THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[maro]

It's all tosh, Goffredo. There is no gist of it. It's basically a defence of what Totti's done for the club and a downplaying of the implications of Baldini's comments. Which is to say that the piece isn't tosh, but that the whole Baldini-Totti thing is bollocks. If Baldini is going to pick a fight with Totti, it will be more obvious than this. This, for me, is one of those non-stories that the media likes to come up with when things are otherwise quiet.

[ASR1927]

[ASR1927]

[maro]

Bright and a bit arrogant - a very characteristic Italian mix, I should say. I guess confidence is power in negotiating situations; I've always admired him, though I suspect he'd strike me as a smug git were I to meet him. Of course that interview is written up in a particular way which doesn't especially impress me (the Shakespearean stuff if cringe-worthy in its self-satisfaction).

[ASR1927]

[p_maldini_3]

it can't be as bland as dinner with obama

[ASR1927]

It's in Spanish and it's official. Bojan is a Roma player! The deal is done more details in a few hours.

http://www.fcbarcelona.com/web/castella ... 18457.html

Also....

Jose Angel is official as well! Done deal.

http://www.realsporting.com/rsg/index.p ... &Itemid=50

[ASR1927]

[djw1992]

[romawi]

[ASR1927]

[romawi]

He was in Rome last week as well, wasn't he? I thought his deal was already done then.

[Italiamia]

I have purposely avoided reading anything about Roma because most of what is printed is just a bunch of 'tosh' as Tommaso says. Unfortunately, today, as I was waiting for a haircut, I picked up the corriere dello sport and what do I see? Turmoil and controversy over Totti and De Rossi. It seems that De Rossi wants to be paid at the level of a world class player but new management is not willing to go up to 5 million per year at this point. The offer is 3.5 on an escalting scale which may reach 5 million over the term of the contract. The sum and substance here is that neither Totti nor De Rossi are happy right now. If I read between the lines, this new ownership group is not going to operate, clearly, as these two players have become accumstomed to over the years. It seems, to me anyway, that no single player is more important to the team as a whole and the "project" that has apparently been put in place for future success will go forward with or without either player. Basically, this ain't your father's Roma any longer and Totti is unable to "dictate" his wishes. It appears that the office door has been closed and he will need to make an appointment if he wants to talk to management.

Thus, I solemny and respectfully announce that the King is dead, long live the King.

[romawi]

I think they'll eventually give in to De Rossi's demands. Selling him off would just do too much damage with the fans, and he is an asset that they could use to market the team for many years.

[ASR1927]

[RomaShield27]

[ASR1927]

[maro]

Yes, I shouldn't be surprised if that proves to be the subtext here, Avocado - that they are niggling away at DDR's and Totti's untouchable status. If that's true, though, it will be being done in rather more significant ways than through an ambiguous comment in an interview. The media, though, likes to latch onto whatever it can - since it doesn't really have access to the more serious stuff going on.

I would love to know what was going on with Sabatini's comments on Alvarez, for example - coming out in that first press conference and announcing him as a target who was almost in the bag which seemed at once to provoke interest from other clubs. Was it simply a bad mistake? Was it a red herring - to draw attention away from his real target which was Lamela all along? Was he betrayed by the club/player who reneged on a promise? Who knows - certainly I don't and it's hard for me to get excited by all the games the media play and that agents and clubs play with the media.

[ASR1927]

[ASR1927]