PINZOLO – Among the many topics brought up at today's news conference, one was the players who – if you believe the media reports – might be on their way out, like Andrea Ranocchia and Fredy Guarin. Walter Mazzarri answered: “If the club has sent them here on the training camp it's because I need to assess certain things. There are other defenders who have had physical problems. Now they're training. I look closely at fitness levels and injury prevention. I knew the players as opponents when I was at Napoli, now I want to see them close up. I wanted two weeks to have a really good look at them, that's why we chose not to take part in the TIM Trophy this year. There are matters that we'll deal with further down the line once I know the players' technical and tactical capabilities better. It's easy to evaluate the starting grid: you can look at specific parameters and in football you can analyse things by looking at wages, quality and so on, but that's the sort of assessment I prefer to leave to you [journalists]."
What target should Inter be aiming for? "I have to instil in the players the belief that we can win every game. We'll face every opponent with the idea that we can beat them. It's important to have a game plan in mind, and clear ideas provided by the coach. I've always achieved the targets I've been set. I think the players should trust me and we can try to fulfil our potential on the pitch. My focus is always on the next game and the next three points. I don't want to make any statements of intent because I wouldn't be taken seriously after taking over a team that finished ninth last term."
Mazzarri chose to sidestep controversy when asked about his departure from Napoli and the claims made by some that he could have done more there. "I've turned the page. I've already explained why I left Napoli and I don't want to go over it again. Now I'm at Inter and I have no intention of getting caught up in these little quibbles, which is what you're after. I think considering that I took over a team that was sixth from bottom with lots of youngsters – Lavezzi and Hamsik back then too – getting into Europe at the first time of asking, going on a 15-match unbeaten run and just missing out on a Champions League spot was a great achievement. And we only got better after that. The young players I had became top players thanks to the work we did. Cavani too, he was an average player when he arrived and at Napoli he turned into the Cavani he is today. As well as making things work financially we also obtained results on the pitch, almost a sporting miracle over four years and I've left that for Benitez to build on – and he's well placed to do that. Those are the facts, the rest is just hot air."
Back on the topic of the squad now available to him, Mazzarri explained: "Chivu is giving it a go. I know everything about him and I can see that he's fine at the moment. That's how things stand today. I don't know what will happen tomorrow, I don't have a crystal ball."
How long will it take to see the real Inter that Mazzarri wants? "I can tell you what happened to my teams in the past. I think we'll see some things quite quickly but the rehearsed movements and the football that's good to watch will come a bit later. Not in a week or ten days, but it also depends on how the players respond. We mustn't forget that we've only been training for two days and today was the first real training session."
The coach was also quizzed about comments made by Antonio Cassano and recent praise from Javier Zanetti. "I released a statement on that and I have nothing to add. I know you'll bring it up again but that's the only answer you'll get from me and it's the truth. I don't have to answer Cassano anymore. I respect what others say, the facts speak for themselves, then people can read them their own way, and say everything and anything. What matters to me is that out of 100 players 99 see it like Zanetti. The players I've worked with know how I see things, how I organise my teams and how I work. I'm honoured to hear that Zanetti thinks the same way."
Juventus have signed Carlos Tevez but Mazzarri said, "I'm not really interested in what others do. Tevez is a great player and you need great players if you want to be the best, but you also need a team that works for the player. For me it's always about the team. Even with Cavani, who scored loads, I always stressed that it was thanks to the team that he was able to score so much. His goal average at Napoli was much higher than it is with Uruguay precisely because the team was playing for him."
