The King of Rome

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27/06/2022
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Late winner from El Shaarawy sees Italy storm to quarter-final
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This just reminded of the Italy golden days in 2006. What a game! We were a goal down right after the start of the second half and managed an amazing comeback to win the game. Stephan was the hero that he is anyway and scored the winner, unsurprisingly. Alessandro also scored and it was amazing to have him run towards me and jump on me after he equalised. Old friends always find each other again and today we did. Well technically, we saw each other many times before that but you know what I mean. This puts us through to the quarter-final now and whoever we face, it will be a really tough game. There's nothing harder than the World Cup because most of the time, the teams who get at the latter stages are the best teams in the world. There's only one leg in every game and you only play each team once in the group stages, so there's no chance for the smaller teams to just create huge upsets like there would be in the Champions League. Anyway, right after the game we all went back in the changing rooms before one member of the staff came to tell us who we were facing next.

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I don't know whether I should say yes! or ****.... France are such an amazing team and last time we played them, right before the tournament, we lost. That in itself makes me a bit scared but I'm still confident. If you look at the games against Senegal and Belgium, we were by far playing the best football and the best team of the tournament or at least that the tournament had seen so far so those performances are obviously the type of performance we'll need to put in against France. God help me, this will be a tough game and France are probably our biggest rivals when it comes to European and international tournaments so this will be one heated game for sure...
 
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02/07/2022
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France absolutely battered as Italy go through to World Cup semi-final

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Don't even ask me how this happened, but we've somehow just beat France 5-0. I broke down in tears after the final whistle and all the players came to throw me up in the air to celebrate the win but I just couldn't understand how such a young group of players could do so well. It's amazing to see your hard work pay off like that and I remember coaching Murati back when I was at Inter and he was just such a promising young player but he never got any playing time and look at him now, scoring against France in the World Cup at just 22 years old. He's got an amazing future ahead of him and I'm actually really jealous of Chelsea for having him because I'd give anything to have such an amazing Italian talent in my hands for Roma. What a game this was anyway, I just can't believe this result considering the amount of pressure we were under but we're through which is the most amazing part. The semi-final now is the most important game of any of these players' lives and as we went in the dressing room, once again we waited a day before a staff member came during practice to tell us who we'd face in that game:

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Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, Ivan Cavaleiro, Rui Patricio and many more. This is what we'll be up against for a place in the 2022 World Cup final. Apparently, Portugal have never lost against us in the previous games they've played against Italy but I wasn't in charge, my defensive 4-4-2 wasn't in place then. When you see what we've achieved at Roma with that system, any team would be scared and Portugal should be scared. We'll work really hard for this final because now that we've blown everyone's expectations of us, it's all about going as far as we can and for me, winning the competition or at least getting to the final is the least I'll take.
 
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05/07/2022
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Footballing world in shock as Italy reach World Cup final for the first time in 16 years!
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I don't even want to admit the fact that I cried again, that's just way too many tears! Who thought that after 16 years of the Italian national team being an absolute joke we'd reach the World Cup final! It took so long for this country but finally we've done it. The Portuguese were good but not good enough and we just smashed them. Absolutely smashed them. From now, whether we win the whole thing or not I'll just be absolutely ecstatic that we got to the final and maybe then I'll consider waiting another 4 years for the 2026 World Cup. This has been one **** of a journey and all thanks to Destro and Lanzini, we're continuing it all the way to the final. I really have nothing to say about this game, I was just standing on the sidelines not understand what was going on as we scored the first, second, then third. No manager would understand how it's possible for a team supposedly so weak to get to the World Cup final. I know that right now, it's probably not even because of me that Italy are getting so far but just because of the passion that the players are showing on the pitch. In the end, that's what matters and that's actually how football matches are won. We're the most passionate team in this tournament and right now, we'd actually deserve to win it.

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Before the start of the game, we knew that if we'd win we'd play either Germany or the holders Argentina. Germany made it through and we'll now face one of the best teams in the world. I know I said this before over and over again but I'm just so nervous now that I have no idea what I'm even writing anymore. This is the game of a lifetime, the one game that separates great football players and great managers from legends. The Roma players in this team have already won the Serie A, the TIM Cup, the Supercoppa and the Champions League this season and a victory against Germany would give them the World Cup to add to that list. Try to even just imagine how amazing that would be. I saw a list somewhere of manager coefficients since the beginning of the football with the likes of Sir Alex at the very top because he's won so many trophies and then just other managers who also won so much throughout their career and I saw my name in there. It was a list of just the top 20 and since our Champions League win, I apparently made the jump from out of the top 20 to 14th. A win in the World Cup would just make me jump even higher and you know what I'm not a manager who just wants fame, but I want success and we've gotten this far so why not dream of winning the whole thing now?
 
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10/07/2022

This time, I can definitely say that I wasn't the only one who cried. When the final whistle blew, everyone just fell on the ground. Whether it was an Italian player or a German player we just all collapsed. Italy are on top of the world again and I just couldn't have ever dreamt of this moment. When I signed my first contract for Roma as a player, when I signed my first managerial contract at Inter and had to say goodbye to my family because they wanted to stay in Rome. I never thought that I'd ever get that far. I just have no words for what has happened in the past 5 years, it's incredible and today the dream of many people has come true. Now so many fans will be able to say, "I was alive when Italy won 2 World Cups" and that just makes my day. Domenico Berardi will be forever remembered as "that guy who scored four goals in a World Cup final" and that also is just truly unbelievable. We won so many awards as well I mean the best 3 players from this tournament were all Italian! I can't believe this and now it just makes me so sad to think that I'm going to go back home and just move on from the Italian national team and go back to Rome and meet all the players who didn't get to go. Oh well. Every good story always comes to an end at some point...
 
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03/08/2022

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Exclusive interview with our manager: Francesco Totti

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"Welcome back Francesco, it's obviously been an amazing summer for you and a couple of the players hasn't it?!"

Hahaha yes, it's been quite an amazing summer and if I'm honest, probably the best of my life since 2006. It sounds like a big statement but it's true I mean, there's nothing better as a football player or manager to win the World Cup.

"With Roma also winning the Champions League last season, you've truly won it all here with Roma now right? Does it ever get boring to be on the sidelines and see our team just crush everyone like that?"

I won't disrespect any of the teams we've played in the past but it's true that sometimes the staff and I just sit on the sidelines thinking, where's the competition? It honestly feels like sometimes people just don't try against us. Obviously, I'm exaggerating because I know that every team we face gives 100% and we can only credit our hard work for the results we get but it's true that we are winning a lot right now and it feels great because it's making the club grow as a whole and it's been fantastic to watch the progress made here at the club since I took over.

"So Francesco, it's obviously been a very long time here for you at Roma and a lot of fans just wonder how you never get bored here. Of course, they're definitely not complaining given the success you've brought to the club as a player and manager but it's true that after 27 years, many people would just get bored and want to leave!"

Well I don't know if you remember but in 2004, I actually almost left for Real Madrid which would have been quite a big move for me and God knows where I'd be right now if I made that move but to answer your question no, I'm not getting bored. I've spent some amazing years here at the club and I definitely wouldn't mind staying another couple of years to continue the legacy and the now tradition at the club of winning the league and being competitive in the Champions League.

"Now you say you wouldn't mind but that makes it sound like you've got your eyes on leaving the club! And with rumours going around that you told a family member you wanted to leave, may I ask you if those rumours are true?"

I really don't want this to blow out of proportion you know and the rumours and drama in football nowadays is ridiculous. There are times where I think I'd want a new challenge and that's normal for anyone, as human beings we can sometimes want to experience new things after staying at the same place for a very long time. Managing in Italy is amazing and the recognition and reputation that I have here is out of this world but sometimes I do think about where I could go and if any club would ever approach me to be their manager. To answer your question, no, I don't currently have a direct plan of departure but I don't know what the future holds for me. If a club comes in with a reasonable offer and I think that the project at the club is interesting, it's something I could consider who knows?

"Alright then, we'll quickly move on before all the fans freak out hahaha! Talking about the fans, a lot of them know that the club has a very hefty transfer budget available to make some quality signings, will you be looking to strengthen the squad in any way this summer?"

If I'm honest, I don't think the club really needs anyone. When you look back to last year and all the injuries we got throughout the season, we always had a player to replace that injured player and the quality in the depth of the squad as well is incredible. Why do you think we won so many trophies last year? Not that it always comes down to injuries but when we had key players injured, other key players would come in and do a job so as of right now I can't really think of an area on the field where I'd want to bring in someone but that'll depend on the departures as well if there are any this summer.

"Okay Francesco well, thank you very much for being with us today we learned a lot about the upcoming season and what was next for the club and I'm sure the fans will all appreciate that a lot. It was a real pleasure!"

No thank YOU, my pleasure. Alright, have to get back to training now so goodbye!
 
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16/08/2022
A decision to make
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So here I am, after winning the Supercoppa again and the UEFA SuperCup, with a decision to make. The truth is, I feel like I need a new challenge. I've won everything there is to win at Roma and even though it's the one club that I love, they've not treated me well in the past so what makes me think they couldn't do it again if results don't go our way in the beginning of the season? An English club lost their manager this summer as he also decided to move on and manage England, which is a pretty reasonable reason to want to leave the club. I'm now left here with a decision that could change my life, just days before the start of the new season:


Take over at Liverpool Football Club, without a manager since July and in need of a major change in order to get Champions League football since they've finished 5th or 6th since 2015? The squad is in absolute shambles and needs a lot of work and after their 4-0 defeat to Leicester on the opening day, the fans are ****** and will want some results right as I come in. The team has been really underperforming and without a proper goalkeeper, it'd be really hard to get results straight away but I would have a decent enough budget to come in and make a couple of purchases for the club.

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Or stay at my beloved Roma, who have been with me throughout my entire life and have given me everything as a player and manager. Staying here would mean we would probably win every game, win every trophy and sign every wonderkid and amazing players around the world. We are after all the best club in the world now in the best country in the world since Italy won the last World Cup. We have some absolutely incredible players here who are capable of changing the outcome of a whole game by themselves and it'd be a dream to stay but in a way, it feels like this is just one of those times where every good story needs to come to an end at some point, like Arsène Wenger at Arsenal.

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This has been keeping me up for God knows how many nights now. I don't want to disappoint the fans, but I also just feel like I'd love a new challenge. Liverpool are certainly a team with already a lot of history and a lot of people have gone there and done great things with the club already but it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. My agent has been telling Liverpool to delay their offer for two weeks now and I need to come to a decision. I don't know what to do. I don't know where to go or who to ask. I'm on my own here.

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For any readers still interested in the story, should I stay with Roma for another year maybe two or move to Liverpool now and bring them back to European glory? Leave your thoughts below please! :)
 
Linecoigne1998 said:
For any readers still interested in the story, should I stay with Roma for another year maybe two or move to Liverpool now and bring them back to European glory? Leave your thoughts below please! :)
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Stay at roma, Make sure you go down in history even more :) PS great work
 
Personally, I'd love to see you take on another challenge. Either by setting yourself some sort of goal (only HG players, only Italians, only U23 players) at Roma, or taking charge of a different club. If not, I fear you might lack competition going forward!
 
Yoblackcat said:
Stay at roma, Make sure you go down in history even more :) PS great work
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Melhoved said:
Take the Liverpool job, new challenge!
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Znik said:
Personally, I'd love to see you take on another challenge. Either by setting yourself some sort of goal (only HG players, only Italians, only U23 players) at Roma, or taking charge of a different club. If not, I fear you might lack competition going forward!
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Thanks for all your feedback lads!
Znik I like the idea of setting myself more of a goal at Roma or changing clubs. I feel like moving to Liverpool would be a challenge in itself considering the poor squad they've got now (well, it's pretty poor but not that bad) and it'd be amazing to get Totti to win the Premier League too! I know I'll come back to Roma at some point though, because what would be Roma without Totti!
 
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18/08/2022

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I kind of knew from the start that if I didn't leave, I would stay to be hated. It was basically leave on good terms or stay on bad terms and since the rumours of me leaving have gone out, fans don't seem as happy with me anymore, many of them actually think they'd be better of if I left. Zidane is a great choice for the Reds and after managing his country to a bad World Cup run where they lost against us in the quarter-final (5-0 may I remind you), he comes in the Premier League and he'll do a good job there. For me, I'm unfortunately going to have to be on the lookout for a new job now because the fans and the board are all disappointed. For one of the first times since I joined Roma, people aren't scared of me leaving they'd rather I actually just leave. I know they'll regret it if I do leave because of the success I've brought to this club. No one knows Roma better than I do and me leaving will leave a big hole at the club that hopefully I'll come back to fill one day. It's unfortunate that my last few months as the Roma manager will end on bad terms with the fans but I took a risk and it didn't pay off so it's my fault and I accept that.
 
Hope another job comes up!

PS: Kind of funny that one of the headlines from the story is: "What Liverpool can expect from Klopp" :P
 
****, I would have loved to see you restore Liverpool! Oh well, whatever you choose to do I'm sure you'll continue to succeed!
 
PatrickLFC said:
****, I would have loved to see you restore Liverpool! Oh well, whatever you choose to do I'm sure you'll continue to succeed!
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I thought about it for a really long time but figured that since Brendn made a story with them, it would be a bit boring :( sorry!
 
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05/11/2022
Difficult times

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It's been over two months since the rumours of me leaving for Liverpool and well, things haven't gone great so far. We've had a poor start to the season, mainly because I'm just feeling depressed, the players are all complaining and any request I make to the board angers them. The fans have booed me after half of our home games this season and this is just turning into a nightmare.

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A couple of okay results in the Champions League but it's the league that we've not been doing well in. As current champions, we obviously have to show why we deserve to win it again and that's just not happened yet. The players are all unhappy and it shows on the pitch. I couldn't take resigning from my position because I just love this club so much but this is not good for me or the club so hopefully, a job opens up and I can go. At this point, everything really seems to be going wrong and I'd rather leave as soon as possible so not that much damage has been done and I could one day come back here.

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The Premier League has always intrigued me and Brighton and Newcastle are definitely two jobs I'd be looking into taking if they become available. I'm pretty sure that the media will link me with Dortmund once Guardiola's sacked if he does get sacked but I don't feel like the Bundesliga's right for me. Juventus is definitely out of the window, I'd never take over at that team for sure. Sheffield seems like a weird option but considering the club's somewhat decent history, I could consider it if I really had to. For now, I'm still at Roma and I just don't know how things are going to go at all.
 
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10/12/2022
Opportunities arise!
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After 4 months of just pain and sadness, opportunities have finally come up. Martino, Koeman and Guardiola have all been doing abysmal jobs at their now former clubs and they were all bound to get sacked. Zidane is in a very precarious situation at Liverpool as well which means that soon, the Liverpool job could open up as well. Nevertheless, it's been 4 months that I've been looking for a way out of Roma. I never thought I'd say that since I started my managerial and playing career but finally I'm going to get to experience another league, another club. All 3 of those jobs are very interesting ones to take but before I tell myself where I'm going, I needed to actually apply for those jobs.

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A good start to my search for a job, at least it's good to know that some clubs want you to manage them. To be honest, I'm expecting to get an offer from Newcastle. They're not a huge club and would definitely be happy if, not to be cocky, a manager of my calibre took over. Manchester City will be a tricky one considering they tried to get me in Manchester before but it didn't work out because I just couldn't see myself working for the current chairman. I went into the City interview open-minded but still, the same feeling of just weird and awkward tension was there. Dortmund are yet to get back to me but considering their calibre, they'll probably get a lot of offers from other managers anyway.

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As I expected, the interview didn't go too well and I didn't think I'd land the job but Cocu? Of all people Cocu? What has he done apart from winning the Scottish First Division with a team that dominates that league basically as much as Chelsea have been dominating the Premier League in the past few years? After winning two Champions Leagues, you'd expect the chairman to pick me over that but apparently it's not enough. Their loss. It's been a long time since the Newcastle interview so I hope I manage to get the job or get an interview at Dortmund because otherwise, I'll just get ready to rot at Roma for even closer. It's not like me to talk about my own club like that but I just can't stand all the criticism from the board and the fans being so pissy and the players all asking me for more playing time and for transfers, etc.
 
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