Daniele De Rossi has given his first interview as the new coach of Roma, speaking to the club's official channels. The former Giallorossi captain shared his first impressions in this new role and his intentions for the second part of the season. "I struggled to recognize the streets, the roundabouts, places I saw every day for 18 years. I am surprised, excited, to see places and faces that have shared part of my career with me. But I am also aware that there is a lot of work to do, we can't just stand here and look around".
"First reaction? Surprise, excitement. As soon as I saw the call I realized that something could happen. I immediately made myself available to meet them and then the discussions lasted a maximum of 10 minutes. I am fully convinced that we do not need parachutes. I believe the team is strong, with very important players. It happens to important teams to have difficult moments. It happened to me in the past, it will happen in the future and it can also happen to other teams. We must be good at taking advantage of it and I believe there is every chance to climb back up".
About returning to the field as a coach: "I haven't coached for a long time, they say it's like riding a bike, even though I've only done it for a few months. Getting back on the field was simple, we didn't have the time we wanted because between signatures, interviews and bureaucratic issues there were tight times. From tomorrow we will start doing something more specific".
De Rossi also talked about the surprise of returning to Trigoria: "I found Trigoria completely different. It seems like another place, completely transformed for the better. Having a sports center like this is really important, I'm almost envious of the years when I was playing and there was not a sports center like this. At that time I was fine but now there is really everything, maybe more than we need. Returning to the Olimpico? As a coach it will be exciting, in a completely different role. The stadium in recent months has always been in Roma-Barcelona mode, even during the most difficult matches and I hope it can continue in this direction".
Message to the Giallorossi fans: "To the fans I could say a thousand things, I have never been one to stick my beak on the team once I stopped playing. Now I can afford to do it as a member of Roma. I need them like in the old days and we all need them. The wind will always blow, it has never stopped. Experiencing the stadium as a fan made me realize the bond that has been recreated between people and the team. Negative moments happen, but a team and a city like this can come out with this love".
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