Luciano Spalletti discussed his own future and that of Francesco Totti, but doesn’t want Roma to retire the Number 10 jersey.
There was controversy this week when director of sport Monchi announced during his Press conference that Totti would retire at the end of the season and hopefully join his staff.
The captain himself has refused to comment on the matter, noting only that he’ll reveal all in three weeks.
Luciano Spalletti discussed his own future and that of Francesco Totti, but doesn’t want Roma to retire the Number 10 jersey.
There was controversy this week when director of sport Monchi announced during his Press conference that Totti would retire at the end of the season and hopefully join his staff.
The captain himself has refused to comment on the matter, noting only that he’ll reveal all in three weeks.
“Is it right that a player declares the end of a player’s career or should the player himself do it? This is tough for me to say, as I’m in the situation up to my neck,” said Spalletti in his Press conference today.
“I say to wait before criticising Monchi, because in the conference he only pointed out Totti’s current contractual situation. As this this is the most important moment of his career, and he loves Roma, Francesco prefers to wait until the end of the season and stay quiet to ensure the focus is on the team.
“At least, that’s what I think. As far as I can tell, you (in the media) care more about his situation than anyone else, but here we have to deal with the situations of 20 different players.
“When discussing Totti, you always end up hailing his statistics, but when a Coach chooses his line-up, it’s based on today’s training session, not the goals scored two years ago.
“Totti should be dealt with by the President. If he wanted to, he could come out and sort everything. If a member of his entourage doesn’t talk either, it means he’ll wait until the end of the season because that is his idea. Monchi said nothing that wasn’t already known.”
Spalletti was also asked about the reports Roma could retire Totti’s Number 10 jersey.
“As far as I am concerned, I’d never let the Number 10 die. Taking the shirt away is mortifying, not praise. Before Totti, it belonged to Giuseppe Giannini, then Totti came along.
“This way of thinking is obsolete. If you want to remember Totti, then write his name on all the jerseys. What ambition would that kid have who wants to grow up and inherit Totti’s jersey?
“Let’s keep the Number 10 alive, because it must continue to live on in the spirit of Totti’s great performances. To say otherwise is just ridiculous.”
Spalletti was again questioned on his future, which is also nowhere near clarified.
“We’ll talk about it at the end of the season. Here too, there has been excessive focus. I think 60 per cent of all Italian Coaches aren’t sure where they will be working next year.”
Yesterday there was a horrid incident when Lazio ultras strung up mannequins wearing the shirts of Roma players Daniele De Rossi, Mohamed Salah and Radja Nainggolan along with a threatening banner.
“This has nothing to do with the fans of Roma or Lazio. It is the action of deviants, people who have serious problems. Supporting a team means love, joy, criticism and disappointment.
“Initiatives like this represent only hate, bitterness, gratuitous cruelty.”