APPIANO GENTILE – "When you talk, people twist what you say. When you don't talk, they use their imagination..." smiled Andrea Stramaccioni when asked during this morning's press conference about his meeting with president Massimo Moratti yesterday.
He went on: "It was a chat like many other ones we've had before. We talked about and analysed lots of things. I'm always the person with the most responsibility because he handed me the reins of the team. Together we analyse what hasn't gone well and what has, what we can build on for the future. This is an important period for us because we need to be smart and honest enough to understand what has worked and what hasn't.
"What assessments were made? I made the assessments I had to make, both positive and negative, with my president. I think we need to concentrate on taking the right steps to build on the good things we've done and not repeat the mistakes we've made. There have been other factors that, objectively speaking, have affected and worsened our plight. It's important and wonderful for a coach to be backed. We can talk about it at the end of the season, but all that matters is Inter and Moratti is Inter. Let's not forget that when this team was at full strength it was up near the top."
The coach was then asked if he would find it strange should 'no heads roll' after such a difficult season. "We set out with the aim of building big, we've put down some decent groundwork, and I think it would be a mistake to tear up all the plans now. The president will make the necessary tweaks, he's the only one who can do that from the top. He knows that I'm on his side and that I'll do everything I can to repay him. I'll always be grateful to him, even if he should identify my head as the one that has to roll... But let me concentrate on Genoa v Inter for now, though I can't deny that I'm raring to build things and start again. Obviously I'm the first person to be held to account, and I've explained to him in detail the things I've done well, less well and badly. The project will move forward. No one knows the club better than he does and he'll decide what's best for Inter."
In response to a question about Leonardo: "I've never had the pleasure of meeting the man but everyone speaks very well of him. The president also sounds as if he's remained on excellent terms with him but hasn't spoken to me about him with regard to the future."
