APPIANO GENTILE - Walter Mazzarri's first press conference as Inter coach got into full flow with questions coming from all corners of a packed press room at the Centro Sportivo Angelo Moratti.
Considering how last season went at Inter, what are your plans for the squad you have here?
"Firstly I'm a coach and when I take on a new job it's my duty, out of respect for the fans and the club, to get the most out of the players the club provides me with. That's what I've always done in 12 years of coaching. In terms of Inter, I think the value of this squad is greater than what it unfortunately achieved last season, both in results and performances. That's not a slight on anyone, I don't know what happened because I wasn't here. I have complete respect for those who came before me at Inter. What matters is that I'll have to work with all the players the club gives me starting on 8 July. Then, depending on what I see on the pitch and the other things I mentioned earlier, I'll start assessing everything. By that I mean the players' dedication to work, how they deal with the workload and the fatigue. After that I'll sit down with the club as I've always done and then you'll find out about any decisions we make regarding the transfer market."
Your former president has had a few things to say about you recently, using some colourful metaphors at times. Would you like to respond to anything he's said?
"The president likes to joke. Sometimes he does it well, others less so. I spent four magnificent years at Napoli, I did a lot for the club and for myself and I was also given a lot in return. It was a beautiful marriage and like all marriages there's a start and sometimes there's an end. The end might come if you find yourself lacking motivation after many years, and that's something Fabio Capello has said too. I felt it was the right time to move on. The only thing I don't want to hear is the word 'betrayal'. I won't have that because I think I did very well for him, for the club and for the city as a whole. I left for the reasons I've already mentioned and I don't want to go back over it. Let's steer away from any controversy and look forward."
How did Massimo Moratti seem to you? What impression did you have of him in what is a difficult period for Inter?"Our meeting was positive and that's it really. I'd only seen him on TV before and I'd never had the pleasure of speaking to him. He made a very good impression on me. I think the same as what most people think: he's a gentleman in the way he goes about things, in the way he acts and speaks. I've heard from you [journalists] and other people within the club that I also made a good impression on him. I explained to him what I plan to do. He was determined to bring in a coach with the sort of qualities that I possess. He told me why he wanted me and I'm happy because I think I can do what he wants. I don't think I need to say anymore."
I'm sure you already have your own targets in mind. Can Inter start winning things again?
"I think Inter has the obligation to be competitive again, for the name and the history of this club and for what they achieved just three years ago. Being competitive is a rather vague notion. First and foremost the fans must be able to feel proud of watching a team that never gives up, that can give anyone a game, that fights to the death. That's the first objective I hope to achieve. I believe that our football and our performances will get us results. Football is not an exact science but there is science involved, and the closer you get to perfection, the more chance you have of obtaining results. You may lose the odd game, perhaps despite playing well, but in the long run the results should come. I think what Inter fans want to see right now is a real team, a tough team that can have a go at any opponent at any ground, and in particular get back to winning at home considering the numbers from last year. We need to limit those defeats, it's something which stood out a little bit last term."
So what did Massimo Moratti say to you exactly? Can you tell us why he chose you?
"Next year will be my tenth year coaching in Serie A. I think a president like Moratti knows how Mazzarri works on the pitch, I think he found that out without me having to tell him. I also think I'm the sort of coach who likes to be at the centre of things, I'm the main point of reference for the people the club will give me to work with. The president said he wanted a coach with a strong character and I think I've got that. I'm a coach who enjoys taking on responsibility: from the fitness work to the medical side of things and other areas of the company. I got the distinct impression that's the kind of thing the president was looking for in a coach. And, as I said, I think I've got what it takes to do all that."
You have a big backroom team. Can you tell us something about them?
"Giuseppe Baresi is going to stay here and work with me. He's been at the club for ages and everyone looks up to him. He'll help me settle in. I wanted to have him with me so that I can understand certain things about how the club works and he'll stay on my team. Then there are the people who have followed me throughout my career. The first is Pondrelli, the fitness coach, who's been with me since I first started coaching all the way back at Bologna. He's always worked with me and thankfully the results we've had have been reassuring: our teams have never suffered from drops in fitness levels. They might have had the odd blip but they've never stopped running and have always been in good shape. Then there's Frustalupi, who will help me with tactics and organising the players on the pitch. Luca Vigiani is a technical collaborator who will work with me and Frustalupi. Papale is the goalkeeping coach. He's been with me my whole career since we met at Acireale and he's achieved excellent results with the keepers he's trained. That's my coaching staff. Then we have Concina and Nitti, who work on the outside, they're scouts and they won't be around at Appiano Gentile. I'm in the process of discussing with Branca and Ausilio about some others but we'll see. Those are the important people, the ones who get the players performing. I was forgetting someone else, someone very important. Giuseppe Santoro, a technical consultant who will help me in relations with the press and Branca and Ausilio in particular. He'll be a massive help to me across the board."
