This indication was never followed. Then it doesn’t change that I come to the camp with a smile and whistling and I’m delighted with the squad I have at my disposal.
“And it’s up to me to do much better to make them perform at their best. But we were talking for a while and I was told several times, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll see that in January… you’ll see that in January…’
“Here something doesn’t work and I’m told: ‘Venturato (the former SPAL coach, who De Rossi replaced, ed.) asked for it’, it rains or there’s fog then ‘it’s Venturato’s fault’. A light bulb doesn’t work? ‘Eh but Venturato asked for it’.
“But I don’t think it’s like that. I don’t think Venturato is to blame for everything. Having said that there is always great serenity the market is over, we move on and that’s it. There’s no point crying about it.”
Finally, The SPAL coach then gave his thoughts on the arrival of former Giallorossi teammate Nainggolan.
“He thought I was joking when I threw it at him. We speak often, but about rubbish, almost never to talk about work. Seeing that he was without a team, I tried and when he opened up I spoke to Alessandro Beltrami, his agent, whom I trust very much.
“From there I started to be a jackhammer and court him. Then it was the directors and Tacopina who made the difference, because in the end the money came from the president.”
Interestingly, parts of De Rossi’s press conference, namely the moments when he was most critical, where cut out from the video posted to SPAL’s Youtube channel.