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Francesco Costa / @francescocosta: “This is a manager who, in four seasons, brought Sassuolo from Serie B to the Europa League and the club were by no means big spenders. Once in the Europa League, his team produced a perfect performance to beat an experienced and savvy side in Athletic Bilbao 3-0. He did this while doing a great deal of work on the team’s identity and developing a courageous, aggressive and modern style of play. I thought he was destined to step into the dugout at a top side, but not necessarily our own.”
Daniele Trombetta / @Dtrombetta87: “Eusebio Di Francesco was always going to join a big club. It had been in the air for a while but he bided his time, gained experience and didn't jump at any of the other calls he received. He kept working away and demonstrated his ability at Sassuolo then joined Roma when he decided the right time was right for him. He always defended his philosophy and his decisions at Sassuolo, even in difficult times, and he always turned out to be right. He exceeded expectations there.”
Bren / @BrenCdT: “The romanticism of EDF returning to Roma was apparent to all but I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical, mostly because I was such a massive fan of Luciano Spalletti and felt he was the ideal coach for this set of players. [Then there was] the pressure of jumping up from Sassuolo to Roma, so I wasn’t as open to the move as I should have been considering he not only kept Sassuolo in the top flight, but got them to Europe. It was remarkable. Sassuolo were a legitimate threat to any club on any given weekend, and not only that, they were entertaining to watch.”
“To be able to bring a club with Sassuolo’s means all the way up to Serie A and then ultimately take them into a European competition is extraordinary. However, I have to admit, I was both excited yet apprehensive about him returning to Roma.”
- John Solano
Wayne Girard / @WayneinRome: “I give him a five out of five for what he did at Sassuolo. He brought that team to its limits, imposing an attractive style of play with raw talent. Getting the team into Europe was a major feat and their dynamic play was a joy to watch. [When he was appointed Roma coach] I was afraid yet hopeful. I didn’t think this was the time for him to come back – to make the step from a mid-table team to one of Italy’s top teams is a major transition that only the strongest managers can handle.
“I was thinking maybe a team like Fiorentina or AC Milan would have been a more appropriate step. I was also afraid that with him being such a nice guy, the Roman media would chew him up and affect his psyche – Rome is a hotbed like no other. I’m glad to have my instinct proven wrong.”
@francescocosta: “I’ll be honest: when [Eusebio] Di Francesco first arrived at Roma I was both curious and worried. I was curious to see where he would take us, with a mix of the clear ideas and principles he showed at Sassuolo and the strong and ambitious squad boasted by Roma. I was worried because Sassuolo and Roma are worlds apart and there were, and still are, many pitfalls. It risked being a tough job even for the best of coaches.”
@Dtrombetta87: “Him joining Roma was like a breath of fresh air after the difficult end to the season last year and all the debate about the coach and who the next coach would be. Him and Monchi joining Roma marked the start of a whole new chapter. We knew Di Francesco would be 'at home' at Roma because he was already familiar with the club and the city and probably already knew how to handle it. I'm sure that was a big factor when the club came to choosing the new coach.”
Andrea Cardoni / @andrecardoni: "I thought we were welcoming home someone who we remembered as a good person. Whether as a footballer or as a coach, he’s had to make his own way and everything he has achieved has been through hard work. Furthermore his way of being and communicating appeared in keeping with Roma’s essence. I think he manages the team in his way and, given what I’ve already said, I’m happy that someone like him is Roma’s coach. I’m also happy for him that he’s gone and performed in the Champions League – also for the fact we have the best defence."
@BrenCdT: “Has he surprised me? Completely. When Roma is playing well, you can easily see his imprint on the squad; the tactics are fluid and every attack creates multiple scoring options, while his defence has been impregnable. As far as the Champions League goes, I mean, wow! I never imagined Roma would make it out of that group, much less win it, but they didn’t shrink under the bright lights, far from it. Those two matches against Chelsea were some of the most impressive and exciting performances I’ve ever seen from this club.”
John Solano / @Solano_56: “He has surprised me, yes. Roma’s performance in the league has left a bit to be desired but to finish first in their Champions League group is a sensational accomplishment.”
@francescocosta: “I’ve not been surprised by the quality of his work but rather the short amount of time he’s needed to put it into practice, to get the respect of the players and become their leader. I think everyone, himself included, would have acknowledged the likelihood of making a slow start to this season – look at how [Maurizio] Sarri started at Napoli, for example. However we end the year with all to play for in the league and having won our group in the Champions League. It’s been surprising how quickly he’s shown himself as being up to the task.”
@Dtrombetta87: “We all hoped and expected him to do well but I don't think many people really thought he'd do quite so well in Serie A and especially in the Champions League as he has this season. He instilled belief at the club, especially in some of the players who were perhaps lacking a little motivation and he's got the best out of everyone. He's made full use of the squad and managed to keep everyone on their toes and I think that's one of the reasons why he's done so well up to now. Instilling the right sort of mentality is by no means easy but slowly but surely that's exactly what he's doing.”
@WayneinRome: “This is by no means his finished product. Di Francesco works diligently with the squad every day and his words after tough matches show that he doesn’t make excuses – he continuously mentions how hard work is the answer. This no-nonsense approach is refreshing. Topping the Champions League group was a dream. I mean, really, beating Chelsea and Atletico Madrid? What Roma has lacked in recent memory is not only a manager who believes in his team, but pushes them to realise that they are capable of greatness. It’s so important for fans to keep in mind that this is his first season with the squad, he lost an international centre-back and one of the world’s best wingers in the summer and is still dealing with an injury crisis.”
@Solano_56: “I’m not surprised by his toughness because he showed this at Sassuolo, though, I have been pleasantly surprised by his willingness to rotate the team and keeps his players fresh.”
@BrenCdT: “Tinkering with rotations is certainly an art, and I’m not sure it’s one he’s quite mastered yet; he’s never had this sort of depth at his disposal, so there was bound to be a learning curve. While he’s done a masterful job with the defense, I’m a bit puzzled at his handling of the midfield at times. Despite all that, I do love the simple fact that he is willing to mix and match lineups and I’m confident at some point he settle on a standard rotation.”
@WayneinRome: “I expected a solid squad rotation when he was adamant this past summer about needing six forwards. Even Daniele De Rossi has come out to say how well Di Francesco handles the relationships in the locker room, and the results have been tangible. Stephan El Shaarawy has been in excellent form, and attributes that to his coach’s belief in him. Diego Perotti has been one of the league’s top attackers and that’s due to Di Francesco understanding how to use him.”
@francescocosta: “From a technical perspective, Francesco’s use of rotation has been one of the more unexpected aspects of his management. I thought, at least to start with, that he’d have worked with a small number of players, to make it easier to introduce his footballing principles. Let’s not forget that it is the first time Di Francesco has coached a team with the level of player and objectives that Roma have. Even so, he’s shown himself capable of managing a high-level squad and the many demands involved like a veteran. Clearly he also has room to improve – we have a manager that can start a cycle for the club.”
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