MILAN - "I look at the performance, and in the first half we played a great game. I’m sorry we didn’t score. In the second half we had a physical decline, and let’s not forget the emergency situation we had today," stated Nerazzurri coach Walter Mazzarri to journalists at the San Siro after Inter v Napoli.
"Icardi? He can leave the pitch as he pleases. I was urging him and Palacio on, then when Napoli put on a midfielder I had to do the same because we risked letting in a goal. He told me, ‘I was in it and I did what I could,’ but it was just a simple exchange between us.
"Had Hamsik started today then we would have played with four. I had to put an extra man in midfield to give us more depth there when he came on. Let’s not forget that players like Jonathan were missing on the flank, so it was also about the lads I had available to me. I like a four-man defence with a good defensive midfielder like De Rossi at Roma. It’s like having a central defender pushed up higher. It’s something I used to do during games when I was at Napoli as well. My players last year had a different tactical understanding since they had been with me for a long time. If I can do it next season then I will.
"I'm glad this season is ending because I’ve had to do a lot, much more than what I had previously done in my 12-year career. I think this year has handed me more tasks than any other in my career. It’s been the most difficult one, but also the most fascinating.
"Advice for the new signings? No, it’s only a discussion on general organisation, if I ask the players to play a four-man defence the mechanisms and game change. It has really been a peculiar season, with a lot of things to take care of…
"Do 15 draws come down to a question of personality? It's a question of many things. Today we faced one of the strongest teams in the league, but we played the first half the way I like to play. We threw away points in other games, but it’s been a peculiar season, because we could have earned more points considering what we’ve done.
"Inter are so far away from the top three teams? We were coming off of 9th place, we signed an experienced player like Hernanes, and Juventus were reigning champions who had strengthened ever further. As for the rest, I’ll evaluate things when the season is over. Right now this is my team and I’ll try to do the best with the players I have. It’s been a peculiar year. Did I meet with De Laurentis? No, I haven’t seen him yet. I was in my dressing room and I don’t believe the president of the other team comes into our dressing room.
"Kovacic? In general I try to get the players to improve. Mateo’s performances are now coinciding with the team’s results. He’s a great player. His game is improving and becoming more concrete, but I never had any doubts. He’s doing the right things at the right time, and he helps us when we don’t have the ball. It takes time to mature for a 19 year old that arrives from abroad and puts on this shirt. He has to understand what he needs to do, but I’m sure he’s going to become a great player."
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INTERVISTA WALTER MAZZARRI POST INTER - NAPOLI
