Balzaretti: "I will not be the new ds"
Getty Images
Federico Balzaretti, former Roma footballer and manager, spoke to the microphones of RTL 102.5 during “Password” to comment on the rumors that want him to be the club’s new Sporting Director and the Giallorossi’s league performance.
What has finally happened at Roma under Spalletti with the team changing its skin?
There is really to be congratulated to the team, to the coach, to the manager, because when there is criticism, especially in Rome, it is heavy, and right now there is to be congratulated. The coach has handled everything in a perfect way, I want to say that, I think seeing it from the inside as managers, when I go to see the training sessions and talking to the coach, and from the outside seeing the team play, and in the statements also that he makes, up to this moment I think he has been fantastic in the mentality that he has given, in the values that he has brought to the field, in the ideas of the game, in the communication that he has wanted to give, he is trying to change what has been a little bit the mentality that has characterized Rome up to now and he is doing a fantastic job. The boys right now are doing excellent performances that are daughters of the work they are doing during the week.
Would it have changed anything to have Spalletti come in a month earlier?
I don’t think so because when a club believes in a coach and Roma believed so much in Rudy Garcia and his work in the two and a half years was very good, let’s remember that he did two second places and this year he had qualified for the round of 16 of the Champions League, so until the end they tried to try to bring out the best, to give him as many chances as possible because he deserved them. I think it then got to a certain point where things objectively were no longer going the way they wanted and so it was necessary, as always painful, to make changes, but that’s normal is part of soccer.
Have you heard from Roma’s other dad, Francesco Totti, to wish him well?
Yes, we wrote to each other, both my wife and I wrote to each other’s parties, then I think until the end they had not wanted to know the sex, it was a nice surprise, and I wish them a lot of good wishes because they are a wonderful family with already two very good children.
Hoping to see him on the field as well.
Of course, I think on that Francis has been very penalized, this year, by the injury he had. Let’s remember that he is an extraordinary professional, that he follows, he works on a physical level, he cares about it in a crazy way, more than many 17-18 years old boys, clearly when he had that injury in September against Carpi, at his age, it took him a little bit longer both to come back and to recover his condition . However, Francesco can be a leader even playing less, even going in, his presence inside the locker room is very important.
Are you or are you not the next Roma sporting director? You are very much sponsored by Zecca and President Pallotta loves you very much.
No, absolutely not. They love me and I am proud to be part of this family, having said that we have a Sporting Director who for me is like a father, which is Walter Sabatini to whom I want not a professional good, but that goes beyond. I if I were Alex Zecca and Pallotta I would hold on very tightly to the DS that I have, because as good as him there are none.
