CATANZARO - Javier Zanetti was in Catanzaro today to receive the Nicola Ceravolo award, named after the former Catanzaro president who guided the club through the most successful period of their history (1958 to 1979). The Nerazzurri vice president was awarded with a prize that aims to recognise not only the great athletes but also the great men who have written calcio history.
Called up on stage to collect the accolade, the former Inter captain said: "It's an honour and a privilege for me to be here. This is an important award which carries the name of an important figure, both in the game and away from it. That matters more than anything to me. It's especially nice to have been welcomed by so much enthusiasm from the moment I arrived at the airport."
Talk soon turned to Inter's current situation: "We need to be patient. It's hard for all of us when results aren't coming, myself more than anyone as an Inter fan. When I joined the club I went through some tough times but I always believed that hard work would pay off, that it would take us where it did. We must do the same now, starting next season. I'm sure we can be very successful."
Inter will start over next term with Roberto Mancini at the helm, a coach Javier previously won the Scudetto with: "We had some great times under Roberto. It was with him that we began our winning cycle and I'm sure that with him we'll get back to challenging at the top. All of us, president Thohir more than anyone, want a team capable of winning trophies. We want to taste the joy of success again and I think the time has come for us to try and do that once more."
On Mauro Icardi and Andrea Ranocchia: "Icardi is a top striker. He's very young and has a lot more in him yet. Ranocchia has found himself caught up in this difficult period the club is going through. He's still young and this is his first experience with the captain's armband. When I was first made skipper I didn't have the same level of maturity I have now either. He's a top lad with lots of qualities and ability. He needs time but this is another area where Inter fans are special – they're capable of understanding situations. When we're in a rut we're all responsible, including the club itself, but in football you need to make as few mistakes as possible; that's how we'll get back to winning."
As Zanetti's final words faded away, the crowd burst into a strong, sincere applause. A fitting tribute to a true footballing legend.
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