An audience with Luciano Spalletti

A large crowd gathered in the town of Madonna di Campiglio on Thursday evening, as coach Luciano Spalletti sat down for a light-hearted discussion about the club and his coaching methods.

We’ve picked out some of the key answers - check them out below.

How important is it to feel the love from the fans?

“Having this kind of bond with the fans gives us even more passion and we’re able to channel that on the pitch.”

Is experience the most important thing for a coach?

“Experience is important, but the instinct and creativity you have when you’re young is often an advantage.”

Do you have to control everything to be a good coach?

“No. Trying to do everything yourself is a sign of weakness. You need to leave some space for other people. It’s not good to keep everyone down – you want to allow the best players to express themselves.”

Do you need to have clear rules in the dressing room?

“I get on well with the players and I don’t need rules. There needs to be mutual respect and they have to learn to coexist. I like my players and they give me the confidence I need to achieve results. I’m convinced that they can sort things out themselves – they’re intelligent and professional.”

How important is the coach to the team?

“I’m not too bothered about that because it always depends on lots of factors. I think that everyone has an important role and can determine the results we achieve. Sometimes as a coach you can learn a lot from others. In my eyes, the key figures are the players. If we can combine our individual qualities with respect and teamwork, we can make progress. It’s not about the best eleven players, but the best team.”

Are tactics important?

“We have some great coaches in Italy right now: Paulo Sousa, [Vincenzo] Montella, [Sinisa] Mihajlovic. [Giampiero] Ventura was my coach at Entella Chiavari in Serie C2, then he took me with him to Spezia. He’s a fantastic coach and a very intelligent man – he understands the psychological side of things too.”

Do you use social media?

“No, but I’ve decided to set up a few profiles to keep with the times. Sometimes you don’t explain things clearly or journalists report things wrongly – when that happens social media gives you a chance to put things right. I can’t tell my players how to use their profiles. I know that sometimes what they post can cause problems and we have to discuss it.”

How often do you think about football?

“It’s tough to switch off – that’s the way I am. I like taking my work very seriously and I put all my energy into it.”

Do you have any regrets from your first spell at Roma?

“Missing out on a Scudetto is a horrible feeling but you have to kick on the very next day. Football moves very fast. There’s no point thinking about the past.”

Is there a particular figure in football you’ve always looked up to?

“I’ve taken inspiration from everyone, especially coaches in the amateur leagues where they have to deal with everything: poor pitches, lack of equipment and strange hours. I’ve learned a great deal from them. Many haven’t had the luck I’ve had but it’s worth studying their strengths because that helps you to improve.”

What did you discuss with James Pallotti when you met him in Miami?

“He was really enthusiastic and happy and he wanted to convey his excitement for the future of Roma. He’s a great guy. He’s from a different country but he loves Roma.”

What’s your promise to the fans?

“Maximum effort. Often matches can change on the tiniest detail. We hope the enthusiasm we put in means those details go our way. Our dressing room is full of people who want to win and change the future of Roma.”

You can watch a repeat of our Facebook broadcast from the event in the video below.