Genoa coach Daniele De Rossi has backed Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini’s criticism of the transfer window remaining open beyond the start of the Serie A season, describing the situation as “idiotic” and a “total red tape abomination”.
Gasperini raised the issue after Roma’s 3-0 friendly defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday. He said it was a problem for every club to begin a campaign without knowing which players would form part of their squad once the window eventually closed.
The Roma boss believes competitive matches should not start until coaches and players have a clear understanding of the group they will be working with in the following months.
De Rossi, a former Roma player who is now in charge of Genoa, was asked about Gasperini’s comments and gave them his full support.
“The transfer deadline being after the second Serie A match of the season is idiotic, a total red tape abomination,” complained De Rossi.
“How is it possible that every year the coaches denounce this situation, and yet nobody actually does anything about it? I am not just talking about Italy here, it is something that is devastating for everyone in the sport.
“It is a stupid and wrong situation and it just drags on.”
The Genoa manager said the problem was not restricted to Serie A or to Italian football. In his view, the uncertainty created by the transfer calendar affects clubs, managers and players across the sport.
His comments came after a difficult summer for Genoa on the pitch. The club suffered another pre-season defeat on Thursday, losing 1-0 at home to Deportivo La Coruna in the Trofeo Spagnolo.
A mistake by new signing Mario Mitaj contributed to the only goal of the match. Mitaj gave possession away cheaply, allowing Sanchez Rey to score the winning goal. It was described as another error in a series of mistakes made by the player since his arrival at Genoa.
The transfer situation also affected the selection of Brooke Norton-Cuffy, who was not involved in the match. De Rossi confirmed the defender had not been left out because of an injury or an inability to play.
“Let’s say it’s a market issue, so we rested him, but he was perfectly able to play today,” replied De Rossi.
Genoa’s latest result extended a disappointing run of results during their pre-season schedule, while the uncertainty surrounding the squad continues as the transfer deadline approaches. For De Rossi, the timing of the deadline remains a wider issue that repeatedly disrupts preparations and leaves coaches without a settled group at the beginning of the season.
Gasperini’s concerns followed Roma’s friendly loss to Brighton & Hove Albion, while De Rossi’s remarks came after Genoa’s defeat by Deportivo La Coruna. Both managers therefore expressed the same frustration from within different clubs: that teams can be required to compete before their playing squads are complete.
