for his team-mates means he is waiting until the
end of the season to announce a decision on his
future, with the coach adamant Roma's No.10 shirt
should not be withdrawn.
Incoming sporting director Monchi this week
claimed Totti will retire when the 2016-17
campaign is over and take up a role behind the
scenes at Stadio Olimpico.
Spalletti, though, feels it is up to the 40-year-old
veteran and the club president to confirm the
intentions of the Giallorossi icon.
"If we speak about the Totti situation, he [Monchi]
has only reported on the situation he has found,"
the coach said.
"He said that Francesco has signed a contract [to
become a director] - that's what he knows and
that's what he reports.
"Francesco is going through the most important
moment of his career, he wants to wait the end of
the season and he wants to keep quiet in order to
stress the importance of the final streak of games.
"Whereas you [the media] care more about his fate
than the others, but in order to achieve results, we
should take everyone into consideration.
"It's the president who is managing Totti's career
ending and it seems to me that he has already
done this.
"I haven't heard from any of his entourage and this
means that they want to wait the end of the season
and only then will he [Totti] voice his thoughts.
"And I think it would be better if it was him doing
it. Monchi only stated what he has already found
on the table."
Some have suggested the No.10 shirt worn with
such distinction by Totti should be retired along
with the former Italy international, but Spalletti is
fiercely opposed to that symbolic gesture.
He said: "About the shirt, I say that they shouldn't
withdraw it. Before Totti, [Giuseppe] Giannini wore
the No.10... in the past others withdrew the shirt.
But what about the kid who longs to play with that
shirt? Do we want to deprive him of this pleasure?
"I can't bear to hear people saying that the shirt
should be retired. This is my thought. If I don't see
that shirt anymore, then I will go to the cemetery
and will look for Totti's shirt to see it again."
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