Roma’s American owners have announced the club will form a new Hall of Fame, but Francesco Totti is “in no hurry” to join it.
“Aspart of the celebrations for the club's 85th anniversary, AS Roma has decided to launch its own Hall of Fame,” read a statement.
Roma’s American owners have announced the club will form a new Hall of Fame, but Francesco Totti is “in no hurry” to join it.
“Aspart of the celebrations for the club's 85th anniversary, AS Roma has decided to launch its own Hall of Fame,” read a statement.
“The aim of this new initiative is to enshrine the memory of an elite group of players who, since 1927, have had an impact on the history, success and heritage of AS Roma and its fans.
“The club will inaugurate the Hall of Fame in the early part of the 2012/13 season. Starting with an initial list of 85 candidates, the club will first reduce the number to 55 and then, with the help of the fans, choose one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards from the various players who have written AS Roma's history, and who have been retired for at least two years.
“AS Roma, the first Italian club to set up its own Hall of Fame, has decided to hand the vote to a panel of five experts as well as the entire Giallorossi fanbase.
“Alongside Giallorossi historian Massimo Izzi, the club has chosen three big names from the world of sports journalism: Luigi Ferrajolo, Gianfranco Giubilo and Mario Sconcerti.
“The fifth member is Maestro Ennio Morricone; the Rome-born composer, winner of an Academy Honorary Award in 2007, is a huge Roma Giallorossi fan.
“AS Roma's Hall of Fame will initially exist in a virtual setting but the aim is to create a physical location where a tangible memory of the club's legends may be preserved.”
Because the players must be retired, current captain Totti cannot yet have his place in the American-style Hall of Fame.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea and it must be gratifying to be included in the history of Roma,” wrote Totti on his blog.
“I’d love to be a part of it one day, but I hope that is as far away as possible. I’m in no hurry.”