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Here's what the boss had to say...
What condition would you say this team is in?
“I have to say we're in good shape. We've played two games in sweltering heat and the pre-season was done in very hot conditions too but the lads have worked so well. Now we're starting to see the World Cup players too – the ones who came back a bit later, [Manu] Kone, [Leonardo] Balerdi and the others. The squad is coming together. We've brought in some new players and now we just have to wait for the transfer window to finally close tomorrow because I've had enough. Then we can talk about football and nothing else.”
Last season people in Rome were talking about sixth place. What did you see in this team that others perhaps did not?
“I don't know what other people thought but to me it was quite clear that we had some top-quality players and if we wanted to up the level further we just needed to add a few similar-quality players. However, more importantly this is a team with incredible values. They never shy away, even when things aren't going so well. They really care about Roma and they play with passion. And passion is fundamental in every sport, in football especially.”
Do you see some similarities between Donyell Malen and Gonzalo Higuain?
“Yes, they do have some similar attributes, though they're a bit differently physically – Malen is not quite as robust. But with their speed of execution in controlling and shooting, and that burst of pace over the first few yards, they're certainly comparable.”
In your long career coaching at many different levels, had you ever won the first two matches 4-0 before? The team seem to be firing on all cylinders again…
“We've started very strong this year and the squad is certainly in great shape at the moment. Partly because of the World Cup and partly because of the players coming in, there was a bit less focus on our matches. We went to England to play some games of course and that helped us – it helped us a lot. We played our last match against Borussia at a difficult ground – that was almost like a Champions League match. And then when the time was right, we got going. As I said before, in this team there are lots of players – I’d say all of them – who have a very important quality. I can’t remember who it was but someone once taught me that a player is first of all of head and heart, and only afterwards muscles. These players have heads and hearts. The muscles and the quality come later.”
The team is growing in confidence and looking more and more like they know what they need to do during the match. They have the right, attack-minded attitude. Is that what you find most satisfying?
“Clearly we have a better understanding now than we did at the start of last season. This year we've already had a season together and we grew in quality over the course of it – both in the number of goals we scored in the second half of the campaign and the belief we showed in getting more goals. Obviously there are advantages as this is the second year I've spent with this team but the main thing, as I said before, is we must be solid and mentally strong. That's how we approach every match. Of course, they're not all going to go like this, but we have a fantastic group – a group of wholesome lads with strong values who are determined to succeed. We’ll see what we’re capable of but if we set our sights on 100, we’ll reach 100 – not 99.”
Will Roma sign a wide forward?
“I was watching the game. You guys know more than me!”
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