THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[Italiamia]

Good post, Tomasso. Your final paragraph needs amplification in my opinion or at least some explanation of what Tim Parks has to say about Chievo and Verona that may be applicable here. I am not taking a lot of things for granted here. But, Romagnoli is a Romanista, no doubt about that fact. He's not cut out for the Curva and to me, that is all I read into his statement about not being a 'die-hard' Roma fan. His disposition is such that he simply does not relate to that kind of fanaticism. Given his age, I also think he's feeling some pressure that heretofore he's never experienced. His value has increased and with such crazy numbers being talked about for a kid who turned just 20 six months ago, the media and the football world takes notice. You see that Arsenal has come knocking on Roma's door now. I frankly think that it is entirely proper for him not to make statements given his youth and inexperience with the media. Especially, the Roman media. Thus, I would conclude that he has good parents and some others around him that are offering sage advice.

But back to your point about how a Romanista should be handled by the club. I agree completely that Romagnoli must be treated in such a way that he needs to know that he could be a future bandiera for this club. That it is important to the club to have a strong Roman presence and he could lead the squad to great things in the future. Also, they must impress on him that there is more responsibility and that he will be answerable to the fans when things are not going so well and that he will have to face the music if Roma loses 3-0 at home to Carpi. He needs to also know that this role does not necessarily mean that he will be the highest paid player but he will be a key figure in the marketing/business side of things. Totti, as he did with De Rossi and is doing with Florenzi, will play a key role here. Totti was irascible in his youth and what he has learned can certainly help out a kid like Romagnoli. I am confident in saying that Totti, De Rossi and Florenzi would agree with my world view when it comes to Roma. Aquilani, it is safe to say, does not. Cerci would give his right testicle to make it back to Roma. So we have had, and do have these kids in the system that want to play for Roma and value the fact that they are given such a tremendous opportunity to play for their hometown club.

With all of that said, from where I sit, Pallotta does not embrace the above philosophy. This is where again, Totti may play a role because his influence is infinitely more important that both Sabatini and Garcia.

[Italiamia]

[maro]

[maro]

And, further to that, this diluted form of Romanitas becomes itself a commodity rather than a living, beating heart - the fans in Indonesia like the idea that there are local lads who come through the system to play for the club but you only need one here and one there for that idea to hold its rhetorical currency (which means your Romagnoli's become tokens rather than each and every one of them being utterly attentively nurtured) and the Indonesian fans like the idea that Roma's fans at grounds are passionate and committed and create a wonderful atmosphere, but those fans at the grounds become a means to an end rather than the end itself. To put that most simply, you want a great atmosphere to be appreciated on the couch via the tv.

[RomaShield27]

[DCGweez]

For Romagnoli
http://www.sportmediaset.mediaset.it/ca ... 502a.shtml



Garcia supposedly met with Romagnoli the other day to try to give him assurances so that he'd stay.


Today Galliani said not a single Euro more than 25m for Romagnoli which is excellent. 25m is not an obscene amount of money for a young defender. I hope that puts an end to it.

What i think will really keep Romagnoli at Roma isn't the loyalty to a local lad but the European Quota's. If he's gone he must be replaced with another academy player.

[DCGweez]

The truth is the Local fan and the Global fan have a symbiotic relationship. Roma cannot compete without the fan in Indonesia, Auckland and Austin but without the local rabid fanbase the "product" on the Tele suffers greatly.

It is after all, the local fan who makes it a "club" and not just a football team.

If you want a club untainted by globalization there are plenty in Serie B and Serie C.

[maro]

Symbiotic or parasitic? I'd probably go the safe route and opt for dialectical.

[DCGweez]

Parasitic is symbiotic perhaps commensalism if we're going to be specific in which type of symbiosis though.

[maro]

I'm old school, DCG - back when symbiosis meant mutualism. I gather the biologists have been sniping over this for years.

[Lupa]

Parasitic? Someone call a doctor!

I hope Romagnoli stays. He has Roma in his name, surely it's in his heart too. Now that Arse are in the picture, I worry that somehow this could end up being part of a longer term deal for whatshisname the keeper.

Aside from his Roman credentials, surely we can't afford to give up a young Italian international?

[maro]

Mind you, he also has groan and oil in there. And Morag and lion.

[Lupa]

There's more conversation here than in the shitebox. Surprised Shieldy didn't make any comment on that. Things are very quiet, though. I can't get too excited about the silly season. A friend has tickets to see Roma Rube on Aug 30. He's not a Roma fan but hates Rube.

[maro]

How are you, Lupissima? I hope the last few months have been treating you well - you deserve that. I've been reading a little Panofsky of late - one of your idols?

[Lupa]

I've been okay, maro, although my mother's situation continues to be a concern. Thanks for asking. I trust you and the family are doing well?

I find iconography fascinating, so Panofsky is definitely interesting. I wouldn't call him an 'idol' though.

[maro]

We're well, thanks. The summer's a good time for us - the rhythms of the academic year rather allow that, I guess. We've just had the olds over for a whack which had its ups and downs, of course, but I'm rather grateful to have been able to have it happen for another year. Who were/are your idols, then (in such terms)? I've just been revisiting him on Renaissance and renascences as well as Kristeller on St Denis. That's pretty seminal stuff for me, but perhaps more outdated for art historians proper?

[Lupa]

hmmm .. idol? Perhaps Diana Kleiner, although I wouldn't say she's an idol, really. Not really in Panofsky's class, though, who changed art history study, so he has that going for him.

[DCGweez]

[maro]

Crazy - http://www.calciomercato.com/news/porto ... ldo-174497 Watch their club spirit implode.

[RomaShield27]