THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[forzaitalia]

[DCGweez]

[Italiamia]

http://www.repubblica.it/sport/calcio/serie-a/roma/

[RomaShield27]

[Lupa]

I don't think the team will be swayed by any petition from the tifosi. We'd be back to a lunatics running the asylum situation if they allowed it to seem that the tifosi's 'advice' had anything to do with it, and I could have missed it, but I don't think Zeman's name has been on any shortlist we've heard about.

I'm not crazy about the idea of Villas Boas, even though I confess that I've hardly seen his teams (Porto or Chelsea) play. Was arrogance his problem with the players? Not sure what happened there, just that I've heard he didn't get the support of his senior players.

[DCGweez]

[RomaShield27]

Yeh, you could be right, I dunno. As far as I can remember, though, I believe Pallota only came to Rome the once, making a weekend out of it and a big media furore. Di Benedetto was in the Olimpico for most home games. That would leave me to believe that he'd make most of the decisions (or at least give the approval to Baldini's and Sabatini's recommendations).

Didn't realise our president was just for a 'term', as it was. So Di Benedetto may not be our president for the long-term under this ownership, and could be replaced by Pallotta, say? Thats interesting.

[DCGweez]

Yup it says three year terms.

Although the fact that his name is in the corporate title leads me to think he must have some sort of grip on the corporation.

[red]

[romawi]

Zeman.

Is this the closest thing to Super Formation we'll ever see in football?

[DCGweez]

[maro]

[RomaShield27]

[DavidP]

i really hope we don't sign gago.

trying out florenzi as a starter might not be a bad idea. he's 21 now, and both de rossi and aquilani were about a year younger than him when they started establishing themselves as starters.

if zeman comes, how would a starting midfield three of de rossi/florenzi/pjanic look? with viviani/bertolacci/verratti as #1 back-ups and marquinho/pizarro/taddei/perrotta for depth?

[DCGweez]

Sure you have enough MFers?

[DavidP]

just as many as last season, no?

[DCGweez]

I don't know was it? I count 9 with Viviani who wasn't there the whole season.

Marquinho and Pizzarro accounting for 1 spot combined as they each played half.

[loazzi]

This stuff literally makes me crazy!!! I can't take it! I wish I could just hibernate for 2 months during the summer and wake up when we have a coach and full squad.

That said, as far as a coach, given the names currently being thrown around,the romantic in me wants Zeman #1 and Monty #2. The competitor in me wants Bielsa. Ideally (barring the triumphant return of the bald beauty), we get Bielsa in and Zeman stays at Pescara developing our best youth (i.e. at least 3-4 between Caprari, Viviani, Florenzi, Antei, Bertolacci, Stoian, Crescenzi, Nico Lopez, Piscitella, etc.). I would like at least 2-3 of these guys to get a real chance at being integrated with Roma and the others should be developed by Zeman at Pescara.

If Zeman stays, I would be happy making some co-ownership deals with Pescara for some of our players (as long as we have the "contro-riscatto") while in exchange, they give us co-ownership of Veratti (who should stay with Zeman one more year at Pescara for his first Serie A experience).

[DCGweez]

[red]

Seems pretty unlikely that Verratti will play for anyone other than Pescara or Juve next season.