My philosophy is to try and dominate the game.

Obviously, that’s not always possible. Before coaching Roma, I was coach of Sassuolo. Even when we went to play teams that were clearly superior to us, though, we always tried to play our game and hurt our opponent.

I don’t like sterile possession. Possession that is an end in itself. I don’t want to sit back and wait for the opposition. I want to go and get after our opponent. You can’t always do that. But that’s the idea.

The game has got better since I was a player.

It has improved from a technical point of view. It’s quicker. The goalkeeper no longer picks the ball up as often. There’s less downtime, and the less downtime there is the more beautiful our game becomes.

“De Rossi can make it as a coach. He has the character, the experience, the knowledge”

We can all analyse and study tape. But the difference is made by those who are successful in getting across what they want.

As I said before, watching and trying to imitate someone is not the same as being a coach who feels something and manages to get it across to their players.

For that reason, I think there will always be something new in football. There will always be someone who has a certain way of doing things, and is able to get it across to their players.

I look at my squad at Roma now, and I think Daniele De Rossi has a chance to make it as a coach. He has the character traits, the experience, the knowledge. He has worked under a lot of different managers. I hope in the future I’m among those who have left a mark on him.