Coach Luis Enrique has taken responsibility for Roma’s problems while warning the team that Francesco Totti can’t play forever.
The Giallorossi continued their inconsistent ways this season after being trounced 4-0 by Juventus” data-scaytid=”3″>Juventus on Sunday night.
Coach Luis Enrique has taken responsibility for Roma’s problems while warning the team that Francesco Totti can’t play forever.
The Giallorossi continued their inconsistent ways this season after being trounced 4-0 by Juventus on Sunday night.
That defeat, their seventh in the last 13 League games, saw the Coach again criticised by the media.
“It is my fault that we only have 50 points, but I won’t quit because of your criticism,” he told journalists at a Press conference on Tuesday.
“What doesn’t work is my fault, the positive things we do are down to the players.
“When the club says they no longer have faith in me then I’ll go. If the fans in general criticise me then I’ll go. If you criticise me then I won’t leave.
“You never know what will happen in football, but you can all stay calm as I won’t be here for five years. I’ll go when the club tells me to.”
Enrique’s tactical choices have been placed under deeper scrutiny given that he decided to bench Totti for the trip to the Juventus Stadium.
“Totti is 35 and he’s not eternal. He can’t play until he is 50. The team will have to get used to playing while he’s on the bench.
“He’s a point of reference and the most important player, but I take responsibility for the decision to not use him in Turin.
“We were two down to Juventus after eight minutes. We started badly and we were immediately punished. I said it would end up like that if we made errors and that was how it ended.
Roma have collected 33 points at home, but just 17 on the road. “We are struggling away from home. It’s hard to find a solution.”
Enrique signed a two-year contract with the outfit in the summer with the task of changing the footballing philosophy in the capital.
“I didn’t know what would happen when I arrived here,” he added. “Now, after a lot of games, we are in the chase for third.
“We are in the running for the Champions League and the Europa League. That’s what the results say five games from the end and Coaches are judged by their results.
“You’ve asked me 20 questions and we haven’t spoken about Fiorentina yet… I’m thinking of our next game which will take us to 53 points if we win.”
Roma entertain the Viola at the Olimpico on Wednesday night.