PINZOLO - Walter Mazzarri held his first press conference of Inter's summer training camp in Pinzolo this morning. He began by discussing his first few days of work with the team, having had the chance to get to know most of them individually in one-to-one chats. "There are still four or five players I haven't spoken to but all the others I have. It's very important for me to speak to them, I want to get to know them personally. And my first impression is that they're up for it. They're hard-working professionals who want to make up for last year and that's a great starting point. Football is about emotions, you have to play on people's motivation, but I get the impression that motivation is already sky high in this group."
The Nerazzurri coach was then asked to comment on the "iron sergeant" tag he's been given. "I'm just myself. I think this is my 13th year as a professional coach and I go about my job with the beliefs I have. Perhaps it's good for the media to put that sort of spin on it, perhaps it's because before I came here certain things were being said. I prefer action to words and so far the impression I've had has been good. And I don't think I get it wrong very often. I think these lads are going to give me everything they've got."
The journalists tried to probe Mazzarri on potential transfers, but with little success. "I don't want to repeat myself and I understand everyone has a job to do - yours is to ask questions - but I'll only talk about transfers with the club. Piero Ausilio, Marco Branca and president Moratti know what my views are. They aren't called to answer in any great detail about what I do, about the formation we play. It's my job to talk to you about that and it's the club's job to make choices. Ask them about transfers and they'll give you the answers. If we have the chance to sign some great players then I'll be delighted, as any coach would be.
"Yesterday a fan asked me to win the Scudetto and I said 'Give me time and I'll get there.' I want to be a point of reference and do things seriously, not someone who spins a line. Let's not forget that last year's team finished ninth. Now it's up to me to get them firing on all cylinders. I want to see an Inter team that doesn't give up, that goes for it, that has a soul and an identity. That's what I want and what I think I can promise."
Mazzarri was also asked to comment on Thohir and possible Indonesian investment. "Anything that's good for Inter is very welcome. The president told me not to worry and thanked me for not asking him anything. But in any case I'm focused on getting the best out of my players."
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