Totti: “You’ll know at the end of the season”

I’ll make a solemn promise to you, our dear readers; we’re going to try, to the best of our ability and availability, to cover every twist and turn of the Francesco Totti retirement saga. Earlier in the week we discussed Monchi’s statement on Totti’s future, which was really just a reiteration of what we already knew—he has a director gig lined up if he’s so inclined—but today, more voices joined the Totti chorus.

First in the conga line is everyone’s favorite transient team owner, James Pallotta:

I had already spoken to him about this, he will be the technical director...Monchi can only learn from him.

Umm, okay? Granted that is only one small snippet from an Il Messaggero post, but I get the feeling Pallotta and Totti haven’t shared the same airspace much over the past 12 months, much less a room, so as crazy as it might sound, he’s probably not the most reliable resource as far as Totti’s future is concerned, unless he’s hell bent on pushing Totti upstairs. In which case, well, it’s your funeral, James.

Not one to be left out, Rudi Garcia (for some reason) chimed in:

As long as Francesco hasn’t given his opinion on the issue we can’t decide...He could continue to play next season. I’ll talk about it when he has decided what to do.

Marseille? He’s a fantastic player, for now his future is on the Roma board. After that everything is possible, all the time and at every level.

As much as I’d love to harangue Rudi here, he’s speaking common sense—Totti hasn’t talked, so neither should we, but seriously, come on. Totti ain’t playing for Marseille.

Now we turn to the man himself. Totti was rather pith, if not downright cheeky, when he spoke to the press courtside at a Virtus Roma game, saying simply, You'll know everything in 23 days. You've waited a year..

Totti’s always had a flair for the dramatic, hasn’t he? Although at this point, it’s hard to tell if he’s irritated beyond belief or if he’s simply toying with us, but either way...23 days.

What a depressing thought.