In full: Spalletti's first press conference

Here’s the media conference in full:

“Good evening everyone, it’s great to see you all again. I’m back here because I’ve already coached Roma and I know how great it is to be in charge of this team in this city. That’s why I’ve returned. Obviously it will take me a bit of time to get up to speed with all of the changes that have been made here at Trigoria. That’s why I decided to stay overnight, it’ll help me to pick things up quicker so I’m where you guys are at.”

You’ve now spent three days working with the squad, has that consolidated your favourable first impressions?

“I can add something to the good impression I had following the first training session, which was then confirmed in the second and the third. I didn’t think that would be the case because I thought it might have been a bit hectic. However, the players looked really switched on in terms of desire and what I expect from them. That’s the best response I could have had from the players. Obviously I know that when there’s a change in coach, some people might be sad for [Rudi] Garcia and that there was potential during the first few session for the players to be distracted or disappointed with what’s gone on. My predecessor did some fine work, he set records and he’ll realise that this is part and parcel of the industry, it’s happened to lots of other people and he’ll continue with his career. All the best to Rudi.”

Are you working predominantly on the players’ mentality or from a tactical perspective?

“I’ve been told a lot would be made of the players’ fitness levels because that’s been discussed at length. I said the players are fit because I really believe that at this level it comes down to one’s temperament and mentality, that’s what puts across the message to one’s legs. When you talk about fitness, you need to broaden the scope to include the time they spend away from the team, at home, with their families, in everyday life. In this line of work you always look for the shortcut and in this instance it’s not a case of starting from scratch with a process that could last three months. What have I said to the players? That if things aren’t working it’s because they’re leggy? No, the players have no excuses, we’re off the pace and there’s only one way forward – win football matches. If not, the fans that acclaimed my arrival at the airport will grab me by the scruff of the neck and take me for a ride round the city. I’ve got an advantage, however, I already know the city.”

What’s been the best bit about this homecoming?

“When I came to Trigoria and I saw ordinary people who work here, besides the players. Every side at this level is made up of two teams, the one that plays and the one behind the scenes, which has grown in size. All those people work hard, morning, noon and night to make sure we have everything we need to do our job. This is important and we need to keep that in mind. It was amazing to see all the old faces again.”

When will we see the side you’re looking for?

“That’ll come via the team and the strength we have at our disposal. I hope we see Spalletti’s Roma immediately because otherwise we’ll have a problem. I’ve seen the other sides are going great guns, we’re off the pace, as I’ve said, and we have to bounce back quickly. There’s no other option, we have to turn things around now and get back to what we do best. I expect a massive response tomorrow to show what we’re made of and how good we are.”

What are the targets for this season?

“I didn’t expect that question! I’ve already answered it, the real impact is with the game and the first week of training. We’ll see what the team is quickly able to change. In any line of work over a long period of time you need to hit milestones. And if we can’t reach the first ones I’ve listed, we won’t see the other ones either.”

Where should Florenzi play?

“Are you asking me if he’s a full-back or a winger? He’s a bit of both. He’s played both positions and performed well. You can extend this discussion to talk in more general terms. I’m back and I’ve had a look at the Italian game, which is at a good level thanks in part to the coaches working here. These days you coach game principles, not just formations. Systems are more malleable. 4-4-2s and 4-2-3-1 have different names. Players can cover for one another in several positions and play as a unit. Teams have developed a more comprehensive, team approach. To give you a few examples: Napoli, who have already operated with two different systems, Empoli and Torino under Ventura. This flexibility is the real change to Italian football which is moving closer to the European game. This is the right approach to produce good football which also entertains those who follow the sport.”

Are the reasons that prompted your initial departure from Roma still a factor?

“I’ve come here because it’s amazing to coach Roma, so everything else is gone now. It’s a clean slate. I’ve come back because three special supporters also asked me to. I couldn’t say no to my three children, Samuele, Federico and Matilde. My wife sent me a photo of Matilde in a Roma scarf when she was four. We have one more fan.”

Have you spoken to the sporting director about the transfer window?

“First and foremost I have to get to know the players here. I’m not familiar with what some of them can do and I feel like I’m behind on that score. We have a game tomorrow and I have a team to pick. [Walter] Sabatini is a top-level sporting director, who’s well respected in the game, and if he’s opted for them, they must have ability. Clearly we’ll sit down and try to talk about what we can tweak. You can always improve. He asked me to come and coach in this city and so I brought him a present. I’ll keep it to myself for the moment though.”

What present would you like to give [James] Pallotta?

“I’ll take Pallotta a shirt from the Curva because the one he was wearing when he opened the front door was a little tight. I’ll send him a bigger one. That would be a sign that Roma have improved. Our aims are the same as Pallotta’s.

What will [Francesco] Totti’s role be?

“Things are straightforward with Francesco. I gave him everything I had. More than I had. When I took over at Roma he was the first player I met. I tried to not to disrupt his talent and ability. Now I will maintain the same approach. If you want to ask me about his contract, that’s between him and James. The Roma legend and the president have to be able to talk directly, I can’t play the middle man.”

Will you try the 4-2-3-1 again?

"The 4-2-3-1 came about because we had the right personnel to make it work and after a few games we were playing on auto-pilot. During my time abroad, however, I learned that the best bet is to be open-minded, soak things up and learn and I think I’ve acquired something new. That 4-2-3-1 achieved great things, I had fun and at times it was exciting in training to see just how good they were. It got to a stage where I told myself, “Unless they change the size of the pitch, I’m always going to play that formation.” Then I realised you can do something different. The team now has to be very open-minded to try out this great new approach and take it on board because, if not, it’ll be too late.”

What did Pallotta say to convince you?

“It was easy from the word go, I wanted to coach Roma. Then when you go into more detail, ideas come to mind, there are requests you have to make and that will come out next week. As for how far away the president is, I’ve worked in close-knit clubs before and they didn’t provide me with the support I needed. He’s very attached to the city and the club, he’s crazy about Roma, believe me. I’ve seen how he paces around the house. That’s important for us. The players turning out for Roma need to realise that and have done so. They know how much people love the club. Francesco will have no doubt told his team-mates about the club and his experiences here. Now it’s just a case of picking up points, fast.”

What do you make of the team tactically?

I think Garcia did a good job. I saw his side put in some wonderful performances. He has his own way of working, his footballing philosophy. I might change a few things but the aim is still the same. I want my side to play with consistency, to have a specific brand of football and be better than the opposition on any given day. There’s no problem with differences if you ask me. The team will get to know a new way of working. These days football is more open and less rigid. These players can adapt, I believe you build a great team with a strong midfield and we have fantastic players in the middle of the park. That’s where the game goes through, 90% of the game is played in the middle. If we have to look after that 90% with the players we have, I’m confident and relaxed, plus [Kevin] Strootman is improving on a daily basis.

Who is Roma’s playmaker?

“We have four of them. [Daniele] De Rossi can play there, [Miralem] Pjanic can do it, [William] Vainqueur can too, as can Strootman. I watched Kevin train with the Primavera and do some amazing things. Lots of players can take charge of the team. Lest we forget, [David] Pizarro is always the benchmark you lot use but he used to play in the hole before we moved him back and that Roma side made him perfect for that position. When you talk about a strong midfield it’s because the players are able to implement what you ask of them. Often under Garcia, [Radja] Nainggolan and Pjanic would come short and keep the ball with Daniele who would then push up. This is one of the strengths of players who are versatile and can operate in several different positions. There’s a blueprint to develop and we have to see who’s best suited to doing so based on what we have in the squad. I’m not a great coach but I know some great coaches. A couple of them wished me well here, including Carlo Ancelotti, who asked me about the fitness of three or four of our midfielders, one of whom was Strootman.”

Is Rudiger just a centre back or can he also play right-back?

“He’s really good as part of a back three and in a three-man backline the two wide players have to spread over to the flanks and by that stage it doesn’t take much to push on into midfield like a conventional full-back does. If the guy on the right doesn’t bomb on much and the guy on the left defends, the result is the same.”

How’s [Leandro] Castan?

“I’ve watched him train twice and this morning I asked him how he was and he answered, “I’m good.” “What if I picked you tomorrow?” “You’ll see what a great performance I’d put in.” He’s trained over the last three days and done everything he needed to well. Next he has to respond on the pitch.”

The Curva Sud will be missing. What do you make of that?

“I’m really disappointed with this whole issue. It really is a shame and it hurts to see the stadium with just a few thousand people in it. It’s depressing if you think about some of the famous European nights we had in the Champions League. You need several positive factors to climb the table: A great team, a great club and a coach who does as little damage as possible. Plus you need the fans to pack out the stand behind the goal to roar and sing an amazing anthem like ‘Grazie Roma’. Without them we lose a massive driving force. And, as they’ve wished me well over the last four and half years in which I was away, now they have to support me in getting us back up the table. I think the Curva Sud will be full tomorrow.”

Are you wary of the natural comparisons with your first spell in charge?

“No, I’ve not even thought about that. I’m sure of what I coached in the past: a good team. I’m sure of what I’ve seen over the last few days: a good team. We have to produce good, entertaining football. If you ask me, based on what I’ve seen over the past few days, we can do so quickly. I’ll bring something up before I get asked about it. I’ve always coached sides in which the centre forward had to make a run towards the near post. Now we also have a striker who can hit the back stick: that run towards the far post to attack the ball. If you’d asked me which striker to sign, I would have chosen none other than Edin Dzeko.”

What have you made of De Rossi?

“I’ve spoken to him. Daniele will be vital, he’s one of the most experienced players we’ve got. He has got everything it takes in that position, you can ask him to do several things and he’s up to it. He’s also said he’d be willing to do try something new and I’m delighted about that but I can’t tell you what it is.”