Daniele De Rossi ready to return as a former bitter tooth
In the course of a long interview granted to DAZN, Daniele De Rossi, Genoa’s current coach, took stock of his experience in the red and blue but also retraced some stages of his past, dwelling in particular on his exoneration from Roma, the opponent he will face in a few days at the Olimpico: “I am sorry for how things went but in the end the team had the exploit I had predicted. I had a well-defined project: the first year to build, the second to grow and the third to fight for the Scudetto“.
“It was not crazy to bet on that group, which I consider very strong – stressed the’former world champion -. The presidents trusted me, at the technical level I had great freedom and they began to ask me for directions even in view of the next three years. Then something cracked and it is a shame, because I and my staff did not deserve what happened”. De Rossi then returned to his relations with some Giallorossi managers: “In my first experiences I had problems, in different ways, with some managers. At Spal we clarified and we still talk to each other, while at Roma I had some friction with the CEO: nothing sensational, but still some difficulties”.
The’farewell to Roma, however, in the capital is still causing discussion among Giallorossi fans: “As for the exoneration, I think I have a clear conscience. I have never betrayed anyone and I have never used the “power” I had in that city to protect myself or go against the players. If I had behaved differently I would not be so proud of what we have done”. On the possibility of a return to Roma, the former captain was clear: “I don”t think there was ever really that possibility”.
“The choice they made was clear and, probably, it would not have been the right step for me, even if I would have come back right away. In this year I turned down very little because I had a desire to coach: only one category and a few unclear situations. In many other cases, however, it was me who was rejected”.
He concludes with a glimpse of Monday night’s challenge against his past, complete with a gritted-teeth joke: “It will be a special game, I am curious. I have wanted every day of my life for Roma to win, and this is the thing that makes me smile the most: for a week I will have to work to make it lose”.
