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| Thursday 17 April, 2008 |
| Blog: Supporting cast |
| When you talk about Roma it's impossible not to mention Francesco Totti, but Richard Godden insists their unsung heroes deserve some long overdue credit |
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Anyone watching Roma's fantastic comeback against Udinese at the weekend will have also witnessed a disappointing display from the Giallorossi's talisman Francesco Totti. While no one who knows their calcio would describe the Eternal City outfit as a one-man team, there is no doubt that Er Pupone is central to their success. So it was nice, for a change, to see a few unsung heroes getting some kudos in the 3-1 victory live on Five.
Rodrigo Taddei was one such player. The Brazilian - a dead ringer for actor Willem Defoe - is a steady performer down the right flank and could be described as a typical modern-day footballer in that he ticks all the boxes without really excelling in any category. The ex-Siena man deservedly took the plaudits after scoring the winning goal at the Stadio Friuli with a delightful finish with his weaker left foot. It was his sixth strike of the season, as many as anyone else at the club bar Totti.
In the middle of the park, David Pizarro is another player who is often overlooked when praise is being handed out. The Chilean is much like Juan Sebastian Veron and Andrea Pirlo, playing the deep-lying playmaker role and constantly keeping things ticking over while he looks for the perfect slide-rule pass. Although not in the same class as the aforementioned duo, Pizarro also suffers from playing in the same position as Alberto Aquilani.
The next Prince of Rome is undoubtedly a fantastic prospect, but he is still very raw and regularly misses out through injury, as proved by the fact he has made just nine Serie A starts this term. Without Pizarro, the other option would be playing the frustrating Matteo Brighi, so the big-money signing from Inter is an important player for Luciano Spalletti until Aquilani is ready - physically - for regular first-team action.
Last, but by no means least, is Max Tonetto. Although not an unsung hero in the Calcio Italia office after he made it into our Team of the Season for 2006-07, the veteran left-back has been rejuvenated since switching from Sampdoria to the Italian capital almost two years ago. Still full of energy, his marauding runs offer an extra dimension in attack, while he is solid enough defensively.
The likes of Marco Cassetti, Simone Perrotta, Juan and Alexander Doni also deserve a mention for helping a club lacking in superstars compete for the Scudetto and reach the last eight of the Champions League. Considering how many top players the likes of Inter, Juventus and Milan possess, it really is refreshing to see this current Roma side competing for the big prizes. Totti might be the leading man, but he'd be nothing without his supporting cast.
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Great article! Roma are the perfect example of synergy. The team play and unity is what distinguishes Roma from all the other tier one teams in Serie A.
Ali Khajah, Kuwait
Luciano Spalletti is a shrewd tactician who can instill confidence and belief in average players. As a Roma fan I fear he may be snatched by one of the Milan clubs or even Juventus in the very near future.
Steve Mitchell
I disagree with the article.If you look at how many chances Totti serves on a plate to his teammates, and because of their relative lack of class, they never finish, it’s pretty obvious that Roma would be a cut above their current self if the team had more class. Case in point, all the backheel flicks and tricks in the box against Catania, not one finished off. Taddei does his job. He does an okay job. He doesn’t deserve praise. He is not a great player, and he is not a bad player.
Totti is no doubt the King of Rome, but saying that he would be nowhere, or Roma would be nowhere without the supporting cast is patently false. The fact of the matter is that if Roma had more class like Totti, they would be 10 points clear of Inter. The other players, with the exception of DDR, Mexes (not so much this season) and sometimes Mancini, are all average to good. Not great. Average to good players are undeserving of praise. Aquilani and Vucinic are blossoming, but Taddei is at the peak of his career and as such, praising him as an unsung hero makes no sense. He brings nothing to the team except hard work. Players like him are a dime a dozen.
Totti rightfully deserves all the praise he gets. As a die hard Romanista, I am eternally grateful that he stayed at Rome for his entire career, but I can only help but wonder if he would’ve finally gotten credit outside the peninsula if he left La Magica. Thankfully it is a question that will never be answered.
Naeem Badat |
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