++ [ originally posted by Arif
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Totti speechless at Capello switch
source :
FOOTBALL ITALIA
Francesco Totti was astonished to discover Roma were now without a Coach, while the Director of Sport admits he was as shocked as anyone.
“I knew absolutely nothing of this,” confessed the Giallorossi captain when he was told that Fabio Capello has joined Juventus.
Totti was at the Coverciano training ground with the Italy squad when he learned of the surprise news this morning, but refused to meet with journalists.
“However,” he added, “I stick by what I said before. I will only talk about my situation at Roma after Euro 2004.”
Fabio Cannavaro revealed the reaction inside the Azzurri camp after today’s surprise switch.
“The Roma players were shocked and the Juve stars extremely happy,” explained the Inter defender. “There was talk of Didier Deschamps and Cesare Prandelli, but Juventus conned everyone.”
That appears to include the Roma directors, who were as surprised as anyone to learn this morning that Capello had penned a three-year contract with Juventus.
“I didn’t expect him to even leave, even if I had an inkling that he might have decided to part company with us after five years,” confessed Director of Sport Franco Baldini.
“We did have a basic agreement with the Coach that he could move on if he wanted to. It was his destination that really took us by surprise.”
The rapport between Roma and Juventus has always been a tense one, especially in the last few seasons with verbal battles between transfer guru Luciano Moggi and President Franco Sensi.
“Our next step is to build a competitive squad, something we had planned regardless of who sat on the bench. Totti will stay,” continued Baldini, “and he knows that our project would go ahead even without Capello.”
He even pointed out that the tactician had discussed transfer dealings despite knowing he was destined to join another club.
“Of course Capello knows our project, as we were working out our moves only a couple of days ago and nothing seemed amiss. In any case,” he added, “I still have faith in people. The King is dead, long live the King.”