THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi I

[Italiamia]

You all want to get more pissed off, read this interview with Gianluca Freddi. This is how this club treats its promising youth players:

http://www.laromasiamonoi.it/?action=re ... tizia=2436

I am so upset over the way we are handling our youth players and I frankly do not understand the problem. Can we blame this completely on this ownership? I am not so sure. I think Spalletti has to shoulder some of the blame. He is the coach, and he must be able to evaluate the talent. It just seems to me that we are going the way of the other clubs who do not place a real emphasis on a youth system and would rather go out and buy players. Our youth system was the one thing that distinguished Roma from nearly all other clubs. They won't all become world class players, but then a good teams do not win with world class players alone. If 3 or 4 of these kids make it to the big club, then that is a success in my opinion. It seems that we are not interested in really developing these kids to play for Roma.

[pocari_fenrir]

i think we take it for granted. hell if Spalletti is to shoulder the blame, why isnt Conti disgusted with this and say something?? im thinking the management feels that we're very close to winning the scudetto with Spalletti and want to dump the money into winning it asap. kinda like the Boston Celtics....... or better yet, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

[loazzi]

Ita, I posted that interview on Chris' blog this morning. I am extremely upset with the entire organization. I used to give Bruno Conti a pass because he's my favorite athlete of all time but I have to put some of the responsibility on him too. This is insane! It would be one thing if we were a rich club and could buy whoever we needed whenever we wanted. That wouldn't be the ideal and its what many people didn't want with the Soros takeover but I could at least understand pissing away your youth talent if you had an unlimited amount of money to spend on players. Obviously we are not in this situation. Obviously we have to scrape for loose change to fill in the gaps that we need to field a competitive team. The only reason we are decent is because of the fact that we developed and kept (luckily) Totti and DDR. To piss away Petrucci, Freddi, Galloppa and probably Curci all within a week is fucking disgusting. I blame everybody from Spalletti to Prade to Rosella to Conti. Fuck, Conti is in charge of this youth system, why the hell doesn't he stand up and say that these kids need to be treated with more respect and consideration and simply not allow this. I'm not saying pay them huge wages and let them play whenever they want but for a few thousand euros we completely pissed away some of our best talent. This from a team that can't afford to buy established players. I'm so pissed off I can't even express it. If I could just say fuck Roma and start supporting another club, I'd do it in a second. Unfortunately they are in my fucking blood and I can't so I just have to continue to suffer at the hands of these incompetent baboons that run this club. I swear they are taking years off of my life.

[p_maldini_3]

[romawi]

[Jamoldo]

[loazzi]

[Jamoldo]

[Italiamia]

I have to go with loazzi here on this issue. Aside from the fact that we screw up contracts with our current players, we are giving up our future in my opinion. I try to get the best information available about our primavera players and the potential they possess to make it to la rosa and help this club compete in the future. Bruno Conti has influence, but he does not have the power to reverse decisions regarding our youth system. Spalletti sees these kids and assesses their talent. Make no mistake about it, Spalletti has the veto power if he feels management are making mistakes. Conti attracts these Roman youth players and establishes relationships with the families of these kids. We are not like other clubs. Rome is a big city, but it is also a small city if you know what I mean. Bruno does his best to cultivate Roman talent that will ultimately benefit the club. Bruno's weakness sometimes is that he is too much of a team player. He supports this club for better or worse and he will not challenge management and he certainly will not block the wishes of Spalletti.

I am trying to get a feel for what's happening. Perhaps Spalletti feels that we have other players in the system that will make Roma a better team. Right now, I don't know. But, to me, it seems that we have had a terrible month of June. We have not significantly made this team stronger while at the same time we seem to be throwing our future away. Why have a youth system if we sit on our hands and allow the most promising players to leave for basically nothing. We receive no benefit from these misteps. What have we received in return to losing Petrucci, Curci, Freddi, Galloppa, Corvia, Bovo, Chiellini and Ferronetti. What has Lecce given us besides Cassetti and Vucinic in exchange for about 6 of our youth players. We paid good money for both Cassetti and Vucinic. I love Vuc, but was he worth 19 million euro? Now we have to deal with Okaka, Cerci and Rosi. Where are they going and will they ever be of use to the team.

I am confused, angered and disappointed. There is just too much trouble with this ownership. Too many entaglements relative to the Sensi family, Italpetroli and Unicredito/Banca di Roma. What we have is a disorganized mess with no direction. You can't just live life on a string. I'm afraid that we have made so many errors that ultimately it is going to have a long term effect on the progress of this club.

Giamoldo, as you know I have always opposed non Italian ownership of Roma. I realise that my critisism of this ownership may be somewhat contradictory in terms of new ownership from outside of Italy. I certainly hold the position that non Italian ownership will destroy the soul of the club. I understand that the Sensi's are hanging off a cliff because of the entanglements that have been self created. We are limited in our finances and hence, limited in our ability to strengthen the team from without. But that does not justify throwing our youth players away so casually receiving nothing in return. It's hard to live with this situation year after year because we all want to see this team win something of significance. But as you know, I have a bias towards Italian, and preferably, Roman ownership. I also have personal and selfish reasons as well. Growing up in Rome, being a former Ultra sitting on the Curva Sud for a number of years I do not want to see this club lose its soul. I also have selfish reasons as you know. As long as this club remains in Italian hands, I will have access to information that is not available to the average fan.

[Jamoldo]

Ita, I understand your sentiments, but so many others moan on that the Sensis have kept Roma roman blah blah blah. The numbers certainly say otherwise. Changes are needed...

I've always been neutral on the subject of ownership but I am getting sick of the same old shit and the club going nowhere. We had better be thanking our lucky stars we have Spalletti at the club or who knows where we would be now.

[pocari_fenrir]

here's some good news from Goal.com

De Rossi Contract Done, Aquilani Nearly
According to Virgilio Sport, Daniele De Rossi has agreed a new contract with Roma and will officially sign this week, while Alberto Aquilani is also closing in on a new deal.
The Corriere dello Sport reported a few days ago that De Rossi would pen a new deal within 20 days, however Virgilio Sport claims that everything will probably be done and dusted by the end of next week.

De Rossi has agreed on a new deal until 2013, starting at €3.5m and working its way up to €5.5m.

In more good news for Roma fans, it seems as if the problems regarding Alberto Aquilani’s contract renewal are slowly starting to be solved, as the youngster is said to be close to agreeing a new deal.

Aquilani has been heavily linked with a move away from the Stadio Olimpico, as talks over a new contract had not been going at all well.

The midfielder has been asking for €2.5m in wages per season, but until now the Giallorossi have only been willing to offer €1.5m.

However it now seems that Roma are ready to pay Aquilani a salary that is only just lower that of De Rossi, while the 23-year-old will also be promised a regular place in the starting XI. This is said to satisfy Aquilani, who should agree to the contract very soon.

[Carlo Romano]

Because of my limited free time, my knowlege of certain things to do with our beloved giallorossi is also limited. I rely on my Italian satellite tv channels and the net, preferrably Il Romanista, but this doesn't of course give me an insight into the workings of AS Roma as both a business and a football club.

I'm saddened to read all you guys words on the matter of our youth policy. Obviously I knew all was not well, and in considering the Petrucci situation alone it really makes me wonder just how in depth a study Man Utd have made of us over the years since first preparing to face us in the CL. In simple terms, although we haven't their resources both financial and, it would seem, otherwise, that doesn't mean to say we shouldn't have a secure youth system. All the more reason, one would think, to cheaply and efficiently bring prime talent up to our first team level. I didn't realise Il Mister Luciano had such a powerful say in the matter and since he is only one of all too many Italiani for my liking who have allowed themselves to be brainwashed by first Stream and Telepiu, then by Sky Italia's heavy EPL airtime, I suppose it's also no surprise he is looking to England for our summer buying.

That Spalletti is a fine tactician can't be denied, but being human he has his failings...he and Roma are big league hitters but without the resources of a Berlusconi or a Moratti, so instead of spending on mediocre non-Italian talent, how much more sense would it have made to cultivate our own? I really hope he is right to presume Riise can do more for us than Dossena who though not a Romanista is a good enough defender and one of our own...it really goes against the grain to see an Italian boy sold to a club in another country and then, to rub salt in the wound, an Italian club doing business with that same foreign club for a non Italian player of similar value.

It's entirely another topic of course, a sign of the times where the bigger Serie A sides import many ready made stars on the altar of the argument that the good homegrown players are more expensive to buy and pay and there is no time to wait for young players to come through the primvera set-up. I have a soap box preaching coat ready for that one but I'll drop it for now...

Alessio Cerci was mentioned...he is back with us now but I'm wondering, as I've already asked here, was he overshadowed by Castillo at Pisa or is he perhaps another who may not fulfil his U-21 potential? I know I'll be argued with in saying I regard Curci in that class but if he proves me wrong we can recall him though it will cost us to do so. Galloppa looked promising recently...and he's gone unfortunately!

Perhaps I need corrected here but I think, presuming we get between €12-14 mil for Mancini (Inter don't want to do a €15 mil cash only deal by the looks of things) that should leave us with around €20 mil to spend so I hope we do get Vinnie Iaquinta. Aso, all this Mutu to Roma talk I just can't see. Doesn't he have a mega compensation payment to make to Chelsea? We couldn't nor should we want to pay him the kind of salary he'll need though I will admit he would be a fine addition to our giallorossi!

[loazzi]

Whatever happened to those rumors a few weeks back about Roma being on the verge of some huge contracts (sponsors & TV) that would give us a substantial amount of income (a portion of which could be used on mercato)?

Ita, I hate to say this but I think Roma is already in the process of losing its soul. Where does the soul come from if its not young Romans (i.e. Petrucci, Freddi, Galloppa and the rest). Now I'm reading we may sell 1/2 or all of Okaka to Lecce for additional mercato funds? That would be the last straw.

[romawi]

Did management cave and give Aquilani what he wants? I'd be very surprised if Alberto was given a salary over the cap, but it seems that what he really wants is playing time. I don't know how management is going to give him that. Oh and if DDR is making that kind of money, then so should Mexes!

[romawi]

[pocari_fenrir]

[edge_xeno]

De Rossi has put pen on paper to sign a new contract, it's till 2012:

"De Rossi will net around £5.7m for the 2008-09 season, which will rise to £6m the following year and finally peak at £6.4m between 2010 and 2012."

that are the figures before tax, right???

[RomaShield27]

We speak in €'s, Edge, not smelly £'s. From http://bo.asroma.it/UserFiles/845.pdf

L’A.S. Roma S.p.A. e DANIELE DE ROSSI rendono noto di aver raggiunto un accordo per il prolungamento e l’integrazione del contratto economico per le prestazioni sportive del calciatore ad oggi in vigore sino a tutto il 30 giugno 2012. Al Calciatore sarà riconosciuto un compenso lordo di € 7,2 milioni per la stagione sportiva 2008/2009, di € 7,6 milioni, per la stagione sportiva 2009/2010, e di € 8,1 milioni per la stagione sportiva 2010/2011 e 2011/2012. Il Calciatore sarà a disposizione della stampa nell’apposita conferenza che avrà luogo domani, 1° luglio 2008, presso il Centro Sportivo Fulvio Bernardini.

This is his gross salary, so yes its before tax. What is the tax rate, almost 50%? Its still a huge contract, almost €80,000-a-week if I'm right.

[romawi]

[Italiamia]