Is Daniele De Rossi the Long-Term Answer for Roma? | OneFootball

When Daniele De Rossi took over as Roma head coach in January 2024, it felt like destiny. The club legend with 459 Serie A appearances in yellow and red felt like the perfect man to lead the club in the next phase of its history. After a strong start, it ultimately wasn’t meant to be.

With so many club legends across Europe going on to find managerial success, Roma fans will be desperately hoping that the same thing can happen with De Rossi. Hopefully, he’ll master his trade elsewhere and one day make a triumphant return to the Stadio Olimpico to lead Roma into a new era.

The Modern Legend-Manager Blueprint

When thinking about club icons that could go on to excel in management, De Rossi fits the bill. The former Roma captain was one of the greatest leaders in European football, and that often translates well into coaching. On top of that, many of the greatest former player managers in the business were midfielders of a similar ilk to De Rossi.

In the modern age, there has been a rise of club legends going on to become amazing managers. Pep Guardiola arguably set the standard for others to follow, with the former Barcelona star first finding success with the Catalan side before dominating other leagues with Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

Xavi is another club icon at Barcelona who has gone on to enjoy similar glory at Barcelona. In fact, the former midfield maestro helped restore the identity of his lifelong club, and enjoyed some success during his spell as manager.

Mikel Arteta is another good example of a former midfield player who’s had a huge impact as a manager. He has transformed Arsenal into regular title challengers, after a period of disappointing returns in the post-Arsene Wenger era.

Plenty of other amazing players haven’t had quite the same impact as head coaches, though. Andrea Pirlo and Frank Lampard both struggled at Juventus and Chelsea respectively.

Roma Currently Need to Find Some Stability

It may not be De Rossi’s time to return to the Roma dugout yet, but there’s no doubt that the club needs some stability. There have been too many managerial changes in recent times, leading to an identity crisis. Despite Claudio Ranieri’s successful third spell in charge last time out, it’s clear that Roma are lacking a long-term plan.

Despite the fact that Ranieri has gone, Roma have the chance to build on that fifth-place finish in 2024-25 if they get things right in the summer. It will mean bringing in an experienced pair of hands as head coach, with a clear vision of what signings he wants to bring in. Someone like Atalanta’s Gian Piero Gasperini would certainly fit the bill.

Regardless of this uncertainty, online sportsbooks are favouring Roma to break into the top four next term. Indeed, as of the 6th of June, Roma are 9/1 on Betway to achieve a top four finish. This suggests that there’s some belief that Ranieri has put the club back on a solid trajectory.

What Does De Rossi Need to Work on?

Even though his first spell in charge of Roma didn’t work out, De Rossi may have a chance to make a grand return in the future. It would be an ideal situation for the club and the former player if he can learn his trade at a few other clubs before coming back with more experience. There are various parts of his coaching game that he needs to work on before taking long-term control of such a prestigious side.

An article in the Guardian pondered that De Rossi was too similar to Mourinho in his final weeks at Roma. This would have been a complement a few years ago, but the version of the Portuguese in his last season at Roma is not one that De Rossi should aspire to. The former Roma player needs to ensure that he keeps his passion in check on the sidelines, but he should also aim to refine his tactical acuity during his next few seasons, wherever he may end up.

As it stands, De Rossi has a long way to go as a manager before he can guide Roma into a new era. If he can acquire the skills he needs and make a grand return in a few years, he could potentially become the next great legendary player-turned manager.