APPIANO GENTILE - "I have the duty of putting as many quality players as possible in the team, but I can't forget that those with less quality brought us to seven consecutive wins." Words from Claudio Ranieri on the eve of Inter v Palermo.
"But now we must turn the page. Here comes the good part and the hard part, with Sneijder and then Forlan to be slotted in. But I'm convinced that if we can fit them into the framework of the team then it will be fantastic. I feel duty-bound to try as much as I can. The coach must bring out the best in his team," said Ranieri when asked about the inclusion of the Dutchman in the system of play.
"The foundations are there, but inserting Sneijder, who I see behind two forwards or one forward, can create a bit more work to make everything come together. Therefore, I need a bit more sacrifice from everyone. Sneijder is necessary, he's important, but it's important that he understand what the coach wants; seeing how the team has learned to speak a language, it's necessary that he speak it too. When we were compact we earned good results, and we must also be with the diamond. I think that, in this light, the first half of Lecce must ensure that not just Sneijder but also the two forwards learn to interpret the match differently, because they were too stretched. This must be the starting point. As for Sneijder, to a certain extent he's always been a second striker, working for the attack and less for the defence, between the lines. Instead they all must work more. We must act to overcome the difficulties that the team may encounter.
"There are two phases in football; the team that does the best is the one that manages to balance both of them, attack and defence together. All the players have to do it. Just take Barcelona; Guardiola has players who have the ball glued to their laces, and their strength is that they all win the ball back collectively. They all work together. There is no 'me', no egos. They all work for the team, taking part in both the attack and defence. When we succeed in doing this we'll be a good team. Will I manage to play with two forwards and Sneijder? If so I'll be happy. If not I'll play with two forwards or with him and a forward. Anyway, we're playing every three days. He has to enter into my philosophy, based on the fact that I want everyone to play in both the attack as well as the defence."
Ranieri was then asked whether, having in his career put both important and famous players on the bench, he would be prepared to do it here at Inter in support of his playing philosophy: "I'm not afraid to do it to others... [smiling]. It's the team that comes first, always."
