Enrique: I will quit if players want me out

Under-fire Roma coach Luis Enrique admits he will walk away from the job if he has lost the support of his players.

The capital club slipped to eighth in Serie A following a 3-0 loss to Fiorentina on Sunday in which three of their players were sent off.

The defeat follows a horror week for the club with Pablo Daniel Osvaldo suspended and fined 50,000 euros for punching team-mate Erik Lamela in the locker room after their loss to Udinese.

On Sunday, Roma fans chanted for Enrique – who took over as head coach in June on a two-year contract – to quit but he vowed to continue working hard in a bid to repay their faith in the club.

Asked in his post-match press conference if he would resign if they lost next Monday’s clash with Juventus, Enrique said: “You’d have to ask the players that, probably without the microphone on, because on record they’ll all say the same thing.”

“If I feel that the players aren’t following me anymore, then I will leave, but that is not what I see right now.”

“I’m not here to stay gripped to the bench, I don’t like to work for money. I am here because the club has faith in me, but if I see that the players do not follow my lead then I will act accordingly. But you’d have to ask them.”

Juan, Fernando Gago and Bojan Krkic were all sent off against Fiorentina as Roma lost their second match in a row.

Francesco Totti made his return from an ankle injury but was left on the bench for the entire game.

“Francesco is the best player in the history of Roma, so it’s normal the fans call for him,” Enrique said.

“I like this rapport between fans and players. As for me, I continue along my path and do my work. In football things don’t always go the way you think they should.”