Walter Sabatini plays down talks of his departure: 'I haven't resigned yet, Roma is my future'.
The sporting director told the Press he would be leaving the club at the end of this season, in a move that fans have been calling for since well before the winter break.
Coach Luciano Spalletti suggested the timing was not right for these comments, and Sabatini did not take issue with these comments.
Walter Sabatini plays down talks of his departure: 'I haven't resigned yet, Roma is my future'.
The sporting director told the Press he would be leaving the club at the end of this season, in a move that fans have been calling for since well before the winter break.
Coach Luciano Spalletti suggested the timing was not right for these comments, and Sabatini did not take issue with these comments.
“I must respect Spalletti's opinions as I can see they produce results, so I accept his criticisms,” he told the Press outside Trigoria, as reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Why don't I use statistics? I only use the statistical data that I consider to be useful. I'm full of good ideas and good health, which for the moment I'm using for Roma.
“I need to do the right things for this club, heading into the next season.
“There is absolutely no problem. Things will happen, but my future right now is the derby and Roma.
“The club has an objective and they must pursue it to the end.
“I'm working with an extraordinary Coach, not just on the field. He is bringing along a real cultural revolution, something I'd have liked to do five years ago.
“He is turning this into a club with a competitive mentality, with none of the usual blame-games.
“My talks with Pallotta are not the issue now.”
Sabatini was then interrupted by Spalletti himself, who joined the interview in a cheerful tone.
“Nobody can talk of what's going to happen next year,” Spalletti added.
“Sabatini's compliments should really go to the lads in the team and all the people who work within Trigoria.
“But no-one in this group can come along and say 'Hey, I'm going to leave'. Sometimes players do that and they're wrong, because you lose mental energy that way.”
Spalletti then left, and Sabatini continued with his interview as the journalists asked him whether he had already resigned.
“No, I haven't resigned. I said these things because I believed it may be a good decision after five years at Roma, but Spalletti is right. There's no point in discussing these things now, it's a lack of respect for everyone working here.
“My future is at Roma. If they don't play well in these remaining eight games my own days to come will be bleak.
“They need to reach third place and they have to be a strong club under Spalletti's law.
“I wasn't able to change Roma the way I wanted to,” he said, in reference to his comments on attempting a cultural revolution. “You need daily contact with the team for that. My job takes me far away from the club, though perhaps I simply didn't have the ability to change.
“It may be that my comments were incautious, but I thought a little bit of truth wouldn't hurt anyone.
“I don't need any agreements regarding my payout. Roma has been my life. I do regret not having won the Scudetto though.
“Spalletti called his method the Roma Way. He doesn't want to be Juventus or anyone else and this is a great message.
“I'd only have greater regrets if I hadn't built anything. But the team is now competitive and the club fights at the top of the table.
“[Adem] Ljajic? I spoke with him and told him to behave. Inter have an option to buy him and they'll have all the time to think about it.
“I don't feel cast out. Everything is absolutely normal.
“I'm absolutely not tired of Rome. This city gave me life.”