Claudio Ranieri Resigns After Horror Week At AS Roma

Claudio Ranieri has resigned as head coach at AS Roma, according to Football Italia. The 59-year-old reportedly gave his resignation after the Giallorossi’s Sunday loss at Genoa, a match in which Ranieri’s side gave up a 3-0 lead, allowing four goals in the game’s final 38 minutes before losing 4-3. According to James Horncastle, Ranieri said goodbye to his team in the dressing room post-match.

The resignation ends a disastrous week for Ranieri and Roma. Last weekend, the team lost to Napoli 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico, practically ending their slim title hopes. In mid-week Champions League action, Ranieri’s side gave up three goals in a 13 minutes to visiting Shakhtar Donetsk, eventually losing 3-2. Today, Roma held a three goal advantage after 51 minutes before another collapse.

The resignation ends a season-plus stay at Roma, the team for whom Ranieiri debuted as a player in 1973. His return to Rome in the fall of 2009 attempted to fill the large shoes of Luciano Spalletti, something Ranieiri did by guiding Roma to the edge of a scudetto before being edged out by Internazionale.

With today’s loss, Roma currently sit eighth in the Serie A, 16 points back of league-leading Milan, nine points away from retaining their Champions League spot. If the season ended today, Roma would miss European competition for the first time since 1997-98.

Roma was Ranieri’s 11th stop in a managerial career that started in 1987 with Campania Puteolana. He would move to Calgiari a year later and guide them into the Serie A. Ranieri went on to manage Napoli, Fiorentina, Valencia, Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, Parma and Juventus before returning to the club he trained at as a boy.

The homecoming was born after Spalletti left Roma following reported disagreements with the Sensi family. Ranieri made an instant impact, returning Roma to title-contending status after a season away from the top. Roma would go on to finish two points behind league-winning Inter, also being bested by the Nerazzurri in the Coppa Italia final.

This season, supporters have become increasingly displeased with Ranieri’s selection and tactics, frustrated one season after Ranieri’s often curious decisions (tinkering) led the Giallorossi to within reach of silverware. This year, there’s been criticism of how Ranieri’s handled the central defense, midfield, and attack, with most detractors focusing on his selection at those positions. Such criticism had led many to seek Ranieri’s removal, with former Roma great Vincenzo Montella’s name reported whispered around the Olimpico.