Luciano Spalletti ‘is and will remain the Coach of Roma’ following the Francesco Totti dispute, says President James Pallotta.
The Giallorossi boss has been at the centre of a public spat with club captain Francesco Totti recently, after dropping him for the squad for the 5-0 win over Palermo on Sunday.
Today the club’s owner reassured Spalletti that he isn’t going anywhere and threw in a criticism of his predecessor Rudi Garcia: “We threw too much away at the start of the season.”
Luciano Spalletti ‘is and will remain the Coach of Roma’ following the Francesco Totti dispute, says President James Pallotta.
The Giallorossi boss has been at the centre of a public spat with club captain Francesco Totti recently, after dropping him for the squad for the 5-0 win over Palermo on Sunday.
Today the club’s owner reassured Spalletti that he isn’t going anywhere and threw in a criticism of his predecessor Rudi Garcia: “We threw too much away at the start of the season.”
“For me in any case Luciano is and will remain the Coach of Roma,” said Pallotta to Corriere dello Sport.
“If it’s true that he said he might leave, it’s a statement that couldn’t be further from the truth, I want him with me.
“If until now there was a decision that wasn’t a mistake, it was definitely that of hiring Spalletti.
“It’s my philosophy: having a great Coach inevitably brings great players and a great team, objectives that you reach through work, training and professionalism.
“I would like Sabatini to stay. He still has a contract for a year. We often argue, but straight afterwards we’re friends like before. Doesn’t that happen to everyone?
“What worries me is his health, he smokes too much. And at the same time I worry about Roma, almost as much as my family.
“Many times my friends and acquaintances have asked to watch the matches with me, but I can’t do it: I must be alone, pacing up and down…
“We threw too much away at the start of the season. It’s not the fault of the players, I’ve never blamed them. With two or three more wins we would be there with Juventus and Napoli.
“Now there are 12 games left, I expect results because this team has the possibility of obtaining them.
“If we didn’t qualify for the Champions League, it would be the fruit of all those wasted opportunities earlier in the season, those 11 games without a win.
“In any case an event like that wouldn’t change my plans. Our players are warriors. The project for a top team will not change, we must reinforce the defence and focus in particular on that department.
“But not for shortages in the current squad: for the loan contracts of those who arrived and for the injuries we’ve had.”