RUdi Garcia's first press confrence in Rome

AS ROMA PRESS CONFERENCE – Rudi Garcia helds his first press conference in Trigoria at 3:30 PM, after being announced as new AS Roma head coach a week ago in Manhattan.

Italo Zanzi: “Good afternoon everyone. We are happy and proud to present our new coach. We have had the joy of presenting him in New York in front of our president, but it is also important to present him here today in Trigoria. We are convinced that this is the right choice for AS Roma.”

(journalists’ questions for Rudi Garcia)

How was your impact with the city of Rome and the Giallorossi environment in Trigoria?
“Good morning everyone. Well, I know the city is rich in history. I am discovering the club, it is known all over the world and now that I am here I have a direct contact.”

What will be the role of Totti and De Rossi in the team?
“I give a lot of importance to the team, it takes talented players and fortunately we have them. Totti will have a key role, on and off the field. De Rossi is a player of the Italian national team, I have a great desire to meet him, as well as for other players of AS Roma.”

What is your idea of the goalkeeper?
“It takes a very strong goalkeeper for a team to be great. Hence we are working with sporting director Sabatini to seek an effective one.”

Is there anything you fear? De Rossi has complained from Brazil, what would you like to say?
“I’m not afraid of anything! I’m here to win with the team, to enjoy playing and entertaining their fans. I sent a text message to all the players to tell them that I am the new coach and to inform them that I want to meet them individually and that we will be working hard. Lavoreremo sicuro… duro! (adds in Italian, ed).”

When have you had contact with AS Roma? Have you ever had a doubt about accepting the proposal from AS Roma?
“I have been in contact with AS Roma for two years, we are in one of the biggest clubs in Italy and Europe. It is an honor to be here. The most important thing is not to be the first choice of the team, but to be the coach of that team and impose with the same. “

What are the reasons why you have chosen to be the new coach of AS Roma after having done great things with Lille in France?
“Thank you for the compliments for my five previous seasons at Lille, we did a one-two with French League and Cup, the only regret is not having said goodbye to the fans after the last game. Now we are with AS Roma, and when AS Roma calls, you can not hesitate.”

Are there players on which you vetoed?
“I think that AS Roma has a quality team, but there is always a need to improve it because the goal is to reach Europe. Players are available, first I have to evaluate them.”

There are many transfer rumours about Osvaldo. What is your opinion of him?
“Today we do not talk of the players individually. We are talking with Sabatini about how AS Roma will look like in the 2013/14 season and we will tell you more later.”

What will be your role in the market? Is De Rossi for sale?
“About De Rossi I will answer the same thing I said about Osvaldo: we will work with the sporting director Sabatini that knows the Italian market. All the decisions we make will be taken together. Nobody will come to AS Roma without my consent”.

Are you going to change your game ideas according to the Italian teams? How come your teams in France started slowly and finished speeding up?
“This is a bit due to how I set the work with my staff, the are quite a diesel: starting slowly and then speeding up later, but we qualified 4 out of 5 times for the Europa League and once for the Champions League: it is our trademark.

“My game philosophy will not change. I just think that if you play well there are more chances to win the game. Certainly I think that to do well you have to make a goal more than the opponent, but to win cups, league and titles we must be very careful in defense.”

AS Roma in the last two years finished sixth and seventh and lost the Coppa Italia final. A bad start could bring you to be afraid of the fans?
“The important thing is to get back to Europe. The championship is a long marathon, this year we do not play in Europe, maybe I would have preferred to play but I take note of the fact that we will not play every three days. We will see our condition in the league.”

Just today Capello seems to be a step away from PSG. Do you feel like you have come to a league in decline, while France seems to be the new ‘El Dorado’?
“There is much talk of the French league as PSG and Monaco can now spend a lot of money, but the Italian league is a great league with great teams like AS Roma.”

What is you idea of the situation at AS Roma?
“I do not care of the past. I care about the present, I about winning with AS Roma. Now.”

Are you going to set some rules?
“I will be the players’ guide, the AS Roma’s guide.”

Did directors asked you to win fast? De Rossi needs a playmaker alongside?
“A club like AS Roma is born to win, you have to let us work. Everyone wants to win here, don’t you? Give me the time, the field will tell the truth. De Rossi is a talented player, let me think over it when I will be with the whole team.”

Which of your collaborators will join you and what are your working methods?
“I’m working on my staff, there will be Italian and French trainers working very well together. I can train my team, let me live with the players, judge me only on my results.”

Do you feel a fallback solution?
“I have already replied this question, as I already said it doesn’t matter to be the first choice but to work in the best possible way.”

Did you feel like rebuilding from the start here?
“Football doesn’t give you any time. It’s a club with history, with great staff, we are luck to have an ambitious ownership such as the new AS Roma coach.”

A French coach Italy: how do you feel?
“Helenio Herrera already coached the Italian national team, I am the first in Serie A. It’s a great recognition for the French Football Federation that their coaches can work abroad.”

Last time AS Roma won Capello had very strong discipline…
“Everyone has his own methods, don’t worry we will work hard to achieve great results, only the field will tell the truth as I said before, the only important thing is that AS Roma has to be an only united spirit and soul.”

What’s the difference with the French press?
“It looks like the press conference before an important game. AS Roma has already a soul, what matters is that team achieve results and play to enjoy supporters and to win.”

Which adjective would describe you better?
“Ambitious.”

Qualifying for European competition is the minimum target?
“The minimum target is to play as best as we can.”

Typical conference tbh....not much substance to Garcia's words, but that's down to how early it is in his career with Roma.

He literally doesn't know much right now so some of those questions were asinine.