Ranieri rejected offers before accepting Roma: ‘Only Roma or Cagliari’ | OneFootball

Claudio Ranieri revealed that he turned down multiple offers to get back into management over the last few months, but insists that he was only prepared to return to the dugout for Roma or Cagliari, his two most beloved teams.

Ranieri was officially appointed as head coach of Roma on  Thursday afternoon. The 73-year-old will serve until the end of the 2024-25 campaign and will then transition into an advisory role to the club’s owners.

The former Premier League winner has already overseen his first training session, and as of Friday afternoon, has now conducted his first press conference since his return to Trigoria.

Claudio Ranieri oversees his first training session back in charge of Roma. (picture via www.asroma.it)

Ranieri reveals: ‘Only Roma or Cagliari’ could have tempted him

The 73-year-old began by telling the press he had rejected several offers to return to coaching over the last few months.

His last job was at Cagliari, where his professional coaching career began. Ranieri guided the Isolani to promotion from Serie B in his final season in charge, before stepping back from his role and announcing that he did not intend to return to coaching.

Ranieri felt that the door always remained open for two of his most beloved clubs, though.

“I stopped coaching for a while, and I’m not just saying it, but I’ve had more offers over the last few months and I always turned them down,” Ranieri said during his press conference, reported via TMW.

“There were only two cases where I could return to coaching: For Roma or for Cagliari.

“I wanted to look at football from a different place. Fate wanted me to come back here, it’s fate. I started here as a player and I’ll finish here as a coach.”