Roma Goes Moneyball as Owners Tap Nedved Mentor in Overhaul
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Zdenek Zeman, who’s made tenfold returns by unearthing undervalued soccer players, is scouting for talent again as AS Roma’s U.S. owners ask the veteran Czech coach to clean house in their second season at the Italian team.
Boston-based Thomas DiBenedetto and hedge-fund manager James Pallotta, who bought the world’s 17th-richest club last August, are paying down debt and trimming Roma’s 80 million-euro ($98 million) payroll to set it on an even keel after years of overspending. They’re counting on Zeman’s eye for a bargain as they swap pricey players for promising youngsters and build a global brand to challenge giants such as Barcelona.