Di Francesco: Clearly we need to find a solution

Read what the coach had to say at the Doosan Arena.

This is the second time you’ve called a training camp this season. Were you expecting a different kind of preparation for this game? How are you dealing with the rumours around your future?

"It’s part of our job – that’s football. The club knows that they have a coach who has ideas and who wants to continue. I believe in my work and in what they’re doing, but obviously we need a change. We’re having this training camp to try and understand the reason for these performances. As a football man, my role is to continue to fight to try to find solutions."

How much is the Genoa game going to affect your choices tomorrow?

"This isn’t the best time. I don’t have many options and many players have just come back and aren’t able to play the full 90 minutes. That’s why lots of the players who were involved against Cagliari will play tomorrow – and they could play against Genoa too. It doesn’t make much sense to come up with something new: we need to give this team some solidity. [Antonio] Mirante will come in for [Robin] Olsen, but I’ve not made any decisions about other areas of the team."

Do you think there has been more anger shown towards you than normal in recent days?

"I’m lucky in that I know this place. Coaches are put on a pedestal and then turned into the worst around. That happened to me as a player too. Right now I’m focusing on helping the team bounce back from this tough time. On a personal level, I don’t see a need to say something publicly to people who aren’t worth it."

What’s the injury situation? Do you have a plan to get players back?

"[Javier] Pastore could play from the start, while others are working their way back slowly, like [Diego] Perotti. In terms of the players back at Trigoria, [Daniele] De Rossi is improving a great deal and has started running. I hope to have him back available for the Juve game. [Lorenzo] Pellegrini needs time and Edin [Dzeko] is further along than [Stephan] El Shaarawy."

What kind of coach do you try to be in terms of your relationships with the players? Some coaches try to make strong personal connections, while others prefer to keep a distance. Are you happy with your relationship with the players?

"I try to keep a balance in all aspects. It’s vital that there is respect for different roles. A good rapport can be built over the course of the season. External chatter means nothing – that unity comes from inside the dressing room. Nobody will ever be able to say I didn’t keep a promise. In the long run, it pays to be straight and sincere, even if it can cause annoyance at times."

What do you expect from Patrik Schick?

"I definitely expect more and he expects more of himself too. It’s up to him to show a reaction, given that he has the chance to play."

The Plzen coach has said that he’s showing his team the tape of the Cagliari game.

"He showed them the last ten minutes – maybe he wanted to send a positive message to his team. I’ll show the tape of the first game between us. Regardless of that, I think it’s important to do thorough analysis. If you look at the last ten minutes of the Cagliari game, you’ll see some of Roma’s defects, particularly in terms of our attitude. You make those decisions to create positivity around the team and he’s right to do so because I’d do the same."

Given that Bryan Cristante and Steven Nzonzi are playing a lot at the moment, could we see Alessio Riccardi play tomorrow?

"No, because he’s in the Primavera squad and they have a very important Youth League game tomorrow. It’s not the right situation to throw the lad into the team. Youngsters need to be brought in when the situation is positive, because there’s a risk of making mistakes. It’s not the time to give young players a run-out, particularly with a player like him who has some fantastic attributes."

How is Javier Pastore’s fitness? Could he play from the start or will you take a different approach?

"I’ll weigh that up tonight and tomorrow morning. He could start, but he won’t play the full 90 minutes. Out of the all the players coming back from injury, he’s in the best shape to play from the start."