Sabatini pleads for Roma fans to keep faith after Zeman sacking

03/02/2013 10:30:00 PM

The Giallorossi director has hit back at angry supporters after the dismissal of the Czech coach, promising that the club will bounce back strongly from their current slump

Walter Sabatini has urged Roma fans to stay behind the team in the wake of Zdenek Zeman's sacking as coach.

The Czech was relieved of his position after Friday's 4-2 defeat to Cagliari, the culmination of a terrible run that has seen the capital club pick up only two points in the five games since the winter break and fall to eighth in Serie A.

Fans who had gathered in the rain and were directing abuse at the director of football and leading club officials such as general manager Franco Baldini, accusing them of being fans of cross-city rivals Lazio.

"Believe me, your suffering is also mine," the 57-year-old told Giallorossi fans, according to the Corriere dello Sport.

"I suffer so much for Roma, working fifteen hours a day. I am much more a Roma fan than for Lazio. Don't worry, it will not end in this way.

"Now it looks like bad, but we have a very strong team and we will prove it, I tell you. Zeman was unlucky, this is the truth. Anyway, we will make it count in the end."

Supporters also aimed insults in the direction of Baldini, insisting that Roma was theirs and urging him to leave the club.