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Paulo Fonseca insisted he had no fears as he was presented to the media on Monday afternoon, with the new head coach making a vow to get Roma back into the Champions League.
Fonseca's first pre-season with Roma gets underway this week, as he prepares for his first taste of coaching in Italy. At his first press conference - in which he made an introduction in Italian, promising to get to grips with the language quickly - he reiterated the level of his motivation to succeed at Roma. "It will not be my Roma, but everyone’s. I am motivated, together with the management and the players, to build an ambitious side that makes our supporters proud," he said. "We are working hard to build a strong team and we are studying our needs. We are pondering the choices in order to bring quality to the team. We made three purchases [with Pau Lopez completing his medical today], we’ll let you know when there’s more. We are carefully considering our choices, to bring quality profiles to reinforce the team. "[James Pallotta] has not set concrete goals, but I am forcing myself to immediately get us back into the Champions League. Another priority is to build a strong and ambitious team. "We always want to win, but we still have to make our supporters proud even when we don’t do so. We’ll get close to the finish line if we can achieve this. I won’t promise anything, but it’s my belief. "I have a two-year contract here with an option for an additional year, but I am convinced that we can win something. It is not a promise but a conviction." When asked for comment over the futures of Nicolo Zaniolo and Edin Dzeko, the Portuguese tactician responded thus: "I will start with Zaniolo: he has great talent and we believe in him. But what I’ll say to him is true to anyone who is part of the current squad - they must demonstrate in training that they deserve to wear this shirt. "I have huge ambition and I think we can do so many things with this team and this talent. The most important thing is the presence of players who want to sacrifice themselves for this shirt and put the interests of the team ahead of their own. "As for Dzeko, I haven’t spoken to him but Gianluca [Petrachi] has had the chance to do so. I want people to stay here who are motivated and happy and want to fight for this club. This is a fundamental condition: I want players dedicated to the cause and willing to pursue the goals of the team." Fonseca also suggested that Alessandro Florenzi and Lorenzo Pellegrini could be the captain and vice-captain for the upcoming season. "Florenzi was the captain of the team and it is a question that we will analyse. The probability that he will continue to be so is very high. "I know these two players well because I have faced them and watched many Roma matches. For me, it is important to get to know them well — not only on the pitch but from a character point of view, getting to know them as men. This isn’t true only for them. "As for their roles, we’ll have to see and analyse things calmly. To close this talk: we often talks about the needs of a team. I will demand something from both my players and the club." Fonseca finished by reaffirming his belief that his project at Roma can be successful. "I am here because I am convinced that I can elevate Roma to the next level. The league is difficult and very tactical, which is one of the reasons why I’m here in Italy. I believe that together we can build something special. "I don’t base my decisions off economic considerations but on how I’m feeling and the sensations I get. After I spoke to Petrachi, I didn’t hesitate. I had no doubts. This is why I’m here and tomorrow I’ll start working because I want to build something special. "Fear is a feeling I don’t know; I’m not afraid. The results are what matters. The manager is the results."
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