A Look Into the Future of AS Roma

McLewis wrote:I think with sound business decisions, a profitable stadium and the right football staff....we're destined to rightfully take our place as one of the continent's elite teams.

Just need to be smart on and off the pitch and so far, we've done a relatively good job of it over the last season and a half.

Sporting director Walter Sabatini reflected on the January transfer window during a media conference at the Centro Sportivo Fulvio Bernardini in Trigoria today.

TRANSFER WINDOW
"It took us longer to sign players than we'd expected in January because certain situations arose that we couldn't avoid. In the transfer window lots of things all need to fit together before they can happen. We had set ourselves certain targets and we managed to achieve them so I'm pleased with our transfer business. We needed players quickly and unfortunately they aren't available straight away but we're happy with the deals we did. With a bit more luck we might have been able to do them earlier but that's how it goes. Where does the coach fit into the transfer equation? I buy players with the coach's backing. Gervinho was an exception to that – Garcia specifically asked me to get him."

DOUMBIA, IBARBO, SPOLLI
"When I choose a player a lot of it comes down to instinct. We've brought in some excellent players and made a few strategic choices such as letting Destro leave. The boy wasn't happy because he wasn't playing as regularly as he wanted. When we bought him we were sure he would become Roma's center forward for the future. Now he's gone to AC Milan on loan and we'll see if he comes back or stays there. If he comes back fine, otherwise someone else will take his place and I already know who that is. We've replaced him with a striker so prolific that his stats are almost embarrassing. His goals to game ratio is phenomenal, something like nine every ten games. Some people might point to the fact that he's been playing in less competitive leagues but he's scored in the Europa League and Champions League too. I was unfortunate enough to cross paths with him five or six years ago when I was at Palermo and he hurt us - he was really hungry for goals. He'll be back soon and can help us in Serie A and the Europa League – and that's a real target as it offers you a route into the Champions League. In any case we'll have to watch over our shoulders for Napoli because their sights are set on second and they're are only four points behind. To defend second we must aim for first and we still believe we can catch Juventus."

FULL-BACKS
"We didn't buy another full-back for a very specific reason: we're very happy with Maicon and Torosidis. Torosidis has never let us down – you journalists say yourselves that he's a very reliable player. We know Maicon has some fitness issues but he has a very high pain threshold. He's come in for some harsh criticism but I'd ask people to look at his performance in the first half, when he caused real problems for Fiorentina with his link-up play in attack. He got caught out in the second half and that's why people said we struggled down that flank. We're not worried, we know he'll return to the level he was at last year and the start of this season."

DECIMATION
"We hope our players win the Africa Cup of Nations but I must admit that in a slightly selfish way I would have preferred for them to get knocked out. It's hard for us because at the same time we care about our players and hope they can win the trophy. It's a bad spell we're in. Just as Iturbe was finding his best form we lost him too. And now Ibarbo, a potential world-beater who we'll try to help reach that level, comes in for his press conference with a muscle problem. It's almost tragicomic. We'll do our best to get him fit again as quickly as possible."

JUVENTUS
"We're not thinking about the game we lost back in October, only the one we have coming up at the Olimpico soon."

ROSTER
"We've extended the contracts of some of the players we believe to be mainstays of the team. All the guys must feel they're part of our plans because I can't say to them, 'Give everything you've got until June and then we'll see.' Tomorrow offers no certainties you can always find a solution because I'm a creative man. We'll kick on, we can't solve the problems with a magic wand or an aspirin but there are plenty of antibiotics at this club."

HIGUAIN
"Higuain was never offered to me, he's got a release clause set at €100 million. He's a fantastic player and a decisive player, although he'll probably finish third again this season. Iturbe didn't cost €30 million as people say. He cost €21 million plus another two in fees. It's a hefty price tag but then he's a great player. I haven't just spent another €30 million on Doumbia and Ibarbo either. That's not how you go about your business, saying that for the same price we could have signed someone like Cavani. Cavani earns as much as this club makes in a year. We want to win the Scudetto and our intentions are very serious. If it's not this year, it will be next year. The president is doing a great job and one day you'll understand that better."

FITNESS ISSUES
"Paolo Rongoni is a man who works 12 or 13 hours a day. He puts enthusiasm into his work and comes up with new ideas all the time. You can't blame everything on the fitness coach. He's already working on a new training program and we'll go on with him."

BLOODING YOUTH
"If you put out your youngsters and they don't play very well then perhaps it's better not to play them at all. I'm talking about Paredes yesterday, for example. It's not always possible to play with kids if you're chasing certain objectives. Our youth policy is to sign them, bring them through and then use them here or sell them on, like we did with Jedvaj. Roma will continue with that policy."

FUTURE
"Might I leave before the end of my contract? I wouldn't consider it for a second - Roma is my daily turmoil! I want to move forward with Garcia too. He's received some unrefusable offers but he wants to win things with Roma. That should be a guarantee for the fans."

PJANIC
"He knows that I expect him to lead the team and he's done that at times. He's not fully fit at the moment, he's got this tendon problem. He can play but it affects him. He'll shake it off in a few days' time and then he'll get back to being the Pjanic we're used to seeing."