Can Spalletti lead AS Roma to glory / Image via worldsoccer.com
AS Roma have officially appointed Luciano Spalletti as their new head coach on Thursday after parting ways with Rudi Garcia.
Spalletti returns to Rome where he had previously earned his managerial badges between 2005 and 2009. Luciano Spalletti led AS Roma to two Coppa Italia titles and one Supercoppa success.
Similarly to his predecessor Rudi Garcia, Luciano Spalletti was sacked in 2009 after an underwhelming start to the season. AS Roma have changed six managers between Spalletti’s first stint and his Thursday’s return, struggling to find consistency both on and off pitch.
Claudio Ranieri, Vincenzo Montella, Luis Enrique, Zdenek Zeman, Aurelio Andreazzoli and most recently Rudi Garcia have all failed to bring silverware to the club, who had last won the Serie A trophy back in 2001. The fans and club chiefs have started to feel impatient and they believe that Luciano Spalletti is the man to build on the foundations set by Rudy Garcia and lead the team forward.
Midway through the ongoing Serie A season, AS Roma are currently sitting in fifth place with 34 points to the name, seven adrift of the league leaders Napoli.
With Scudetto race far from closed and ended, Giallorossi will be hoping for a swift change of fortunes and form in order to make a push for the title after 15 years.
Spalletti is faced with a tough task, but is well equipped to succeed with the challenge. AS Roma boast an attack-oriented team filled with experienced and high-quality players, who are able to perform on the highest level.
With the likes of Gervinho, Mohamed Salah, Miralem Pjanic and Edin Dzeko among others at his disposal, Spalletti will definitely be a huge attacking threat, but his main focus will be to sort out defensive flaws that have cost Rudi Garcia his job.
The Frenchman has left his successor with a formed squad and solid foundation following his two-and-a-half-year stint with Serie A giants.
Last week’s encounter with AC Milan has in 90 minutes summed up Garcia’s entire time with AS Roma.
Despite great deal of scepticism upon his arrival from Lille in 2013, Rudi Garcia did show initial promise, successfully embedding his distinguishable philosophy into the team.
Former Giallorossi manager successfully altered the team’s style of play, turning AS Roma into fluently and attractively organized unit with a huge attacking potential. Strong at the centre of the park with Miralem Pjanic as their holding midfielder and the main creative force, AS Roma utilized the quick pace of Mohamed Salah and Gervinho and Dzeko’s imposing presence up front to attract attention from the footballing world which revelled in Roma’s fantastic displays for most part of the 2015-16 season.
Sudden change of course, inexplicably frightening and similar to last year’s woes have left the fans disappointed. Club chiefs were equally bemused and the only solution to the problems was to sack Rudi Garcia, who was close to overcoming the final hurdle in the title chase last term.
Winter woes, however, halted his ambition and their reccurrence proved costly for his job.
Last season’s ghosts came to haunt the French manager. Looking to win the title in 2014-15 season, AS Roma stated stuttering in December, going on to record 10 draws and only three wins in 13 Serie A matches until early March.
Decisive moment of the season and AS Roma’s lack of consistency have seen Juventus regain their crown, once again, leaving Giallorossi behind.
Similar run of five draws, one loss and only one league win which started in November, could prove crucial to AS Roma’s title bid this season as well.
It is now up to Luciano Spalletti to make a swift return to winning ways against Hellas Verona on Sunday and to lift his team’s spirit ahead of the trip to Turin and highly anticipated event versus Juventus. Giallorossi currently stand at huge 11/2 to claim a surprise win at Juventus Arena on 24th January.
The Italian manager will have his work cut out and all he will have to do is to bring a breath of fresh air and wake up the sleeping giants.
Former Zenit manager has been instant success with the Russian outfit leading Zenit to two Russian Premier League titles and despite his dismissal in March 2014 and the fact he has since been out work, Spalletti is a man of many coaching qualities.
If given the right support and enough time, the Italian tactician could prove to be a genuine hit among the Roma family.
With Serie A title being more exciting than ever before, I am sure that Spalletti’s AS Roma will be able to spice up the Scudetto race.
- Soccer News Like
- Be the first of your friends!
