THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi I

[SPqR]

Agreed Frenchesco...sad to see the Sensi's go, but until Totti or some other Roman puts his money where his mouth is, it's Soros' for the taking.

Maybe Soros taking over would be a disaster...but what's the worst that could happen? We don't win anything? Hah. Soros money likely includes important purchases that we need to make...not an Inter summer, but a positive summer.

If Sensi is still here, we can expect a summer chalk full of B and C list transfer targets and another year fighting for a champions league spot...e basta, bring on that prick Soros.

[Frenchesco]

The worst is not not to win anything but instead to be totally managed by Americans and loosing what makes Roma GREAT. That is the huge risk to my opinion. But once again, it seems that even if Roma is sold to Soros, the most important people in place now (Rosella, Bruno Conti, Spalletti) will remain.
I do not know much about Soros but him becoming the owner does not mean everything is going to change. He has succeeded in business and I think the guy knows what is important here in the case of Roma.
What would he win in making Roma loose what makes it great, unique??? I do not want to defend a guy I do not know but as a succesful businessman, I do not think he would want the Roma culture to disappear.

[SPqR]

Frenchy, Soros is about as 'American' as Osama Bin Laden.

[Frenchesco]

Yes ok...but the company is American right.

[Jamoldo]

Frenchy, so? I dont understand all of this posturing about flags and nationalities. Foreign ownership whether it's American, Arab, British, Russian, Chinese, Japanese etc, means that the club won't be held by an Italian. It's that simple, management style might change (as in the organization may be run into the ground, or it, GASP may become kind of professional) but as for the consequences of foriegn ownership, we still aren't sure and shouldn't really make too many judgements yet.

I'm with SPQR though... It's a risk we have to take and Totti can shut his trap unless he wants to organize a consortium or start talking to some potential Roman investors who are willing to take our beloved club forward.

[Frenchesco]

You are right Jamoldo. I do not care about the nationality of the owner. I was just saying that if Roma can not remain Italian from the ownership point of view, then at least I wish the foreign buyer to respect and follow the Roman way of things.
It is true there is no point to talk about all this yet as we do not know who will buy Roma and even less about that guy Soros and what he will do for Roma.
Roma has to be sold if we are to finally become consistent and competitive. There is a risk to take and I would take it. If not, then, as Spqr said, we can not expect any good moves in the summer and nothing great in the new season ahead.

[SPqR]

Frenchesco, check out their website www.innercirclesports.com and look at their the heads of the organization...all have amazing credentials...the kind of accumen that this club needs to take it to the next level....I'm even more for it after doing a bit of homework....These guys aren't idiots; Roma is just waiting to explode worldwide and these investors know it.

[Jamoldo]

Frenchesco, I don't think you'll find too many people here who want Soros to take over, to disagree with you with regards to respecting the club, its base and its traditions.

[maro]

[Jamoldo]

[Bagg10]

[Jamoldo]

[RomaShield27]

[RomaShield27]

Ok, considering the thread is quiet today, I felt it would be a good time to share something very personal with you all, as I feel I have got to know each and every Romanisti here very, very well, and I am proud to call you all my [e-] friends. I have recently somehow just inherited over €800m and, yes, you guess it, made a formal offer for AS Roma. This recent interest from an Arabic nation was just a smoke-screen for myself, as I wanted utter secrecy until the deal was complete. And now, my friends, I can all share with you in advance the knowledge that Roma will be sold to a foreign investor, my good self, and will be announced in the coming weeks.

Its costing me €300m for Roma itself. Rosella and Prade are being kicked out the gates, Conti will stay on, of course, as the main man behind the scene, but I now need a new D.S., and are advertising the role on irishjobs.ie. If anyone here is interested PM me and you will of course get priority consideration. I also need a Chief Toilet Cleaner, SPqR.

Spalletti will get an unlimited war-chest for funding of new players, and when I met him in a short but successful meeting I told him to remain loyal to the true value of Roma and its history, to prevent any fans getting aggrieved over the new ownership. We made a brief outline of his summer transfer plans:

• Goalkeeper: Primary Target: Amelia. Est. cost €12m (other options: void)
• Left-full: Primary Target: Vargas. Est. cost €10m (other options: Lahm, Pasquale, Zambrotta)
• Centre-Half: Primary Target: Felipe. Est. cost €9m (other options: Zapata, Lucio, Dunne)
• Attacking-Midfield: Primary Target: Diego. Est. cost €35m (other options: Van der Vaart, Sneijder)
• Wing-forward: Primary Target: Rosina. Est. cost €13m (other options: Palladino, Bresciano)
• Wing-forward: Secondary Target: Quagliarella. Est. cost €16m (other options: void)
• Striker: Primary Target: Toni. Est. cost €16m (other options: Huntelaar, Gomez, Amuari, Morrison)


So, if things goes to plan, we should have something like this:

IN: Amelia - Vargas - Felipe - Diego - Rosina - Quagliarella - Toni
OUT: Ferrari - Barusso - Pit - Mancini

Line up 08/09:

-------------- Amelia ---------------

Cici --- Mexes --- Juan --- Vargas

--------- DDR----- Aquilani* -------

Rosina ------ Diego ------- Vucinic

--------------- Toni --------

Reserves: Doni, Felipe, Panucci, Cassetti, Tonetto, Pizarro *, Perrotta, Taddei, Giuly, Esposito, Quagliarella... and then the Return of King, FT.


Not bad huh. Oh yes, forgot to mention, I will be changing the name of the team to AS Shamrock Romers, our new jersey will be green and orange, we will be sponsored by Guinness, and we will play five home games a year in Croke Park. Because I can.

[romawi]

eh, I'd rather go with Soros. No offense Shield.

[Jamoldo]

ouch

[maro]

That is harsh, Il Tonno., very harsh indeed. Still, I can't say I disagree. Any Irishman worth his salt would at least have had his eye on the bargain of the century which looks as though it may be Ian Harte on a free over the summer. I have to go out on a limb here, but I really do think Amelia is over-rated. He's a good 'keeper, but I honestly don't think he'd be a step up on Doni. He's over-hyped by Romanisti because he's Italian and Roman and because we can't help but instinctively feel we're always likely to have shot ourselves in the foot and so are always inclined to think that players we've let go are jewels which have slipped through our hands. I bet if Doni were playing in a poor team he would look pretty spectacular, pulling off strings of eye-catching saves. Amelia's a good player, but he wouldn't be worth spending even the Irishman's money on to have him come and sit on the bench for us.

[RomaShield27]

Oh well thats it. Thaaaaaaaaaats it. I try to do something good, buy Roma and give her load of my own personal money, buy new players, and make you all happy, and what do I get? Insults. Forget about it so. I'll have to ring Ian Harte and tell him that prestigious assistant manager role I had lined up for him is not going to happen.

Maro, I would agree about Amelia. I just put him down there for the sake of it, but I don't think he is better than Doni. I think he is a good keeper but wouldn't necessarily be an improvement on the big Braziliano.

[RomaShield27]

22 more posts and we reach the 10,000 mark in the Roma forum.

[maro]

I'd be interested to hear Chris's views on Amelia, since I think he's quite a fan. He's probably more accurate than Doni, but he's probably slightly smaller too, no, and, for me, without quite the same reflexes or athleticism. I shall be happy to be persuaded; certainly two seasons ago he was outstanding, but then so was dear old Antonioli. I think it's hard to judge a 'keeper without watching him week-in, week-out and this exposes us particularly to Doni's errors. Amelia certainly is a better 'keeper than this Livorno side deserve, but I remain to be convinced that he's truly of the highest class.