The atmosphere surrounding AS Roma continues to intensify as the team stumbles on the pitch and the club faces mounting criticism from fans. One such supporter, Massimo Ferrero, an entrepreneur and former president of Sampdoria, has written a lengthy open letter to owners Dan and Ryan Friedkin, which he shared with LaPresse.
In his impassioned plea, Ferrero writes, “Dear Friedkins, Roma needs to be rebuilt. Stop patching things up and throwing money at this team and the club. I’ve put myself against all of Sampdoria because since childhood I’ve lived and supported Roma. The Roma of Di Bartolomei, of Liedholm, I grew up in Roma’s curva, my heart pulses yellow and red. But today I’m very angry, because dear President Friedkin, we are very happy that you came to invest in Roma, but we are disappointed because you are evidently surrounded by bad advisors.”
Ferrero criticizes the club’s recent spending and management choices, stating, “You haven’t spent 100 million, you’ve thrown it away. Because you have people around you who perhaps don’t understand this football. Roma is not a European parliament, it can’t be managed by foreign directors like Monchi or Ghisolfi, who don’t know the Roma world. Football must be followed closely, let’s form the new Roma government.”
The former Sampdoria president emphasizes the need for local expertise: “With all the excellence we have, do we really need to hurt ourselves by bringing in people who have made us spend money in vain? We’re not the UN, we’re Roma. You, President, who should be respected for how much money you’ve put into Roma, can’t come to Rome to play the American.”
Ferrero insists his motivation is purely out of love for the club: “I don’t want money and I’m not looking for work, I just want you to give us a dream. I spent 14 years at Sampdoria with incredible results. Football is love, passion. You want a sold-out stadium? Give us football. Today you’ve only given us ball, balloons, and hot air, and it’s not your fault.”
The letter concludes with an appeal: “I’m 74 years old, I don’t want money, I want to give a dream to all my little wolves. We are Romans, Romanisti, and we love Roma. If you let yourself be advised with less money and more love, you’ll live every day with great satisfaction. I’d like to meet you, dear President Friedkin: for the love of Roma, I’ll even take the first flight and come to New York: let’s save Roma.”
