THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[ASR1927]

[DonSimon]

First let me light a cigarette. Maybe the owners are thinking that he and Guardiola are former teammates and good friends, and by giving Luis Enrique the job they can pave the way for Guardiola to come to Roma when he eventually decides to leave Barca. If that's their thinking then it could go either way - either it's a brilliant move that gets us an interesting interim manager before Guardiola joins, or it's a big gamble on an unproven manager in a desperate bid to lure someone who might not come to Roma anyway. Or maybe it's just cheap.

[vtec]

gianni, your buddy joe tapioca just got two rapist cops acquitted.

[RomaShield27]

I'm not sure I want Luis Enrique. I mean, sure, he may be a great manager in the future but I don't know if he's the right man to lead us at this point in time. I would prefer Montella, certainly, and I can't see why we wouldn't take a chance on Monty but would with Luis Enrique. Both are inexperienced, although it has to be said does have a few more years managerial experience having been in charge of Barca B since 2008, I believe, compared to Monty's year or two with our under-15s. In those terms, Enrique is probably a few years 'ahead' of Montella, and he has already said he will be leaving Barca this summer and is ready for the 'next step up'. Montella, in fairness, was probably trust into the limelight a couple of years too soon. But still, a gamble is a gamble.

Simon, your theory may well have legs, as our management has been pushing the idea to Guardiola to come to Roma to start our new project, and so hiring Enrique may help, but its more likely that in our efforts to lure Guardiola, Luis Enrique's name was made aware to us. piece originally from Il Corriere dello Sport does suggest that, and now it seems after failing to convince Guardiola or Villas Boas we are going for Luis Enrique. But I'm still not convinced. We haven't properly approached Ancelotti. Why not? Let him say no and let him stay in London where he is so happy. Why not Gasperini? Why not Monty?

[Lupa]

Does the possible hiring of Enrique mean we're going to have an influx of young, spanish speaking players? Is Enrique Guardiola-lite? I agree that he is a bit ahead of Montella, but not enough that I suppose Montella will feel snubbed.

It seems strange that talk of Ancelotti has pretty much gone silent.

[Purple Hellequin]

Maybe Carlo will go to Tottenham if 'arry goes to Chelsea

[Lupa]

Marco Amelia has failed to rule out a return to Roma just days after Milan signed him outright from Genoa.

The Italian giants have decided to keep the goalkeeper after he initially joined the outfit last summer.

However, the 28-year-old, who will again probably be a reserve to Christian Abbiati next term, has opened the door for an immediate switch.

“I am now totally a Rossoneri player, but I would sacrifice the Champions League for the Europa League if the call that I am waiting for arrives,” he told Radio Erre2.

“Everyone knows that I am a Roma supporter and I would go to that club on foot if necessary.

“Even the Milan directors are aware of this. Let’s wait and see who the new Roma boss is and then who knows…”

The 2006 World Cup winner started his career in the Giallorossi youth sector, but he never made a Serie A appearance for the club.

He left Roma in 2001 to join Livorno and has since also played for Lecce, Parma, Palermo and Genoa.

http://www.football-italia.net/may27k.html

Keeper is one of the positions we need to improve, but I don't see this happening.

'Arry to Chelsea? Well, he did quite well in CL this year all things considered. Maybe he'd bring Bale with him. I still don't understand why Carlo would prefer the pubs of London to the bars of Roma, leaving aside the team itself.

[DonSimon]

[Italiamia]

I don't think I can agree with that Don Simpleton. What's there to admire about football in England.

[RomaShield27]

The Wags, the scuffles outside the nightclubs, the Dunkirk spirit – whats not to admire?

[DonSimon]

Well, Italiafucko, "a lot of Italians" doesn't necessarily mean you. Doesn't even mean most Italians. Just means more than a few. And when I've been in Rome close to an away CL game in London - especially the one against Arsenal in 02-03 - there has been a greater buzz among the tifosi in the sense of travelling to London, which many see as the spiritual home town of football (I don't), to play a team with a long history such as Arsenal in the second group stage - much more so than playing Real Madrid in the first group stage. Personally, I don't care for English football at all, but I've met plenty of people in Rome who do, even if they're not active supporters of an English club.

[aba_bab]

Italiafucko... I can see that one catching on. How's about that for your new nickname gramps?

[vtec]

i still prefer genitaliamie or americamia

[Lupa]

MILAN, May 27 (Reuters) - The battle for AS Roma’s managerial position reached fever pitch on Friday with Luis Enrique, Didier Deschamps and Stefano Pioli all linked to the job.

Pioli left Serie A side Chievo by mutual consent on Thursday having previously said he was flattered by reports of interest by Roma, who have been taken over by an American consortium and are set to replace interim coach Vincenzo Montella.

Rome finished sixth in Serie A this season, enough only for a Europa League spot.

Former Spain midfielder Luis Enrique, who has just left as Barcelona B coach, has been reported in the media as being on the verge of joining Roma and Olympique Marseille boss Deschamps has said he may leave France and has been approached.

“I’m obviously reflecting and I’m waiting to see a project. It will not be a financial decision because it is not a driving force or decisive for me,” Deschamps, also linked with Chelsea, told reporters.

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=reu-italyroma

[Italiamia]

[DonSimon]

Ah cricket. Now THERE'S a game. And you can't argue that England isn't its spiritual home (which I didn't for London and football, if you care to re-read the post. I agree that that claim is horseshit).

[San Paolo]

actually if your going to get picky about this shit, the scottish invented football in which we know today.

[ASR1927]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. From football-italia via the Russian media.



Ancelotti-Zenit, Spalletti-Roma?

Carlo Ancelotti denies he was contacted by Roma, but it’s rumoured he could join Zenit instead, sending Luciano Spalletti back to the Olimpico.
Since Chelsea sacked Ancelotti for ending the season empty-handed, he has been linked with numerous different vacancies around the world.

He was originally the hot favourite to take over at Roma when new President Thomas Di Benedetto is in control, but insisted he hadn’t even been contacted.

Now there are reports in the Russian media that Zenit St Petersburg are preparing an offer for the former Milan boss.

“Ancelotti is considered one of the principle candidates to lead Zenit,” a club representative was quoted as saying in newspaper Tvoi Dien.

He would be provided with €50m to spend on the transfer market over the summer.

In a curious twist, the same newspaper suggests Spalletti is ready to quit Zenit for a return to the Roma bench.

He came so close to winning the Scudetto with the Giallorossi, but resigned on September 1, 2009.

Just three months later, Spalletti put pen to paper on a contract with Zenit, winning the Treble of League, Russian Cup and Russian Super Cup.

[Giacomo]

[DonSimon]