Do you work closely with the performance coaches Ed Lippie and Darcy Norman? What role do they play in your plans?
"We’re a team – I said that before Chelsea. The coach is the main figure of responsibility. Norman and Lippie are both great professionals and they spend a lot of time in Trigoria. They’re here working from morning until night to improve their work and us as a whole. If we work together, with all the medical team and coaching staff, I’m sure that we’ll achieve our results. Right now, we’ve had a lot of random injuries, but we want to take a constructive approach and figure out proper solutions.
"Lots of things are said that don’t hold water, especially in a place like Rome. We stand united. We might make different decisions in the future, but right now my staff and I have huge confidence in the work these people are doing. Are the players worried about getting injured? Ask them when they’re next here. They have great faith in what we’re doing. I messed my knee up too in the 2000-01 season, when we won the Scudetto. It happens. It’s a shame because the lad was coming back from an injury that he got before he joined Roma. It was due to a strange, unusual movement."
What decisions can you take in mid-season to change things?
"There are lots of scientific things that you look at to figure out where you can improve in terms of injury prevention. We’re trying to do that together. We’re not naïve and obviously people like to talk at times like these. Right now we need to work hard and speak less to find the solutions."
Are you excited to be facing your son? What do you say when you see each other?
"It makes me laugh because when I ask him if he’s playing or not, he just says he doesn’t know because he doesn’t want to give it away. It’s nice – it’s kind of strange but it’s exciting. It’s weird speaking to my players about him and calling him Di Francesco instead of Federico. I’m very proud and really pleased with how he’s doing. He can do better, but I hope he puts that off until after tomorrow’s game!"
You’ve rotated the right-sided forward more than any other player this season. Is that a coincidence or are you still searching for the right fit?
"It’s not a coincidence, it’s a fact. [Patrick] Schick and Gregoire Defrel have been out so we’ve had to change it around a lot. [Cengiz] Under is a very interesting young player with great prospects. He’s adjusting to the workload and the Italian league. While on the left I have a clearer idea and more experienced players, on the right I’m still searching for balance and the right players. That’s the way it is right now and I’m sure it’s something that will happen again many times – I can assure you of that."
