New Coach Paulo Fonseca outlined his vision for Roma. “I am sure we’ll build a courageous, ambitious team that the supporters can be proud of.”
The Portuguese tactician was appointed this week on a two-year contract with option to extend, having spent three years at Shakhtar Donetsk.
“I’m happy, I’m very excited. I’m very optimistic about this challenge,” he told the official Roma website.
New Coach Paulo Fonseca outlined his vision for Roma. “I am sure we’ll build a courageous, ambitious team that the supporters can be proud of.”
The Portuguese tactician was appointed this week on a two-year contract with option to extend, having spent three years at Shakhtar Donetsk.
“I’m happy, I’m very excited. I’m very optimistic about this challenge,” he told the official Roma website.
“From the very beginning I have not had any doubts about wanting to come to Roma. It’s a big club, with great support – and I want to build something that can bring confidence and enthusiasm to the club and the supporters.
“First of all, I expect a courageous team. A team that wants to play against the biggest teams and the smallest teams with the same approach. We have to build a competitive team, a team that can play with quality and a team that plays a style of football to make the fans proud. For me the quality of the performance is very important. Of course we want to win – the main goal is to win – but equally we want to build a team that has real quality about its play.
“For me it is not enough to win. I like to win, but I also want to see our ideas implemented out there on the pitch. I want to see a high quality of performance, a performance that can excite the fans. The fans must go home after the game and, I hope, say that the team played well and they won because they were courageous. That is very important for me.”
Fonseca was asked what tempted him to move on from Shakhtar Donetsk to join the Giallorossi.
“Italy is one of the strongest leagues in Europe. Roma is one of the biggest clubs in Europe. I am very ambitious and it was one of the main goals in my career to eventually coach one of the biggest teams in Europe. When this opportunity came up, after three years of great success in Ukraine, I felt it was the right time to leave and try and realise my dream.
“Italian football excites me because it is very tactical and very difficult. Every week, every match is a big challenge for the Coach. I am very motivated to create something with our team, something that can surprise the other teams. Italy has a lot of teams that work very well, that are strong tactically and especially good defensively. It will be a big challenge, but I love challenges like that.”
Eusebio Di Francesco took Roma to the Champions League semi-final, but was sacked in March and caretaker manager Claudio Ranieri could only steer them to sixth place in Serie A.
“Roma have a lot of quality in the squad. The most important thing I need to understand is the best way to use the players to make the most of their abilities.
“I believe that a lot of the players have the quality to play the courageous, ambitious, attacking game that I want to implement. A style where we dominate the opponent. I am sure the players have the qualities required for that.
“I generally like to play in a 4-2-3-1 – but the system is not the most important thing. The most important thing is the dynamics and the principles within that system. I hope to build a very dynamic team here.
“I am sure that we will build a team that the supporters can be proud of. This will happen, I’m sure of it. A courageous team, an ambitious team. And if you have these ingredients then you will have a better chance of winning.”
As always with a new Coach, Fonseca was asked if he had a message for the fans.
“I would just like to say to the fans that together we can build a strong team. We need the support of our fans. I know they love the club and I believe that together we can become stronger and stronger.
“I am sure the supporters will become proud of our team, because we will fight for them and we will fight to create something special. I know they will be on our side.
“I speak a lot about ‘courage’ and I know that the supporters can play a role in giving us that courage too. I believe that, when we walk out at our stadium, they will be the first ones giving us that motivation and encouragement. And, from that moment, we will have to fight and be courageous for them.”