A spectacular solution is apparently emerging for the vacant coaching position at AS Roma: according to Italian media reports, Claudio Ranieri is the favorite to succeed Ivan Juric.
Is Mats Hummels getting an Italian coaching icon as his new coach? At least the signs are currently pointing to Claudio Ranieri considering a third stint as the man in charge at Roma.
The 73-year-old had already declared the end of his coaching career at the end of October last year. After successfully keeping Cagliari Calcio up, Ranieri saw the time had come to retire for good.
But now he is apparently being enticed by Roma owners Dan and Ryan Friedkin. Ranieri is said to have already met with the two Americans for initial talks. And is said to have flown to London with adviser Pietro Chiodi for the purpose.
Ranieri was previously in charge of Roma as head coach from September 2009 to February 2011 and from March to June 2019. A third term now seems to be on the cards.
Ghisolfi had spoken of a “long-term” project
However, the choice of successor to the failed Ivan Juric would be surprising. Florent Ghisolfi, technical director at Roma, recently stated that the next coach should build a “long-term” project. But Ranieri would probably be more of an interim solution until next summer.
It undoubtedly takes more than just a good coach to master the overall situation in the Eternal City. Roma are only twelfth in the table with 13 points from twelve games – and just four points from a relegation place. A remarkable winning streak would be needed to qualify for the European competition.
However, Ranieri should not find it too difficult to improve on Juric: the Croatian only managed an average of 1.25 points per game during his time in charge, the lowest points average of any Roma coach in the last 20 years.
