THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi I

[Frenchesco]

[Frenchesco]

[Italiamia]

Well guys, the rumors are swirling that Panucci has, or will sign a new contract with Roma.

[stefano]

That is exactly what needs to happen given Cassetti's injury.

[RomaShield27]

I'm not so sure it is. I mean, our management has made itself clear that it doesn't want to extend his contract past this season, at least not at this junction, and I think its the right thing to do. With Panucci's 35-years, giving him an extra year or two on his current deal would see him on the wage bill with us until he is in his nearly eligible for a free bus pass, and while he may be in good physical shape now, who knows what injuries he may incur as he gets that little bit older. Thats not to say he wouldn't be useful to the team next season, his experience alone probably would, but why should we extend his deal now when we can do it at the end of this season if we wanted to do, and if he isn't happy with that, then he is free to walk away then with no strings attached and find another club. His untimely uproar now is just for him to secure his long term financial future, to get that one last big pay check before he hangs up his boots for good (when he's 47), but he would be get that anyway with the next contract he signs, be it here or with another club.

And now, just because Cassetti suffers a serious injury, we are going to change our tune and give in to his demands to make him stay? Surely the reasonable thing to do would be to say to Panucci to stay and honour the end of your contract and then if you still want to leave then, be our guest.

[romawi]

Well Ed, what are alternatives are out there? We have, what, three days to sign a new player, and you know that won't happen. As for Panucci, I could kind of see where he's coming from. He has been with us for eight seasons, and for the most part has been a good professional. His track record shows that he can stay healthy through out the season, so he expecting the management to place a little faith in him. Telling him that "Oh you're at an age now where we can't take a gamble on you", would seem like an insult, especially when he has proven otherwise. Again I'm not justifying what he did, but just trying to look at it from his perspective. And that's assuming that this is what this whole problem is about. If its down to to problems between him and Spags then I don't know how this can be handled.

[maro]

It looks as though those rumours may be being blown out of the water anyway, Edzo. I agree with Stefano, though. Certainly it's true that Panucci's playing days are numbered and the club has always to be looking to the future and I think money is evidently tighter than ever and perhaps some 21-year-old might be able to do a similar job for a third of the wages. I'd have renewed his contract straightaway, though. He's going to be able to do a job for us for at least another couple of years and this club is desperately short on senior players. I imagine he's fallen out with Spags too catastrophically - and I'd certainly agree with Frence' that Spags will be culpable in this too. I suspect he's actually a slightly strange guy, slightly hard to read - an odd mix of the friendly and affectionate and the aloof. I totally buy the argument that Roma can't afford to commit too much too quickly to Panucci; lord knows they've been bit in the arse over the way they renewed Monty's contract. In this case, though - or, at least, before the fall-out this week - I'd have said they could even less afford not to renew his contract.

[maro]

And I agree with Il Tonno: there's just about no-one around - let alone available - who could bring to the squad the mix of things Panucci should be able to. I think he's a very good third-choice CB and an excellent back-up right back, let alone, one might have hoped, a leader in the dressing room and a guy with a properly hard-nosed winning mentality.

[stefano]

Roma's current sporting objectives are to finish in the top four and to advance to (and win) the CL final in Rome. Had the weekend's blow up not taken place, Panucci would have played a major role in the attempt to reach these goals. As France's pointed out, we don't know what is really going on between the parties involved, but it is safe to assume (as we all have) that contract negotiations have played a role. Yes money is tight and we need to be careful how we spend, but there is no waiting around for next year. This season may be the best chance of CL glory that Roma will ever have. An aging Totti is healthy going into the second half of the season and the knockout stages of the CL. He has just rejoined a team that seems to have matured somewhat, grinding out wins under difficult circumstances and are now back in the fight towards the top part of the table. Unfortunately, just as one of the club's most senior and versatile players seems ready to walk away to another squad another key player (and right back) has gone down to an injury in the final days of the transfer window. The club needs to triage this situation immediately to get prepared for these final months as we push toward glory. Who is now available to fill in as back up CB and RB in this team with these ambitions? We know that Panucci is capable of filling in at both of these roles and we will not know how long Cassetti will be out until long after the transfer window has closed. Resigning Panucci is the only real option. Yes, there is a rift between him and the club, but rifts can be repaired. Offer him some money and show him that he will have a chance to play and win. The guy is a competitor and will take the offer. He can then make an apology saying he acted in a rash manner, but holds Roma and all Romanista in the greatest regard and wants to win in giallorosso.

[RomaShield27]

Thats quite true, Tuna. I suppose didn't look at it from his point of view, in that he, being a man who's never afraid to express his emotions, would think that the club don't respect him enough or believe he is worthy of an extension. But looking at it from the clubs point of view, I think they are (or were) sweating over this situation as they don't want it to develop into a Montella ordeal, were we're basically paying the wages of deadwood on our rooster. But like Maro says, I think we have to consider if he is still able to do a job for us for at least another couple of years, and we are, I suspect, somewhat stuck in the middle and unsure of if he can offer us that or not. Spalletti would have to play into that decision too, and evaluate if he wants Panucci in his squad over the next few seasons, or if he feels a young buck (Andreolli) could do the same job. Its a tough one to sort out now, though.

[Frenchesco]

[Italiamia]

[Frenchesco]

[RomaShield27]

[cg916]

[stefano]

[Frenchesco]

[romawi]

[Frenchesco]

[RomaShield27]