Baldini: 'Enrique needs another year'

By Football Italia staff

Roma director Franco Baldini defended Coach Luis Enrique from more fan protests after the draw with Napoli. “He needs another year.”

Baldini was in the stands during the 2-2 draw when he was engaged in a brief row with supporters.

“Someone asked me to sack the Coach, but I replied that I’d rather leave instead, so he ought to take it out on me,” said Fabio Capello’s former right hand man at the England FA.

“Luis Enrique is our Coach and he is not the problem. The team proved that with a magnificent first half. The atmosphere around the team creates pressure and the squad felt that when Napoli attacked. In the second half they reacted well to earn the draw.

“The team is not relaxed, but despite that situation the Coach has a clear idea of his football and has to be supported over a period of years by the club with the right signings.

“Luis Enrique has great quality and needs at least another year to prove it by constructing something here. We firmly believe in him and he believes in the project, despite the difficulties we have run into.”

The players also stood up for their tactician, as Francesco Totti and several teammates went under the Curva Sud to talk to the ultras after the final whistle.

“The players took responsibility and accepted whatever was thrown at them by the curva, which I think was a good move.”

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