Fabio Quagliarella has praised Roma for appointing Gian Piero Gasperini while slamming the previous managers describing them as ‘pretenders’.
What Did Quagliarella Say About Roma Appointing Gasperini?
Roma made a huge statement in the weeks following the 2024/25 campaign, appointing former Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini and cutting times with Sergio Conceicao.
The I Giallorossi finished fifth in Serie A last season, while also being eliminated from the Europa League round of 16 and have not won Italy’s top-flight since 2001.
Such a poor record in the league has placed the club as huge outsiders to win the title on Serie A betting sites and Italian soccer icon, Fabio Quagliarella has commented on what may change under Gasperini.
Quagliarella said: “With Gasperini, the work culture changes — not that they didn’t work before, but if I were a player today, I’d want to be coached by him.
“He gives you so much. If you’re young, he helps you shine. He really brings out the best in players. Given Gasperini’s style, the midfield will be crucial.
“You need players who can run for more than 90 minutes and contribute in both phases of play. They must deliver both quality and quantity — it’ll be a demanding job.
“Finally, Roma have put people in charge who truly understand football — not amateurs pretending to know the game. I’m confident this new structure will deliver great results.”
Quagliarella spent his entire career in Italy, playing for Juventus, Torino, Udinese, Napoli, Sampdoria, and a plethora of others, accumulating 556 Serie A appearances – scoring 182 goals.
The Italian won the Serie A golden boot in 2018/19, while also winning three league titles, two Supercoppa Italiana and the Serie B title across a 23-year career.
Quagliarella retired in 2023 and currently sits as the 20th oldest player to ever make an appearance in Serie A, competing at 40-years, 4 months and 4 days.
Why Have Previous Roma Managers Struggled?
As previously mentioned, Roma have failed to win the Serie A title since 2001 and have fallen far behind the likes of Inter, Juventus, AC Milan, Napoli and Atalanta.
There are multiple reasons as to why managers have struggled to last in Rome, from multiple changes in the board room to a hugely inferior budget compare to other Serie A sides.
Fans of Roma are also extremely passionate and expect big things despite the clear disparity, meaning coaches are rarely given a chance and can lose their place after a run of poor form.
Luciano Spalletti is deemed one of Roma’s most successful managers since their last league title victory, managing the Italian side between 2005-2009 and again in 2016/17.
The former Azzurri manager won consecutive Coppa Italia trophies between 2006-2008, while also finishing second in these two seasons and even reached the Champions League quarter final in 2008.
More recently, Jose Mourinho won Roma’s first European trophy by clinching the Conference League in 2023 and reached the Europa League final in the following season.
Gasperini will be looking to change the fate of Roma next season, with the veteran manager already targeting some huge names this summer to boost his chances – with Roma monitoring Gabriel Jesus’ situation at Arsenal.
