APPIANO GENTILE – Frank de Boer admitted Inter are going through a tough period as he appeared at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, urging his side to turn their fortunes around against Southampton in the Europa League on Thursday.
"It’s always tough when you don’t win – the results against Roma and Cagliari show that," the Dutchman told reporters at the Centro Sportivo Angelo Moratti. "We need to improve. We weren’t expecting the last defeat and even though we’ve shown some good things we still need to get better.
"We know we need to turn it around because time is something you never have a lot of in football," admitted De Boer.
The Inter coach issued a staunch defence of his players and his own efforts at the club.
"The results aren’t good at the moment, but we started from nothing and you need time to get to know a team. I have great confidence in my players. We’re improving and it’s only a matter of time until the results start coming.
"I’m doing what’s best for my team. I’m working hard because that’s the only thing I can do right now. I have confidence in myself, in the squad, in the coaching staff, in the medical team and in the club. It’s unrealistic to think that a coach can change the recent history of a club in three months.
"It’s hard to say how long the team is going to need to gel. It’s a process. Right now not everything is going well and we need to work on various things – that goes for both the team and coaching staff," explained De Boer.
The Dutchman also addressed the recent controversy surrounding Mauro Icardi.
"The situation between Icardi and the Curva definitely had an effect. Everyone needs to make sure similar situations can be avoided in the future. The staff and all the players need to stay focused on the match in hand – that is very important.
"Mauro needs to remember his responsibilities as captain. I think he understands that. He needs to set a good example for his team-mates."
De Boer was then asked whether Marcelo Brozovic might be recalled to the team for the Europa League match against Southampton.
"Brozovic is training well and he played two games for the Croatian national team, so in my eyes he’s ready to play. We’ll see tomorrow. We have a great squad but I think all of the players can improve, for example when it comes to getting more bodies in the box when the chance arises.
"There is dialogue with the squad and with individuals. I like speaking to them about how we can improve certain things on the pitch," revealed De Boer.
Versión Española 日本語版 Versi Bahasa Indonesia 中文版 Versione Italiana
