Nakata wants another Italian title as he starts Parma adventure
( 2001-07-07 09:42 ) (7 )

Parma's new Japanese playmaker Hidetoshi Nakata, signed from Italian champions AS Roma Thursday evening, said he wanted to win another championship with his new club after signing a four-year contract with the Italian first division club.

Nakata was a member of Roma's Championship-winning squad and although he spent most of the season on the sidelines he produced some crucial performances during the title run-in - notably his man-of-the-match show in the 2-2 draw with Juventus in Turin.

But the 24-year-old former Bellmare and Perugia player showed he was still hungry as he met the press Friday after his 26-million dollar move.

"I want to win an Italian championship here," was the blunt reply of Nakata when asked what he wanted to achieve at Parma.

Parma showed the faith they have in their new recruit by handing him the number 10 jersey, usually given to the playmaker or team leader such as Pele, Diego Maradona or Michel Platini.

Nakata's favourite number is the seven he wears with Japan - at Roma he wore the number eight - but he was pleased with the compliment.

"I would have preferred the number seven," admitted Nakata, known as 'Hide' in Italy. "After all number 10 is a tough number to live up to. But I hope I will prove worthy of it.

He admitted that it had been frustrating spending so much time on the sidelines at Roma.

"My objective is especially to play regularly if the coach permits," said Nakata. "At Roma it was difficult, I played little."

Nakata would not look ahead to next year's World Cup in Japan and South Korea when he will carry the hopes of the co-hosts on his slender shoulders.

"That's still a long way off," said Nakata. "Now I am thinking only of my new team and to do well at Parma."

Meanwhile, the Italian sports press reported that Parma had signed three more players on Thursday.

The best known is Brazilian goalkeeper Claudio Taffarel, who won a World Cup winners medal in 1994. He will understudy newly acquired French goalkeeper Sebastien Frey, who joined Parma from Inter Milan on Wednesday night.

Taffarel, whose contract with Turkish club Galatasaray has expired, has already had one stint at Parma and at 36 this is likely to be the last move in his career.

Another Inter player - defender Matteo Ferrari - also makes the move to Parma as does winger Marco Marchionni, signed from second division Empoli.