Totti: Cassano has gone too far
Saturday 18 September, 2004
Francesco Totti has turned on errant teammate Antonio Cassano after his latest antics and admits he is partly to blame.
“He made two terrible mistakes in the space of three days,” the Roma captain told the ‘Gazzetta dello Sport.’ “What’s worse is that they are always the same errors.”
The 22-year-old starlet hit the headlines on Sunday when he was sent off for a reaction foul on Fiorentina’s Giorgio Chiellini, then stormed out of the training ground when he discovered he wasn’t in the squad for Wednesday’s Champions’ League clash with Dynamo Kiev.
“Rudi Voller was right to punish him,” continued Totti. “The previous management team was a little unclear on the whole issue, but from now on there can be no more tolerance. Enough is enough.”
Voller explained that he would try to instil the discipline that has been so sorely lacking within the Giallorossi camp and director of sport Franco Baldini also added that they would “change tack” on dealing with Cassano.
Whereas previous Coach Fabio Capello rarely punished the starlet for repeatedly insulting him and walking out on training sessions, the new regime is going to get tough.
“The club made a mistake in not immediately disciplining him,” added Totti, “and I was also partly to blame as I allowed him to do whatever he wanted. Now everyone has had enough.”
“The previous Coach told him one thing to his face and another behind his back. Just think that the young players were advised not to hang around with Cassano and myself, but rather to spend time with someone who is now at Juventus. And I don't mean Jonathan Zebina,” he added with a clear reference to Emerson.
Meanwhile, his former club Bari have rushed to the defence of this eternally controversial figure.
“Cassano made a mistake,” admitted former Bari director general Carlo Regalia, “but the criticism has been over the top. Sometimes his practical jokes can go too far, but this is his strength.”
The youngster shot to fame as a teenager during his first Serie A season at hometown club Bari, which included a wonder goal against Inter. In 2001 he earned a £20m move to Roma and has been troubling Coaches and teammates with his antics ever since.
“He never did anything really serious at Bari,” added Regalia. “He was just a child when he joined our youth system, but in football terms he knew it all."
"Cassano is the kind of lad who takes situations by the scruff of the neck and won’t go missing in a big game. If anything, you can’t get him off the ball! All he needs to settle back down is to know that the club has faith in him.”
Meanwhile, as Totti is certain to miss the trip to Messina this Sunday due to a muscular problem, Vincenzo Montella should partner Marco Delvecchio upfront.
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i can see now what Cassano would do if he eva reunited with his 'beloved' coach Fabio Capello at Juve
on another note, what a ****ed up camp this AS Roma...wonder what sort of camp Juve has behind the scene...