Luis Enrique has quit as manager of AS Roma, putting an end to a troubled reign in charge of the Serie A side, the club's general director confirmed on Friday. "At a certain point it wore him out and he felt the need to stop," general director Franco Baldini told Sky. "He won't be training anywhere next season. We invited him to take all the time he needed to decide, hoping right until the end that he would stay." Italian media had reported Enrique's departure on Thursday, after a video surfaced of him apparently saying to goodbye to the players at the club's training ground, but neither Roma, nor the coach himself, confirmed the news. The season has been a tough one for Roma, whose new owners, led by American Thomas DiBenedetto, put the Spaniard in charge of a long-term project that they hoped would make the club as successful as the big three of AC Milan, Juventus and Inter Milan. However, the club have suffered 14 defeats, are seventh in the league with one game to play and may not even qualify for Europe next season. The club remained publicly supportive of Enrique but it was clear that pressure from fans and the local media irritated him. Former Roma striker Vincenzo Montella, who coached the club in the second half of last season after Claudio Ranieri's departure, appeared to be in pole position to take Enrique's place. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter: @AO Sports)
