Italian Media Exposes Roma Owner’s Plan to Bring Back De Rossi as Manager, Boban Blasts: This Series of Moves is Shameful

After Roma’s 1-5 defeat to Fiorentina, the club’s management decisions have once again become a focal point of controversy. According to Italian media reports, Roma is considering inviting former coach Daniele De Rossi back to replace the current manager, Zvonimir Bobic. This news has sparked strong dissatisfaction from AC Milan legend Zvonimir Boban, who publicly criticized the club’s owners, the Friedkin family.

Roma’s performance this season has been disappointing. On September 18, they unexpectedly dismissed De Rossi and appointed Bobic as the new head coach. However, Bobic’s coaching philosophy seems unsuitable for the technical characteristics of the current Roma players, leading to a continued decline in the team’s performance. Since taking over, Bobic has achieved only 3 wins, 2 draws, and 3 losses in 8 matches.

Now, RAI Sport reports that Roma has already contacted De Rossi and asked him to return, as De Rossi is still under contract with the club.

While serving as a commentator on Sky Sports Italy, Boban did not hold back his criticism of the Friedkin family’s management style. He believes that Roma should never have hired Bobic because Bobic’s tactics are more suitable for physically strong and endurance-oriented players, whereas Roma focuses more on technical aspects. Additionally, since Bobic took over mid-season, he lacked the time for summer training, making it difficult for him to quickly integrate into the team and implement his tactical system.

Boban expressed the harshest criticism of Roma’s decision to fire De Rossi and their previous dismissal of Mourinho, as well as their failure to give Francesco Totti an opportunity. He believes that these actions show a great disrespect to Roma’s history and the emotions of its fans, disregarding the club’s legendary figures.

He questioned the Friedkin family: “What gives you the right to do this? This is absolutely shameful! It’s a ridiculous situation caused by incompetent leadership, ignoring the values of Roma fans. Some people have created Roma’s history, yet they are discarded like trash. I’m not saying that a great former player must become a great executive or coach, but they didn’t give Totti any chance to learn. The same goes for De Rossi; they burned him out immediately as if he was worthless.”

Furthermore, Boban criticized the Friedkin family for treating the club as a purely commercial operation, arguing that this “American-style” management approach overlooks the values of Italian football. He cited similar issues at AC Milan, indicating that this management style fundamentally conflicts with Italian football culture. He emphasized that his criticism is not just due to Roma’s poor results but out of respect for the club and its traditions.