Mourinho at Roma: “Buying a Japanese? If it’s cheap…”

“There will be time to think about the negotiations, now I want to enjoy the tour in Japan”. In his first press conference in Tokyo, organized by The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan, Roma general manager Tiago Pinto cautiously avoided the transfer market and – above all – the Karsdorp theme. An issue that the club wants to try to resolve away from the spotlights. A strategy, that of confidentiality, adopted by Pinto since his arrival in Trigoria: “I don’t want to waste my time talking about the market. Maybe during our tour we can find some Japanese players (laughs, ed). Italian journalists always ask questions transfer market. But the session opens in January, we only announced Solbakken because he was free. The media is part of the game, but to do my job well, I can’t read or listen to it. I started young and never read the press much “.

Between requests and stakes

—

In fact, in January the gm will have to succeed in the far from simple undertaking of satisfying Mourinho and – at the same time – respecting the rules imposed by UEFA: “In the last two years we have hired several players, trying to do things the way right. The manager’s opinion is very important, as is the club’s sustainability. Financial Fair Play is also something we have to keep in mind.” A vision shared with Dan and Ryan Friedkin, who are guiding the Roma transaction towards an increasingly global dimension: “If there were more families like theirs in football, it would be better – explains the Portuguese – they have the right vision and don’t just think about earnings “.

WORLD REGRET

—

The Roma manager was joined by Tammy Abraham and Cristian Volpato, the two players who best represent the yellow and red club’s modus operandi. The centre-forward once again spoke about his exclusion from the England squad for the World Cup in Qatar: “I would have liked to be there with my national team. I am however sure that this situation will make me grow, as a player and as a person. “I’m still young and I realized that I still have a lot to give and to demonstrate, I have to grow a lot. In any case, I’m not so eager to play again, I’m enjoying the World Cup and training for January.” Volpato, on the other hand, was visibly moved, overcoming his shyness when talking about his decision to refuse Australia’s call-up: “I know it would have been a great opportunity to play in a World Cup at 18, but it wasn’t the right time to make such an important decision. I have Italian blood, that’s how I feel. I was born in Australia with the ball at my feet and I learned to play soccer there, but since I was little I dreamed of playing in Italy. I moved just to pursue the dream and I was welcomed in the best way”.

SPECIAL MESSAGES

—

Unlike Pinto, it is José Mourinho who seems impatient to address the market issue. On the eve of the friendly scheduled with the Nagoya Grampus – tomorrow at 11.30 am Italian time – Special One jumped at the questions of the reporters present in Japan: “We don’t have the strength to go get players in the Premier League – explains the Portuguese – Abraham was a player who wanted to show off. Matic is 34 years old and has played in the best clubs, he came back to play with me to bring experience.” The coach doesn’t spare a joke when asked about the possibility of buying a Japanese footballer: “If it’s cheap!”.

DISCIPLE

—

Maybe one day Nemanja Matic could join Special One on the bench. In fact, the Serbian revealed that he aspires to become a coach: “I’m studying for that even if I haven’t planned anything yet, I have a few years left as a footballer in my legs”. The Serbian said he was satisfied with his adaptation to the capital, despite expecting to be used more continuously: “I played a lot at Roma, even if not always from the start. When I signed, I thought I was playing but I’m a professional, it doesn’t matter if I take the field for a minute or ninety”.