SAVONA – Inter youth academy director Roberto Samaden spoke to Inter Channel after the Primavera bowed out of the championship finals with a quarter-final defeat to Lazio.
What did you say to the players?
"I told them I'd like to see every team play the way they did for 70-75 minutes. We dominated proceedings before we started dropping off physically. That can happen. We played with a lot of character. Perhaps our only shortcoming was that we didn't make the most of all the chances we created. Regardless of the result, the game shows how much we've grown over the course of the season."
Is there a sense of regret given that you were missing some players?
"Injuries are part and parcel of the game and our opponents were missing a few themselves. I don't have any regrets because it was an opportunity to see other youngsters who perhaps had fewer opportunities to showcase their talents during the year. The performance we saw against Lazio shows you how well the coach has worked with the entire squad at his disposal. You win eight times out of ten playing like that, but course other results are always possible. We've had a great season and if we always played the way we did against Lazio, I'd be happy. You learn both when you win and when you lose. The performance is what matters – that and knowing you gave everything you had. And our boys did that."
Samaden finished with words of praise for Primavera coach Stefano Vecchi.
"He's a very talented coach with good all-round ability. He and his backroom team have done a fantastic job. He'll be our coach next season too – if it were for me, he'd stay with us for life."
