Zdenek Zeman has paid tribute to Francesco Totti and Rudi Garcia, as he prepares to face Roma with Cagliari.
The veteran tactician takes his Sardinian side to the capital for a repeat of the same fixture that 18 months ago ended his second stint on the opposite bench.
Zdenek Zeman has paid tribute to Francesco Totti and Rudi Garcia, as he prepares to face Roma with Cagliari.
The veteran tactician takes his Sardinian side to the capital for a repeat of the same fixture that 18 months ago ended his second stint on the opposite bench.
Even in how that tenure with the Giallorossi ended, the 67-year-old is looking forward to Sunday afternoon.
“I'm happy to come back at the Olimpico. For me it means to going home, because for 20 years plus I lived in Rome,” Zeman has told the Gazzetta dello Sport this week.
“On the game, see what happens – we are trying to learn how to play football. Roma already knows how to do it.
“To take our chances, we have to do something more in respect to what we can do at this moment.”
The Coach made clear that he is an admirer of counterpart Rudi Garcia.
“What is good, and it showed from the first day of last year, is that they did not win 10 games consecutively as a one-off.
“Then they paid for having a few injuries. But this year the squad is even bigger and stronger.
“The 16 points behind Juventus last year was a lot, but I think that the gap is now bridged, Roma are level now to win the Scudetto.”
Zeman was the man who handed Roma icon Francesco Totti the armband at the Stadio Olimpico and he fondly recalls that decision.
“For me he was simply ‘the player’. He can do everything, in every part of the field, with play no-one expects and that can settle games.
“For years, Totti has carried the load for Roma on his shoulders. Generous, selfless, he has thought more and more about the team than himself
“If he was selfish, he would have already surpassed Silvio Piola’s goalscoring record.
“I was fortunate to have coached him twice and hope to have left him something, too.”
On the Roma fans, Zeman couldn’t hide his affection.
“I have never coached a team with fans like those at Roma and I’ve never seen it anywhere else.
“In Europe, Barcelona, Real Madrid and others have a great following, but Roma fans have more passion, warmth and attachment to the team.”