Radja Nainggolan blasts Friedkins for sacking De Rossi: “They know little about football.”

Former Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan took issue with how the Friedkin ownership dismissed Daniele De Rossi so early on in the season.

The Belgian player released an interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport in which he discussed Roma-Inter as well as the implications of De Rossi’s sacking.

“”Inter is the strongest team in Serie A,” he said. “They play good football, they have great players even on the bench, in fact they are other starters. Yes, they are superior to Roma.”

“But nothing is impossible. I can’t give predictions because Roma will be playing at home with the best fans in the world. That always gives the team a boost.”

“Of course, Roma are struggling. They’re rebuilding with lots of new players and a new coach…”

“Roma must look for ball possession. Like we did back then, when we often won against the big teams,” he added.

“Pellegrini? I also had the armband. And I had Totti and De Rossi in front of me…so what? I have a lot of personality, they whistle at me or applaud me, it makes no difference, it goes in one ear and out the other. I have never suffered from the negativity around me. Pellegrini is intelligent. He is a good player: he should think a little less about what people say about him.”

“De Rossi? It was madness to send him away. He had done better than Mourinho.”

“He was young, in love and knowledgeable about the environment, they kicked him out without giving him time to bring in many new players. And he didn’t even deserve it as a man. For football reasons? Bullshit, there must be more to it than meets the eye.”

“I don’t know, I’m thinking of the Zalewski issue: he said it wasn’t his choice to leave him out of the squad. Many others in Daniele’s place would have said the opposite because of the club’s imposition. He remained himself, and he should be proud of that.”

“The Friedkins are entrepreneurs, what do they understand about football? They come in, they want to make money, they buy players, they spend a lot but not well. In the world of football you live with competence and passion.”

“This ownership understands very little about football. They don’t know anything about the fans, the city… they underestimate it and they undergo a crisis.”