Del Neri hands over Roma reins

Dismal sequence
Del Neri decided his position was untenable in the wake of yesterday's 3-0 loss at Cagliari Calcio - the team's third straight Serie A defeat which left them in seventh place in the table, nine points off fourth spot and UEFA Champions League qualification.

Roma hero
The 50-year-old Conti, who was head of Roma's youth system, steps up to take charge of first-team affairs, assisted by Ezio Sella. Conti is a popular figure at the capital club, having won the Scudetto with the Giallorossi in 1983, a year after lifting the FIFA World Cup with Italy.

'Wrong direction'
Roma's season got off to an inauspicious start even before a ball had been kicked, when then coach Cesare Prandelli abandoned his post for family reasons. Rudi Völler took over, but was gone by the end of September. "I'm used to working in a certain way and I tried to do it here at Roma," said the German. "Unfortunately, I realised I was going in the wrong direction."

Short stay
Del Neri, the former AC Chievo Verona coach, also had a turbulent summer after joining European champions FC Porto in June. The 54-year-old left that job just two months later for "personal reasons", without leading them in a competitive game, before signing a two-year contract with Roma. However, just 34 points from 24 Serie A matches, and a premature exit from the Champions League, meant he failed to win over the Olimpico supporters.