Gasperini's pre-Parma presser

This is what the boss had to say:

Lately you've focused on two fronts: the present and the future. There have been answers about the present. I wanted to ask you if there's any other news on the other front.

“The first front is the most pressing. Tomorrow we're at Parma and we have three games left to play. We know that every match is decisive so we're fully focused on that. As for the other things, it very much depends on what the club wants to do, what they want to undertake, so you'd have to ask them.”

Are you behind schedule?

“I don't think anyone is going that fast. Right now we're all busy dealing with the league. Things might develop more quickly at the end of the season.”

Leaving aside any departures or player sales, how many additions do you think this team needs to be able to compete at the top level?

“The results we've obtained this season tell us that this is a good team, one which has always responded well this season whenever we've experienced difficulties. They've always performed well, picked up results and stayed up near the top of the table. We'll see what happens in the summer. I think you need to keep improving and try to bring in players who can give you something extra and make you a better team.”

Is getting into the Champions League fundamental in order to build a stronger Roma team or have you received guarantees that the reinforcements, the right signings, the raising of the bar will go ahead regardless of Champions League qualification? By that I mean, is there a risk that the club's ambitions might be scaled back with no Champions League football?

“The Champions League brings money. Everyone wants to get into the Champions League for that reason alone. Until a few years ago, no one was interested in fourth place. Now, finishing fourth, third or second is a big deal. Obviously, the more financial resources available to you, the easier it is for you to work in the transfer market. It's not the only factor, though: there are plenty of clubs who do a great job in the transfer market without huge funds.”

How is the search for a new sporting director going and are the Friedkins involving you in the process?

 “At the moment we're totally focused on the league and on tomorrow's game. There are lots of possibilities involving lots of clubs so there are all sorts of searches going on. Right now, speaking for myself, I am focused solely on tomorrow's game.”

After the Fiorentina game, you said you wanted to work on your ideas and not other people's ideas. I wanted to ask who those others are and if there's anyone who doesn't fully support your ideas. And what do you think of being an English-style 'manager' in Italy? Would you like that?

“I've answered this question before and I said I think a coach and a sporting director need to work together, not on separate paths. They need to share their thoughts and be very honest with each other to see what can be done for the good of the club, for the good of the team. The sole objective is improving the team by bringing in players with the right attributes for the coach to develop his game, in line with the budget the sporting director has to work with. I think the two roles are very closely linked, both in terms of football ideas and supporting and helping each other, understanding the difficulties they both have. All with the sole purpose of improving the team.

“I keep saying we don't talk enough about football. We're talking about lots of things but not football. We're not talking about players, game situations, teams. The only topics put forward are ones that could stoke up controversy.

“Obviously if my playing philosophy has got me results before, I'm going to try to keep playing to my strengths and looking to develop certain situations, and I'm going to look for players who can help me develop the kind of football I want to play.”

Manu Kone came back into the team and was instrumental in the last game. Is he a player you're counting on for next season? Is he one of those you consider not for sale at any price? Because there's been a lot of talk about him with regard to Financial Fair Play and the sales that could be made by 30 June. What's your take on the player?

“In the modern game, there's no such thing as 'not for sale at any price'. Perhaps only at the world's very biggest clubs. It goes back to the fourth place thing: what is it that makes the difference? It always comes down to finances. If you're made an offer that is too good to refuse, everyone – with very few exceptions – has their price. But offers like that are very rare and Kone is a great player. Why should I say that I'd like him to leave? I hope he keeps playing for Roma. Then if we get an offer that's too good to refuse and that means you can do other things... But that goes for everyone.”

We've heard that you've been very involved in contract renewals. Is there any truth in that?

[Gasperini laughs] “That's right, I've renewed all of their contracts, I've met all the sporting directors... At the moment I'm working on nothing but the team so that we can hopefully win tomorrow's game. All the other matters – if I'm involved – will be discussed with the club in due course. They're very busy right now, but when they feel the time is right, they'll go ahead with these matters. The club is working – it's not that they're not doing anything. Clearly it's not the right time yet.”

Let's imagine this is an election campaign and you get into the Champions League through votes. You're a politician and you have to convince people to vote for you to get into the Champions League. Why should this Roma team be in the Champions League?

“Let's remove the 'politician' because thankfully I have nothing to do with politics. I've always worked in sport and sport is for everyone. Roma could get into the Champions League but the margins are really very small because other teams deserve it too. We've been up there all season battling away with all the other teams. Bologna, Lazio and Atalanta are no longer in contention but the others are still there and now it all comes down to a point more or a point less. I think the team has had a very good season. If we were to get into the Champions League, it would give us immense satisfaction.”

Do you plan to stick with the same starting XI as against Fiorentina? Or, given that Parma will almost certainly field a team that is much more defensive than attacking tomorrow, will you perhaps bolster your attack or midfield instead of going with your usual defence?

“I like my usual defence! Roma are doing well and playing with confidence but every game is different. We're playing a team that has obtained some good results. They got themselves out of the relegation battle and they have no worries. But as we saw last week, thankfully, Serie A has become exciting down to the very last match and even teams with not much left to play for are doing well. Verona are already down and they got a point in Turin. Sassuolo beat Milan... It's a very good thing. I know that we're going to have to perform really well tomorrow to beat Parma.”

You said that you'll speak to the club at the end of the season “if” you're involved. The use of that word worries me a little. Why are you not certain?

“Let's not start analysing syntax. The crux of the matter is that the time will come when we really should be a great team, right? A team where everyone believes in what we're doing. There can't be any doubts or uncertainties about that.”

Are you happy with Matias Soulé's recent performances, more or less since he returned from injury? Do you see him as one of the technical leaders of this team?

“Soulé has done well for sure. He had this groin issue for quite a long time and he's still feeling the after-effects but he's getting over it. He's playing. He's certainly not at his best physically but he always does his bit when he plays.”

Is he a technical leader of the team?

“What do you mean by leader? Yes, he's an important player. We have a group of very important players.”

I wanted to ask you about your opposite number, Carlos Cuesta. After a brief experience at academy level, at the age of just 18 he dedicated himself to becoming a coach. Do you think that going straight into coaching – without having been a player and had on-the-pitch experience – might engender more positives or negatives in the long term?

“I got to know him last summer. He's very well prepared. He does seem to have cleared a lot of hurdles, doesn't he? He went straight to the top. That can happen. Some have to take a much longer path to the top, with many more twists and turns. Others take the direct route. He's one of those. Sometimes doing it that way can be a bit more risky, but he's shown he can handle himself in Serie A. His Parma team are very solid. He's obtained some excellent results and kept Parma up with several games to spare. They're a very pragmatic team. And for such a young coach to have done that immediately in Serie A is a great achievement.”

How is Angelino doing? Is there a chance he could feature before the end of the season? And how is Paulo Dybala?

“Dybala has been training regularly for a few weeks now and is improving. It's not so much a matter of fitness as regaining the strength in that leg, his shooting power.

“Angelino has had a totally unexpected and very difficult season. Perhaps we've started seeing him again for the first time in the last few weeks. He's getting back to the player he was last year and that bodes well, for next season mainly, because he's a great player that unfortunately we've had to do without all year.”

We're analysing transfer deals involving foreign players and the huge number of them in Serie A. We've looked at some of Roma's deals and those done by other clubs. There are a couple of Roma deals, specifically those for [Leon] Bailey and Wesley, which seem to have been handled by a 32-year-old by the name of Pietro Scala, who is a friend of Ryan Friedkin. Officially he doesn't have a role at the club but in practical terms he does – a role in the control of contracts and other matters. Is that relationship the reason why he handled those contracts, where there is a lot of commission: in Wesley's case over €2 million. These are the only such deals he has been involved in.

“I'm the worst person you could ask about this because I only talk about football matters. If you ask me about Wesley's football ability, I can talk all day. Who was the other player?”

Bailey.

“Bailey unfortunately had... Although I see that he's always available now and can play. As far as contracts are concerned, I never get involved in negotiations and I don't have anything to do with drawing up contracts.”

So you don't know who represents these players' interests?

“I might know some of them personally, some better, some less well. If you ask me who Bailey's agent is, I don't know. I might know him but right now I don't remember. I'm not involved in drawing up contracts or negotiations, how much one or the other player might cost, or how much commission is paid. I don't think any coach can help you with those things.”