THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[Italiamia]

[loazzi]

[Italiamia]

[maro]

I think he was brought in not so much as a caretaker but as a 'scudo' - the fans' enthusiasm for him means that he's someone the regime can hide behind for a bit. He bought them some time and some good will. It seemed to me a fairly cynical move in that sense, though also a sensible one given the insanity of the climate about the club. The sudden groundswell of support for Zeman was a real gift for the owners - and one they were happy enough to accept.

[loazzi]

[DCGweez]

[maro]

It's easier to develop youth if you're also not winning anything.

[DCGweez]

Is that right?

[DavidP]

i find it hard to believe that zeman was brought in to win stuff. if that was their goal at this stage of the "project", they probably would've brought in someone like capello, or even allegri.

[DavidP]

perhaps not those two, since they've been "poisoned" by serie a, but a proven winner like them. lord knows winning was never zeman's top priority.

[DavidP]

there's whispers about baldini following capello to russia. that, for me, would probably mean the failure of the project, deini.

[DCGweez]

Seems to me that what Maro said is about right. An elixir for the masses. But I don't share the doom and gloom. Im surprised by it to be honest(In general not from Maro). This seems like my Roma. I understand fans who we've picked up in the last 5-6 years expecting 2nd and 3rd.

Don't get how the old schoolers do.

Fact is, while the results were good at times, we were rotting from the inside. Short some Multi billionaire money it was always going to be a process to extricate ourselvess from.

So what were the options? Overpay a fancy coach and buy 2 exceptional players in their prime? Then what?

We are a football club without Europe but with young talent. Give it time. There are no quick fixes. Heck it took City 4 years to come good

[maro]

Well, I'm not 'doom and gloom'; I'm just not sucking up the Zeman cool-aid. Roma will do very, very well this season if Lamela, Bojan, Pjanic, Castan, and Dodo all deliver on their promise. A big if but the sort of if a genuine fan tends to want to entertain. My grouchiness, such as it is, comes from a lack of respect for players like Brighi, Perrotta, Pizarro, Cassetti, Greco, etc. etc. None of that is new, though - I'm only not naively excited like some.

[maro]

And gio's 'doom and gloom' is only an old timer's sense of having seen it all before - a kind of world-weary, forlorn resignation. He only needs a slightly larger spark of hope and you'll see he's on the wagon more fully than anyone else - it's partly self-protection; it's partly realism; it's partly a persona.

[Italiamia]

[Italiamia]

[Lupa]

I think year two of the 'project' starting to feel like year one is reason to feel grumpy. One of the few pieces that could be termed a success has just been sold. Are we starting the 'project' all over again? It seems like it to me (and I also don't think Zeman is a longterm solution, although I tend to agree with maro that bringing him is to buy time and goodwill).

[Italiamia]

[DCGweez]

It was unclear. I wasnt talking to you Maro as you refuse to prognosticate even when I've tried to get you to.

[DCGweez]