THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[RomaShield27]

Here's the translation of that Il Messaggero piece on Cruz:

Julio Cruz Agrees To Join Roma - Report
23 Jul 2009 12:21:21

Julio Cruz has chosen to play for Roma after agreeing personal terms, according to Il Messaggero. It appears the former Inter man has finally found a club. The report suggests he has been offered a one year deal with the option to extend by a further season in 2010. Lazio and Napoli were also in the running as was Spanish club Atletico Madrid. Cruz already baulked at an offer from Greek side Panathinaikos as they were not willing to meet his two-year demands.

'El Jardinero' was released by Inter in June after his deal at the San Siro expired. The player has not been willing to accept a one-year term from other clubs. Voices around Trigoria suggest the deal is being worked on and he is expected to sign shortly. Despite the reports, there has not been any confirmation from Cruz, Roma or his agent just yet. Earlier news suggested the Lupi were looking at Brazilian striker Keirrison.

[stefano]

[Italiamia]

[Pauly W. Nuts]

[Pauly W. Nuts]

Also, for what is worth, take into consideration that, as opposed to the last horrible pre-season campaigns, this year we have not lost a game. The team has not even looked horrible playing out there.

For what is worth, I know we only played Ceahlaul, but here are the player ratings for the game. Pay attention to the following player assessments:

Totti 7: E' la luce. Quando si accende lui si accende la squadra. Sul finale soffre un po' il caldo ma è sempre il più ispirato.

Greco 6.5: Ancora un gol. Un ottimo precampionato per lui, anche oggi si fa vedere spesso in fase offensiva. Ha ottime doti tecniche.

Andreolli 6.5: Gioca con grande sicurezza e facilità. Sicuramente un'ottima alternativa per la difesa.

Guberti 6.5: Punta l'uomo che è una bellezza, fa tantissimo movimento, si vede che ha voglia di mettersi in mostra. Ottima l'intesa con Totti che lo cerca spesso con lanci millimetrici. Positivo.

http://www.romanews.eu/news.asp?newsID= ... 17&spag=14

See anything worth smiling about?

[Deini]

[loazzi]

[RomaShield27]

[maro]

[RomaShield27]

That was over nine years ago, Tommaso. Nine years. How much has she spent on the club in recent years? And how much of that didn't come from the selling of players in order to buy? Its just not funds for transfers, but basics things like, um, I don't know, the training pitch at Trigoria, which is still in terrible condition and has already received criticism after only a few days back in training. And don't make me mention a new official website. Or a proper team bus. Or decent physios. Or training cones. This is simple stuff. I know your sympathetic to club owners like the Sensi's and the Berlusconi's (although perhaps sympathetic isn't the correct term for that man, but you know what I mean) in these tough financial times and all that, but it comes to a point when its too much to take, as in the selling of Aquilani or Vucinic just to make money. No one is asking us to shell out and get Huntelaar, Robben and Caceres, and most of us would be happy not to get anyone as long we stay as we are. That is not too much to ask, I don't think.

Interesting words from Spalletti's yesterday in which he commented on our mercato (or lack thereof), and said that he requires only a new striker and a winger, which would rule out any new centre-halfs arriving.

And talk of this 'supermanager' (what would be the English translation for such a title, I wonder?) is namely being a Professor Attilio Zimatore, responsible for overlooking the sale of AS Roma.

[maro]

Nine years or not, I should be very surprised if the Sensi family hasn't put an awful lot more money into the club than they've taken out of it in the past 16 years. I know I will get roasted by pretty much everyone here for this, but so be it. That there are basic inadequacies in the way the club is run is an entirely different thing - I'm not claiming she's done or is doing a particularly good job. I just can't help but feel that selling Aquilani to keep the family's other business interests afloat is simply the other side of the coin of buying Batistuta on the back of the income from the other business interests. Making 35mil-worth of sales in order to prevent the family going bankrupt or to make sure the club can pay its wages is unfortunate and hugely frustrating, but not, I think, an immoral course or an unforgiveably selfish one. Which isn't, of course, to suggest that I'll be anything other than gutted to see a player like Aquilani go; it would be a dagger-thrust to the very heart of the club I love - more of a dagger-blow than the sale of Vucinic, though that too would be terrible. I suppose I just can't stomach the note of indignation which too often, it seems to me, is struck when owners are forced to scrimp and save. It would certainly be better for the club and the tifosi were the Sensis to sell; I shall hold off being indignant, though, if Rosella continues to resist any sale which is not also in her family's interests.

[stefano]

[maro]

[Italiamia]

[stefano]

[RomaShield27]

[Italiamia]

[Italiamia]

[RomaShield27]

Sorry, perhaps I didn't clarify, my point was what is the purpose of this 'supermanager', is he there to try and arrange for someone to find a buyer of the club? But could Rosella still refuse even if he succeeded? Its confusing as fuck, at least to me. is the bit I was referring too.

[arthurfonzarelli]

Rosella's incompetence and overall evilness aside, maro's basic argument is still valid:
You buy a football club. You pay money for it. You also pour money into the club to help it win. You reap some financial rewards from owning the club but mostly you lose money and you keep the club for other intangible reasons.
maro thinks that despite the sale of assets (players) and the reaping of profit strategy of the last few years, the sensis have probably lost more money on Roma than they've made. This is something that needs to be confirmed but he's starting from that basic assumed truth. So they lost money because they own Roma. What maro is saying is that why should fans begrudge a team owner for liquidating assets from one business (Roma) to pay for debt for another business (Italpetroli) if the reverse had been done for several years.