Soccer:New Roma coach Claudio Ranieri has vowed to bring "pragmatism" to the team after taking over from football purist Luciano Spalletti.

Spalletti stepped down from his post at the Stadio Olimpico yesterday after his side lost their opening two games of the Serie A season.

Roman Ranieri was quickly lined up to step into his shoes having lost his job at Juventus to Ciro Ferrara over the summer.

And while he was full of praise for the free-flowing football employed under Spalletti, Ranieri admits his Roma will play his way.

After agreeing a two-year deal, Ranieri said today: “They need a shock because this team needs to react immediately.

“Maybe they have lost a bit of conviction.

“In the last four years this team has done great things, playing some of the most beautiful football in Europe.

“I was proud as a Roman to see them play. I can say I’m coming home with a huge desire to do well.

“My philosophy is a little different to Spalletti’s, I will bring my pragmatism to this team.”

Ranieri insists he does not expect to encounter a personality clash with dominant captain Francesco Totti.

“I expect Totti to just be Totti,” he said.

Ranieri, who played for the club, will take charge for the first time at Siena on September 13th.

Roma lie at the foot of the Serie A standings after starting the new season with back-to-back defeats. The Giallorossi lost 3-2 at Genoa before suffering a 3-1 defeat to Juve on Sunday at the Stadio Olimpico.

The 57-year-old will have a challenge on his hands to bring the good times back to Roma.

Under Spalletti, Roma won two Coppa Italia titles (2007, 2008) and an Italian Supercup (2008), as well as finishing runners-up three times in Serie A behind champions Inter Milan.

However, Roma fans were left frustrated with the club’s failure to make any big-name signings over the summer.

Defenders Nicolas Burdisso from Inter Milan and Marco Motta from Udinese were the team’s most notable arrivals.