Roma`s New Coach Aims to Recreate Atalanta`s Magic
Gian Piero Gasperini, often labeled `The Unsympathetic One`, has arrived at Roma. His announcement, cleverly using iconic Roman landmarks (Gianicolo, Altare della Patria, San Pietro, Pantheon), was ironically read by many fans as `Grande Antipatico Sulla Panchina` (Great Unsympathetic One on the Bench). Even Claudio Ranieri, during his presentation, commented, “He was unsympathetic to me too…” What fuels this strong label?
Perhaps it`s because Gasp speaks his mind unfiltered – whether about players diving, referees` mistakes, or defying ultras. In a world of scripted interactions, he lacks pretense, sometimes even exaggerating. He certainly doesn`t act like a player`s friend. Lacking the folksy charm of some Tuscan colleagues, he avoids cliché phrases like `Daje!` or dramatic `Mourinho-isms`. However, he did bring a smile by noting that `nobody ever died` at Atalanta`s training ground, Zingonia. Gasperini understands two crucial things. First, success requires the team to become `simpatica` – in the original sense, capable of `feeling and suffering together` – mirroring the intensity, unity, and tactical connection that defined Atalanta over the last decade. He must recreate that magic in Rome. Second, the derby against Lazio is just four matchdays away. Winning it would instantly make him more popular than Rome`s beloved icon, Alberto Sordi.
