Mancini claims: ‘I would have said yes’ to Roma after Juric sacking | OneFootball

Former Italy CT and recent head coach of Saudi Arabia Roberto Mancini has claimed that he would have accepted an offer to take over from Ivan Juric at Roma had he been approached and if the ‘conditions’ would have allowed it.

The former Azzurri head coach, who turns 60 on Wednesday, spoke in depth about his playing and coaching career, departure from the Italy national team and links with a move to Roma in an interview with Il Giornale.

Given that he had reached an agreement to terminate his contract with Saudi Arabia at the end of October, Mancini was available when Roma dismissed Juric midway through November.

Ultimately, the Giallorossi went with the temporary appointment of Claudio Ranieri, who will step into a director role once his obligations with the first team are complet at the end of the 2024-25 season.

NAPLES, ITALY – NOVEMBER 24: Claudio Ranieri AS Roma head coach before the Serie A match between Napoli and AS Roma at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on November 24, 2024 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

Mancini: ‘I would have said yes’ to Roma

Though some outlets suggested that Mancini was one of the candidates that Roma were looking at, the coach confirmed that he never received an official approach.

“I was never contacted for the Roma job, no calls from the management,” he told Il Giornale.

“I was pleased to read that many Roma fans would have been happy, but many Lazio supporters would have been p*ssed off,” he continued.

“If there had been the right conditions for a good project that we could have carried forwards together, I would have said yes,” he revealed.