Roma manager Claudio Ranieri spoke to Il Messaggero ahead of the Derby della Capitale.
Among other topics, the veteran technician touched upon his future as the capital club’s senior consultant as well as the preparations leading up to the derby.
“Shomurodov and Dovbyk together? They work well and are very compatible because Eldor is a second striker, he is not selfish, he is generous by nature. Sometimes I ask him to shoot at goal more often.”
“The problem is that if I put them both in from the start, then if I have to change the gameplan I am out of options. You have to evaluate everything and it is not said that they cannot play together.”
“The team when I arrived? I’ll be honest, after a week I thought I would be able to fix it. I knew it inside me but I didn’t think about it. The team gives me everything. I immediately got the right feeling about this group.”
“My future? I will be senior advisor to the club. I know that I will be a point of reference for the club, I will advise what is right and what is not, but then the owners will decide. I think it is like that for everyone.”
“The fans must stay calm, I’m not running away. But I also won’t be anyone’s lightning rod.”
“The fans must stay calm, I’m not running away. But I also won’t be anyone’s lightning rod.”
“If I don’t decide and I don’t feel important, I don’t act as a lightning rod, I leave. Today I feel at the center of the project. The moment I feel on the side of this, goodbye and thank you.”
“It is not the label or the wording that will make me stay here or not but whether I will be a person listened to or not listened to. The rest, whether I am an executive, a consultant, does not interest me much. I am interested instead in understanding whether when I say that something must be done for the good of Rome, I will be listened.”
“The coach is not chosen by me, it doesn’t work like that. If I made a list of names, with strengths and weaknesses, it’s also up to the Friedkins to decide.”
“The new coach? Ghisolfi and I followed the English model. We started with 7-8 names and got to 3-4.”
“We have handed the list over to the Friedkins. We are very close to making a decision. I am convinced a good coach will be appointed soon.”
“The boys asked me to stay but I replied ‘no, thank you.”
“ten Hag? I don’t know him. Never met him. I read that I had dinner with him. Never seen him. Believe me, please.”
“Pellegrini’s future? He is one of the strongest midfielders in Italy, I have no doubts and no one can deny it. Starting again with him next year? It depends on Lorenzo. I respect him.”
