Eusebio Di Francesco has given one of his most revealing interviews since being dismissed as Roma head coach last year.
Di Francesco had been in charge since 2017, guiding the club to the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in the modern era, but was sacked in March 2019 after a turbulent week that saw a big loss to Lazio and elimination from Europe.
The former Sassuolo boss always divided opinion, particularly drawing criticism for his stubborn tactics – but it has to be said that Monchi’s work in the transfer market did not help him, and no-one can ever take away his Champions League run.
Now, he has revealed all to Corriere Dello Sport about his two-year tenure.
“Football is like this, tied to episodes,” he said of his sacking. “The sacking came together with a set of situations beyond the results.
“There was a bit of discontent that led us to that epilogue. It was a peculiar moment, we had lost the Derby.
“Out of four Derbies, I won two and only lost that one, and it is the only one that is remembered. At Porto we were unlucky with refereeing decisions. We deserved the quarter-finals.
“The year before, we reached the semi-finals. In Europe, we did our best. The displeasure of the defeat against Liverpool remains, in peculiar conditions. Then at the Olimpico we got goals straight away, [there was] the expulsion of [Stephan] El Shaarawy, the ‘rescue’ on the line.
“It was a strange period, difficult for everyone. If we had advanced against Porto I don’t know what my future would have been. Maybe I would have chosen to leave.”
Di Francesco’s second season was destined for failure before it had even begun, given the decisions made by Monchi in relation to transfers. Alisson Becker, Kevin Strootman and Radja Nainggolan were all sold, and big-name signings like Javier Pastore and Patrik Schick did not fit in.
“Incorrect choices were made,” admits Di Francesco, “starting with the ones I regret most of all – the departures of Strootman and Nainggolan.
Embed from Getty Images“Strootman is an extraordinary player, with his departure we lost personality and we paid for it with the results. I regret not having insisted on making him stay, but I supported his decision.
“With young people, [the fluctuating results] were to be expected. I had to review the system and adapt it to the characteristics of certain players. [Cengiz] Under had to mature, [Justin] Kluivert needed time. Then [Nicolo] Zaniolo.
“Everyone told me he was a complicated boy, but I didn’t have any problems with him. From the beginning, I sometimes took him in front of the team and he became the jewel of Italian football.”
Another attacking midfielder who struggled under Di Francesco was Pastore, but the ex-coach says he has no bad blood with the Argentine.
“Also this year, you can see that the problem is physical. We didn’t have a good relationship, but I can’t hold a grudge against some of his statements. It didn’t go as expected; I’ve also seen this year that he has great desire but hasn’t played for months. His quality is not in question.”
Pastore was one of the players brought in by Monchi who didn’t seem right for Di Francesco, but despite the confusion between the coach and sporting director, there still appears to be huge respect between them.
“I have always had an excellent relationship [with Monchi],” enthused Di Francesco. “I have to thank him because he was one of those that wanted me at Roma.
“It is not easy to do the market having sold Salah and Alisson. We had contrasts in some situations, like in any family, but we always tried to go in the same direction.”
Embed from Getty ImagesA final flop that Di Francesco shared responsibility with Monchi for was Patrik Schick, who came as club record signing but could not play in his preferred role due to Edin Dzeko’s strengths and EDF’s tactics.
But Di Francesco believes the price tag weighed heavy on the Czech forward.
“In the 4-3-3, he was struggling. For me he is a centre-forward or a second striker, he did better closer to the centre-forward.
“He arrived in a physical condition that was inadequate, then he hurt himself and we had to manage it.
“In front of him he had a player like Dzeko, who out of 60 games plays 55 at a very high level. Like [Aleksandar] Kolarov. They are extraordinary professionals in the way that they take care of themselves.
“Schick was conditioned by the criticism and the price that had been paid.”
When he was dismissed, Di Francesco became only the third coach to be sacked under James Pallotta’s ownership – after Zdenek Zeman and Rudi Garcia. However, he reveals that some players wanted him to stay – including his captain, Daniele De Rossi..
“Even when the club decided to send me away, some players did everything to make Pallotta change his mind. He had made his decision.
“Daniele was one of those who called the president to avoid my sacking. Pallotta’s Roma reached its maximum with me on the bench.”
Di Francesco also denied that Francesco Totti’s role in hiring Claudio Ranieri to replace him did not tarnish his relationship with his former Roma teammate.
“The fact he chose Ranieri made people think he wasn’t close to me. That was not so.
“He was the man of the club and the friend of the coach; he always supported me, until the end. Then he had to choose Ranieri, because it was part of his role. Our relationship is still good.”
Another player with whom Di Francesco may have had a misunderstood relationship was Nainggolan, who wasn’t quite deployed in his most effective position by the coach, but whose absence was felt when he had gone.
“The relationship with him has been fair,” said Di Francesco. “I heard from him during the transfer window [last summer], I wanted to take him to Sampdoria, he gave me his availability, then he chose Cagliari because of his heart.
“He understands situations in an instant. He was helpful on the pitch, like Dzeko, Kolarov, De Rossi.”
Di Francesco remains out of work since being sacked by Sampdoria, and replaced by Ranieri again, earlier this season.
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