APPIANO GENTILE - A song entirely dedicated to captain Zanetti is sung by a Nerazzurri fan in a voicemail message to Inter Channel's Prima Serata. This is yet another reason for Pupi to repeat what he's already said many times: "Inter fans are different to other supporters and I will never stop thanking all of them. The first thing they asked me when I got injured was to promise them that I'd be back playing soon. That's what's in my mind: above all coming back fit, then playing at least one more match in front of my fans. What would I have done had I not become a footballer? A singer, without a doubt," revealed Zanetti with a big smile as he reflected on possible targets, explaining: "My football career has given me so much, I couldn't have asked for any more. And I'm also happy on a human level, the most important thing is that my family's well."
We won't see Zanetti out there as a coach and he gave his reasons: "I don't intend to and I've never really wanted to. I'll be close to the action, perhaps as a director, but at this moment in time I'm not thinking about coaching."
The experience of a close friend like Ivan Ramiro Cordoba has helped him to understand what waits for him beyond his playing career: "I've spoken to him many times and I must congratulate him because he's done a great job in this very difficult season. You see a lot of things differently when you're a player and he's done really well, though I never doubted he would."
On the subject of the psychological impact Diego Milito's injury might have had on the Nerazzurri, Zanetti made no effort to hide the fact that "it hit us really hard. We would never have wished that upon Diego but I'll be honest: after his injury Diego gave us great strength, we were a bit afraid but then it passed because we had a number of months ahead of us, lots of games to play and we couldn't stop." And on the youngsters who lined up alongside the skipper on many occasions this season both in training and matches: "From the Primavera lads I think Niccolò Belloni is ready for the first team. The most important thing is that these young players - regardless of the many injuries we suffered and would have preferred to avoid - showed they're up to the task. They can have a great future and we must focus on them."
Javier Zanetti has been an athlete his whole life and he explained how he's able to follow all the advice he's given: "I behave properly, eat a lot and eat well. I'm lucky that I have a quick metabolism especially when I have lunch here at Appiano Gentile. I eat dried pasta and healthy food. Only after a game do I allow myself a Coca Cola, if we win of course! I start training after my holidays, at least two weeks before the start of the training camp. I like to come into it with good fitness levels. I've gone through a number of fitness coaches and, above all, times have changed. When I first joined Inter we ran long distances, now we barely do that anymore. We work in short bursts, on intensity. I like working, there's nothing better than feeling tired after training. That's an amazing feeling. I really like to work on strength, I've done it over they years with professor Rapetti, who's been with me a lot."
