The Roman renaissance: far from complete
“Roma play football platonically,” complained Antonello Venditti, the perma-tanned crooner famous for being fanatical about his hometown club, “while everyone else has sex with us. We Roma fans must be sadists or something … we don’t want to win at all costs like the others, we only want to win playing well.” An unusual comment, … Read more
Italy’s woes are symptomatic of a global malady
He betrayed the sport and disgraced himself. That much, Cristiano Doni admits. The ex-captain of Atalanta is at the centre of Italy’s latest match-fixing furore, and while the former midfielder says he regrets his role in Serie B match-fixing last season, the Roman is curiously – and damningly – refusing to admit that he’s done … Read more
Luis Enrique’s poisoned chalice
I can’t think of a job more paradoxical than that of Roma manager. Both alluring and revolting at the same time, the task of taking charge of a team so steeped in history and worldwide fame and yet so synonymous with underachievement must seem like the best – and worst – appointment in European football. … Read more
Will the “champions” leave?
It’s not unusual to hear people moan about Uefa from time to time. Fans, journalists, managers – we all love to have a go. Occasionally, those farther up the footie food chain like to get in on the act, too, and at the moment there’s plenty of unhappy and threatening noise coming from the boardrooms … Read more
Italy needs … footballers?
Normally, footballers are not the kind of investors that would fill those of sound financial judgement full of confidence. Known for flashing the cash in ways that range from the sublime to the ridiculous, usually if you want to separate a footballer from his money, it’s better to be a good-time girl in Bolton or … Read more
Serie A’s potential freebies
With only weeks to go before the winter transfer window opens, there’s interesting list from Goal.com, which shows the number of Serie A players who could be available on a free. Top of all shopping lists must be Italy duo Daniele De Rossi, who Roma are desperately trying to tie down, and Riccardo Montolivo, who … Read more
Serie A is full of job-stealing foreigners
Classic stuff from the Gazzetta dello Sport, which laments the death of Italian culture AND dramatically quotes Nietzsche – all because, for the first time in its history, Serie A now has more foreign players than Italian ones. A little over 51% of the players who’ve started this season in Italian top flight were born … Read more
Four thoughts on Roma-Lecce
Luis Enrique has weathered the storm After a summer of speculation and an underwhelming start to the season, Luis Enrique – and his ideas – have finally seemed to have taken hold at Roma. The performance against Lecce was wasteful and frustrating, but it showed progress. The players now seem to be on the … Read more
