APPIANO GENTILE - Today's guest on InterNOS, Danilo D'Ambrosio spoke not only about Inter and the present, but also about the time he turned down an offer from Chelsea to join Fiorentina at the very start of his career. He explained: "It wasn't a difficult choice because my family and I had decided to go to Florence so that I could develop in an easier environment. I was only 15. If I had gone down that path we would have had to split the family because my dad would have come with me and my mum would have stayed with my brother, who's also a footballer and plays for Lecce. We chose Fiorentina because it was a big club, a new club, and Cesare Prandelli and Pantaleo Corvino were there. My brother and I played together in Florence for a while then our paths were separated, but hopefully we can play together again some day."
Back on the subject of Inter: "I've joined a big club and I think it's normal to feel a little bit anxious at the beginning. Against Verona I was perfectly calm though. I hadn't started a game for a while but mentally I'm absolutely fine. I did notice a difference moving to Inter from Torino but the initial impact has worn off now and I'm just getting on with it."
On the day that Father's Day is celebrated in Italy, we learnt something about Danilo's own father: "My biggest critic in my family is my dad. Before I moved to Inter, after every game he'd tell me, 'That's another brick we've laid in place.' He said the same thing to me after every match until one day I turned around and said to him, 'So when is this house going to be finished, dad?'"
The full-back also discussed his relationship with his new team-mates, when asked about who he's bonded with most at the club: "Nagatomo is really nice, he's such a laugh. Then Zanetti, Palacio, Milito, Mudingayi, but everyone really. Some people said I looked at ease against Verona, well I can say that my team-mates gave me a big hand on the pitch as well.
"Will I play again in the coming matches? I'm obviously working and training hard to make things difficult for the coach, but I respect the choices he makes and I'll wait my turn."
A Neapolitan by birth, D'Ambrosio was also asked for his view on Napoli. "They're a top team with big players and their league position reflects that. As for ourselves, we just have to take one game at a time and see what we can do. What do I expect for next season? Our aim is to get into Europe and finish as high as possible.
"I want to develop as a player but words don't mean much, it's what you do that matters. I'm have to improve every day and remember that next year, if we have European football, I'll need to be even more on my toes. My aim is to grow, become a better player and, since we have a coach who places so much importance on wide players, learn as quickly as possible so that I can put into practice what he wants."
