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Roman Soldier: Why Was Roma's Okaka Allowed To Join Fulham?
‘Jay Jay’ has signed off in style, but Vince Masiello questions the Giallorossi’s transfer policy.
Feb 3, 2010 8:30:00 AM
By Vince Masiello
For a second there, I thought Claudio Ranieri would have called it off. For a second, I thought he would have put his foot down and said Fulham might have to forget about Stefano Okaka and live with it.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. Perhaps it was the best decision in the end, the right decision. After all, you can’t really ‘piss off’ the whole of the Premier League after having already taken Marco Motta off the flight to Manchester.
But you could tell the Giallorossi supporters were left with a bitter taste in their mouth, and rightly so. Don’t get me wrong. It was not a spur-of-the-moment thing. The buzz that followed his remarkable goal against Siena, bringing back memories of Amantino Mancini’s ‘Back-heel of God’ in a memorable Derby della Capitale, is merely a minor detail.
It’s just that you are bound to question the logic behind the choice to loan out a star in the making, who has already proved he knows how to step up in time of need, while a so-called ‘big-name’ star, Jeremy Menez, dillydallies around and God only knows when he will snap out of his fantasy land.
It was Okaka and little-known Romanian Adrian Pit who upstaged their more fancied team-mates on Sunday and spared the Giallorossi’s blushes against Serie A basement side Siena, whose away record of 9 defeats in 10 outings spoke volumes ahead of their trip to the Eternal City.
With captain Francesco Totti, Mirko Vucinic and Luca Toni sidelined, Ranieri was forced to cram the midfield and field Julio Baptista on his own up front when the Brazilian is anything but an out-and-out striker. In fact, I don’t think ‘The Beast’ may be considered a midfielder either and I’m still wondering what playing position he puts down on his resume.
So, despite lots of huffing and puffing, it wasn’t until Okaka and the man from Dracula’s land stepped onto the pitch that the Maggica managed to find the decisive breakthrough. And what a beaut!
‘Stefanone’ netted only his second goal in Serie A with a cheeky back-heel flick which could not have better epitomized the Italy Under-21 star’s character. Something that Roma could have done with in the crucial final months of the season.
And Daniele De Rossi, whose wild pursuit of Okaka as his ‘little brother’ rushed towards the Curva Sud has already become a cult classic in the Italian capital, knows it full well.
“I’m sorry to see him leave,” he said on Sunday. “He could have done well here too, but maybe it’s fair that he moves out…”
Yes, it’s fair. But Fulham have been granted the option to keep the 20-year-old for a further season and I am afraid Roma might regret having to look for fresh blood in the summer - I can’t really see Menez and Baptista outstaying their welcome beyond this season – when they had a ready-made replacement already roaming the halls of Trigoria. Money is still tight around here, you know?
However, I’m sure ‘Jay Jay’ will be back eventually. The experience in the Premier League will stand him in good stead and, once he makes his grand return, he will go on to become the next big thing at the Olimpico. Arrivederci, Stefano.
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Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. Perhaps it was the best decision in the end, the right decision. After all, you can’t really ‘piss off’ the whole of the Premier League after having already taken Marco Motta off the flight to Manchester.
But you could tell the Giallorossi supporters were left with a bitter taste in their mouth, and rightly so. Don’t get me wrong. It was not a spur-of-the-moment thing. The buzz that followed his remarkable goal against Siena, bringing back memories of Amantino Mancini’s ‘Back-heel of God’ in a memorable Derby della Capitale, is merely a minor detail.
It’s just that you are bound to question the logic behind the choice to loan out a star in the making, who has already proved he knows how to step up in time of need, while a so-called ‘big-name’ star, Jeremy Menez, dillydallies around and God only knows when he will snap out of his fantasy land.
It was Okaka and little-known Romanian Adrian Pit who upstaged their more fancied team-mates on Sunday and spared the Giallorossi’s blushes against Serie A basement side Siena, whose away record of 9 defeats in 10 outings spoke volumes ahead of their trip to the Eternal City.
With captain Francesco Totti, Mirko Vucinic and Luca Toni sidelined, Ranieri was forced to cram the midfield and field Julio Baptista on his own up front when the Brazilian is anything but an out-and-out striker. In fact, I don’t think ‘The Beast’ may be considered a midfielder either and I’m still wondering what playing position he puts down on his resume.
So, despite lots of huffing and puffing, it wasn’t until Okaka and the man from Dracula’s land stepped onto the pitch that the Maggica managed to find the decisive breakthrough. And what a beaut!
‘Stefanone’ netted only his second goal in Serie A with a cheeky back-heel flick which could not have better epitomized the Italy Under-21 star’s character. Something that Roma could have done with in the crucial final months of the season.
And Daniele De Rossi, whose wild pursuit of Okaka as his ‘little brother’ rushed towards the Curva Sud has already become a cult classic in the Italian capital, knows it full well.
“I’m sorry to see him leave,” he said on Sunday. “He could have done well here too, but maybe it’s fair that he moves out…”
Yes, it’s fair. But Fulham have been granted the option to keep the 20-year-old for a further season and I am afraid Roma might regret having to look for fresh blood in the summer - I can’t really see Menez and Baptista outstaying their welcome beyond this season – when they had a ready-made replacement already roaming the halls of Trigoria. Money is still tight around here, you know?
However, I’m sure ‘Jay Jay’ will be back eventually. The experience in the Premier League will stand him in good stead and, once he makes his grand return, he will go on to become the next big thing at the Olimpico. Arrivederci, Stefano.
For the latest news and updates from Goal.com, follow our Twitter account!
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