Roberto De Zerbi *OFFICIAL*

[DubaiSpur]

Dan Kilpatrick suggesting there isn't actually a bomba lined up, but that the interview is de Zerbi's way of pressuring the club to get him one.

Italian managers have form for this - a famous example is what happened at Roma in the summer of 2000.

Basically, the owner, Sensi, had already spent a bunch on players and was disinclined to spend any more. But Capello, the manager at the time, wanted him to buy Gabriel Batistuta, who was the wrong side of 30 but who Capello felt was the missing piece in his title charge.

So Capello hatched a plan with Roma's sporting director at the time, one Franco Baldini (the same one who later rocked up at Spurs). They took a Corriere Dello Sport journo, Mario Sconcerti, to dinner. And at that dinner, they boasted about how Sensi was about to pay a ton to sign Batistuta.

Sconcerti naturally wrote an article saying Roma were about to sign Batistuta. The media and fans went ballistic. But after a few weeks, when no sign had appeared of Batistuta actually leaving Fiorentina, pressure began to build on Sensi from impatient fans and media outlets. Eventually, under the weight of expectation, Sensi buckled and bought Batistuta for a world record fee for a player over 30.

Rest is history - Roma won the title that season, their last one to date.

 

[billyiddo]

I don't see the manager doing that after the backing he has received so far this summer

 

[DubaiSpur]

I don't see the manager doing that after the backing he has received so far this summer

I wouldn't put it past him - nothing he's said or done indicates to me that he's a patient man, or one shy of...erm, pressing his point of view.

 

[Raziel]

I don't see the manager doing that after the backing he has received so far this summer

This, honestly he'd be a fudging dingdong at this point (especially if talk re going back in for Kroupi pre injury was true)

 

[glorygloryeze]

Dan Kilpatrick suggesting there isn't actually a bomba lined up, but that the interview is de Zerbi's way of pressuring the club to get him one.

Italian managers have form for this - a famous example is what happened at Roma in the summer of 2000.

Basically, the owner, Sensi, had already spent a bunch on players and was disinclined to spend any more. But Capello, the manager at the time, wanted him to buy Gabriel Batistuta, who was the wrong side of 30 but who Capello felt was the missing piece in his title charge.

So Capello hatched a plan with Roma's sporting director at the time, one Franco Baldini (the same one who later rocked up at Spurs). They took a Corriere Dello Sport journo, Mario Sconcerti, to dinner. And at that dinner, they boasted about how Sensi was about to pay a ton to sign Batistuta.

Sconcerti naturally wrote an article saying Roma were about to sign Batistuta. The media and fans went ballistic. But after a few weeks, when no sign had appeared of Batistuta actually leaving Fiorentina, pressure began to build on Sensi from impatient fans and media outlets. Eventually, under the weight of expectation, Sensi buckled and bought Batistuta for a world record fee for a player over 30.

Rest is history - Roma won the title that season, their last one to date.

I TRULY hope this is BS and that there IS a signing imminent.

RDZ hasn't got THAT kind of standing yet to be doing such imo

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

I TRULY hope this is BS and that there IS a signing imminent.

RDZ hasn't got THAT kind of standing yet to be doing such imo

After saving the owners from relegation I think he probably has got a huge amount of good will and clout right now. Though, as others have mentioned, I think it would be a bit out of order at this stage considering the players he’s got in the transfer window so far. Maybe if we have no forwards in with a week to go then it could warrant a bit of a push like that, not now though.

 

[MartyFunkhouser]

I TRULY hope this is BS and that there IS a signing imminent.

RDZ hasn't got THAT kind of standing yet to be doing such imo

Its not strictly what he said

 

[BigChiv9]

People losing their minds because RDZ dared to utter the trope 'bomba' as if he meant it to be taken literally. He's now had to clarify that 'in Italian' it is taken to simply mean a good player. " .... when asked what a 'bomba' would be in Italian, De Zerbi replied: Tonali, Fernandes, Senesi, Robertson are bomba. Top players for us." I'm more interested that he mentioned getting more height into the team.

 

[Yiddo]

Where did he say it wasn’t Savinho by the way?

 

[Bishop]

I don't think this summer is the test of if anything has changed.

This summer can be (not saying we know) just a case of "ENIC bricking themselves after almost being relegated" and (someone else has credit for this) them trying to show up Levy (rich people can be petty as fudge, in this case, good for us).

Next summer is the test, if we get 5th, CL, good cup run, will they go back to their pocket, will they really back manager then, will they really show ambition to win things?

We shouldn't need to spend as aggressively next season if we do as well you're suggesting. Then it should be more a case of quality over quantity. Key additions and improving the starting 11 wherever we deem it to be at it's weakest.

I've always argued it's not how much you spend but who you buy and when you buy them that is more critical. An example would be Junior Kroupi, if we signed him this summer the fan base would have lost their brick because of the hype and the amount spent but if we instead had spotted him early and paid the same £10m for him that Bournemouth paid none of of fans would be impressed. Yet the amount paid wouldn't make him a better or worse player just one with more hype or recognition.

 

[Bullet]

A thought experiment:

Imagine you are the manager of a World XI for a charity game at Old Trafford.
Your squad has 7 absolutely brilliant defenders, 7 absolutely brilliant midfielders, but for some reason has 4 quite poor forwards.

You need to pick a team of 10 outfield players. Do you pick your preferred 4231 and play all 4 of your poor forwards?

No! You play 451 or whatever system means you minimise the amount of poor players on the pitch.
RDZ is adaptable. If our forwards are either injured / slightly injured / not quite ready yet / a bit brick then he needs to adapt and get the good players on the pitch instead.

(((E.g. Andy Andrew Robbo Robertson is an absolutely elite crosser from the left, but doesn't have the legs for a 4231 against a good side... so you make a system where he can be on the pitch, to provide a tap in for the crap forwards)))

 

[Raziel]

We shouldn't need to spend as aggressively next season if we do as well you're suggesting. Then it should be more a case of quality over quantity. Key additions and improving the starting 11 wherever we deem it to be at it's weakest.

I've always argued it's not how much you spend but who you buy and when you buy them that is more critical. An example would be Junior Kroupi, if we signed him this summer the fan base would have lost their brick because of the hype and the amount spent but if we instead had spotted him early and paid the same £10m for him that Bournemouth paid none of of fans would be impressed. Yet the amount paid wouldn't make him a better or worse player just one with more hype or recognition.

We shouldn't, but lets say we buy a striker and they don't work out? I also think certain players like Gallagher/Maddison/Tel/Xavi/Udogie, even Deki all have this season to prove they are worth sticking with. That itself could be significant change next summer.

I would expect we won't need 6-8 players next season, but quality upgrades will be needed regardless of results.

I get the point re what we pay, and I'd agree we have had great success from Europe in the past for much less, that said, RDZ seems to want (and maybe it's just for now, just for the first rebuild) PL proven, and that will never be cheap.

 

[Finney Is Back]

I don't think this summer is the test of if anything has changed.

This summer can be (not saying we know) just a case of "ENIC bricking themselves after almost being relegated" and (someone else has credit for this) them trying to show up Levy (rich people can be petty as fudge, in this case, good for us).

Next summer is the test, if we get 5th, CL, good cup run, will they go back to their pocket, will they really back manager then, will they really show ambition to win things?

This is the first summer ever that we have gone out and got a bunch of the manager's top targets even before pre season started. Not only that but went in, paid the money and got deals done before other clubs could get their act together. This is the polar opposite of the way we operated under Daniel Levy.

I watched the Berbatov transfer story on Sky Sports a week or so ago and it completely exposed how useless Levy was when it came to doing good football deals for us. (I think it was Kenyon) said that the deal they ended up doing with Spurs an hour before the deadline wasn't materially different to the deal they were prepared to do 2 or even 4 weeks before then, he called out the fact that Levy completely snookered himself because he then had no time to get a replacement in for Berbatov, commenting on our desperate deal for Frazier Campbell on loan a few minutes before the window closed. Quite a few on here were giving Vinai Venkatesham lots of stick several months ago and I said that I thought we needed to wait to see how effective he would be as a CEO. Personally, I'm delighted at what I am seeing from him this summer. It's like chalk and cheese compared to Spurs under Levy.

 

[Bishop]

We shouldn't, but lets say we buy a striker and they don't work out? I also think certain players like Gallagher/Maddison/Tel/Xavi/Udogie, even Deki all have this season to prove they are worth sticking with. That itself could be significant change next summer.

I would expect we won't need 6-8 players next season, but quality upgrades will be needed regardless of results.

I get the point re what we pay, and I'd agree we have had great success from Europe in the past for much less, that said, RDZ seems to want (and maybe it's just for now, just for the first rebuild) PL proven, and that will never be cheap.

I personally wouldn't want to consistently only go for PL proven players as I think it's a very limited market to buy from as well as a lazy and expensive one. As I said, a year ago Kroupi wouldn't be in that category but now he is but at £100m more cost. Why can't we identify a Kroupi, a Rayan, a Isak etc?

With regards to next summer I'm in no way suggesting we don't bring in new players. I think always have to otherwise you're standing still which in reality is going backwards. I just don't think we will need to completely remodel the defense and midfield (so far) along with the left side attack and striker positions (to come) next seaon. That's again assuming we did do as well as you suggest. Our needs will be a lot more specific.