Given that we're not anywhere close to recovering from the unstoppable juggernaut of emotion that was Francesco Totti's farewell to Roma, just over a week ago, news of another Italian great eyeing retirement is about as welcome as a fart in a crowded lift.
But it appears that new Roma captain Daniele De Rossi now has a couple of dates in mind for his impending retirement from international and club level football.
For fuck sake. Can't we have a few minutes to recover from Totti's tears at the Olimpico before we even begin contemplating a world without Daniele De Rossi booting opposition midfielders all over the park for 90 minutes, every week?
We may only have a couple more years to enjoy this man. Make the most of them. Image: PA
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Ahead of Italy's friendly with Uruguay in Nice, tonight, De Rossi was questioned about his future as he prepares to make his 113th appearance for the Azzurri, making him the country's fifth most capped player of all time, ahead of the legendary Dino Zoff.
And the Giallorossi skipper admitted that next year's World Cup will likely be his last involvement for the Italian national team.
"Let's first get to the World Cup, and then in 2018 I will be 35 and I could even bid farewell to the Azzurri shirt.
"It is a real honour for me to go beyond Zoff, soon it will be Andrea Pirlo, so we are talking about legends of Italian football.
Taking care of business. Image: PA
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"I will be 34 in a couple of months and I'm absolutely certain that I could be an important player for the World Cup.
"But if I think of 2020, I would be 37 y9H/T ears old, so you have to be realistic. If I'm needed I will always be there, but I consider the World Cup to be my final experience [for Italy]."
De Rossi was part of the Italian squad that won the World Cup in 2006, although he missed the majority of the tournament after being suspended for four games, following a red card in the Azzurri's second group game that he received for elbowing America's Brian McBride.
When it comes to club matters, the 33-year-old midfielder recently signed a two year contract extension with Roma, but accepts that, when it comes to an end in 2019, he may not sign another.
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De Rossi had been linked with a move to Internazionale ahead of next season, after the Nerazzurri appointed Roma boss Luciano Spalletti as their new manager. De Rossi, however, had no intention of following his boss to the San Siro.
"It doesn't bother me at all that I'm not going to Inter, because I never was an Inter player.
"I have always worn the same shirt, and it would be a bit strange to see me wearing a different one of any colour.
The midfielder is adored in Rome, having spent his entire career with the Giallorossi. Image: PA
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"I'm sorry [he's gone] because he's a great coach I had a strong bond with. I hope that he doesn't show 100 percent of how good he is at Inter because they are going to be our rivals for the top places next year."
So that's potentially just two more years we have left of Daniele De Rossi. Let's start making the most of him, now. And we'll somehow try and deal with Andrea Pirlo's expected retirement in the meantime. Oh God, that's going to require at least a month off work, that one.
(H/T Goal)
Topics: Football, AS Roma, Italy