Ranieri speaks ahead of Parma clash

Here's what the coach had to say...

Is everyone fit again now except Bryan Cristante? Can you update us on Mats Hummels’ condition? I also wanted to ask about Everton, which the Friedkins have now bought. Could some players be moved between the two clubs in January according to needs, like what happens with Watford and Udinese?

“Hummels is back now. He’s had his first training session of sorts and we’ll see tomorrow how long he might be able to play for. It depends how much [the flu] affected him. I’ll speak to him after the session.“As for Everton, we haven’t spoken about that to be honest, but I’ll obviously be looking at Everton with different eyes now.”

Parma are a tricky team to play against. How will Roma tackle them?

“With the same determination we've shown ever since I arrived. I don't want to see another display like the second half against Como because quite honestly it was shocking. I can't deny I was disappointed. Parma are a team with a lot of energy who play direct and all their forwards are good. They're one of the teams that have lost the least balls in midfield because they don't spend much time there – they play it forward straight away. Sometimes they play 4-2-4 with a lot of movement up front so we'll have to be alert on both the first and the second balls.”

Why do you think Evan Ndicka performs better at centre-left rather than in the centre of the defence?“I don’t know. He obviously feels more comfortable playing centre-left. When he plays there, he creates numbers-up situations, he carries the ball forward, he can put crosses in. That’s why I put him back there instead of restricting him in the middle.”

How important are Hummels and Leo Paredes for you?

“They’re indispensable. Monumental.”

For their technical ability and their leadership skills?

“Yes.”

Are you happy with the character of the whole team or do you expect more from some players? In January will you be looking for players who can make a difference with their personality and leadership skills?

“You only learn about a player’s leadership skills, how well settled they are, and the example they set once you have them. I try to get the maximum out of everyone. I want maximum character, maximum determination. That’s something us men have got or we haven’t got. As the coach, I can help you get to 100% but that may be 50% of someone else and 50% may not be enough for me. I can’t do anything about that – either you’ve got it or you haven’t. I can get angry with you and motivate you but if you’re not able to give more… So yes, we look at everything. We’ll try to bring in ‘Roma players’. I can tell you now that it won’t be easy because it’s hard enough in the summer transfer window. It’s even harder in January. We’ll look for players who can help us and can be the future of this club. People might then criticise and say, 'You said that but this player you’ve bought won’t be properly ready for another five years’ but that’s part of the difficulty of the transfer market. We’ll try to do the best for Roma so that we can get back on the right track and as close to the top as possible”.

How many defenders do Roma need to sign in January, one or two?

“I haven’t counted, to be honest. [Zeki] Celik can play to the side in a back three. We’ll see. If there’s something we can improve, we’ll improve. But I don’t want to give anyone false hope, least of all myself. Anyone who does that is wrong.”

If you were asked to stay on in the dugout another year, would you accept?

“I haven’t thought about it and nor have the owners. I’m trying to do my best to get an excellent coach for Roma. That’s been my goal since coming back to the club. I’ll try to give everything I have and do whatever the owners ask of me. And I’ll do it because I’m a fan. Whatever they ask, I’ll try to see it through the best way I can.”

Three of the goals against Sampdoria came from crosses. If the aim is to give Artem Dovbyk better service, could we see two wingers instead of two attacking midfielders? I also wanted to ask about your future management role. Was it you or Florent Ghisolfi who chose Federico Balzaretti?

“Dovbyk needs crosses That’s where he excels and we must try to exploit it. Regardless of our playing system, we need to try to get those deliveries in. Whoever it is – a wing-back or a winger – we need players who can cross in the wide areas.“I often speak to Balzaretti. I’ve known him for ages. Whenever we bring someone in, it’s because we’ve discussed it together. I arranged for them to meet, they spoke together and hit it off. I’m really happy because he’s very good and takes his job very seriously.”

Regarding your use of Paulo Dybala, do transfer rumours have any impact or are you only thinking about what happens on the pitch?

“90% of my thoughts are on what happens on the pitch and what I have to deal with, just as my thoughts were on Braga, Como, Sampdoria and now Parma, a very difficult team. Expect lots of goals. We need a big performance.”

Every coach who's come to Roma started out with four at the back and then switched to three. Why do you think that is?

“I've never been a great lover of formations because formations don't win you games – it's the players who do that. I try to give the team balance. I've seen that the team feels there's more protection with a three-man defence. To give them even more protection, I'd need to play with three midfielders but then we wouldn't be as sharp in attack. There will be games when we play with three in midfield but if we play with the right determination I think we can carry as as we are. Just as Sampdoria switched to five after half an hour, I changed in the first half too and switched to four. It's fluid. The lads know how to move so we only need to push up or pull back a wing-back to change from four to three.”

Will your January transfer business be done with the new coach in mind?

“Since we don't have a new coach yet, we'll try to sign players who are good for Roma now and in the future.”

Does the club see Nicola Zalewski as part of the club's future? And regarding Balzaretti, is the sports management team complete now?

“Nothing is ever complete because you can always improve. If we can improve somehow, we'll welcome with open arms anyone who understands football and can tell us something we don't know already.“As for Zalewski, I'm not thinking about it because Ghisolfi deals with practical matters like that. He's a member of my squad and when I deem it appropriate I pick him because he's a very good player. He seems to play a lot more freely for Poland. I'd like to see him playing freely all the time.”