APPIANO GENTILE – Stefano Pioli set out his plans for an Inter team that "plays with passion" as he was unveiled to the media at a press conference on Thursday afternoon.
"I’m absolutely delighted to become the Inter coach," began Pioli. "I know it’s a big responsibility but I will give my all for this club and these colours.
"I try to push my players to give everything they have. I spoke to Inter last week and things developed naturally. I have a close-knit, workaholic coaching team who know that football is as wonderful as it is unpredictable. We’ll evaluate the situation and decide if there are any problems on the fitness front," explained the new Inter boss.
Pioli also confirmed reports that former Inter centre-back Walter Samuel will be joining his backroom staff.
"I faced Samuel in my playing days and always thought he was a very professional guy who brought fantastic human values to a team. It will be very useful to have him in the team – he can help us improve," insisted Pioli.
The Parma-born coach went on to say a few words about some individual Nerazzurri players.
"I’ve always considered [Antonio] Candreva to be a great professional. It’s obviously different here to Rome, but I know that Antonio is doing very well and can get even better. I’ve always tried to encourage him like that. I expect a lot from him.
"[Ever] Banega is a very intelligent footballer. His movement is excellent and he knows how to get forward. It’s always a boost to have players with those qualities in your squad.
"I’m delighted to be able to coach [Mauro] Icardi. He’s a great player, he has incredible talent and he’s scoring lots of goals. He’s a role model, both on and off the field of play."
However, Pioli was keen to stress that the most important thing was how the team played as a whole, rather than relying on individual stars.
"We have lots of quality players up front and in midfield, but we need to get more players in the box at the right time. I will make my decisions as to who to pick for each game during the week – all players who can help us win matches will be involved.
"We can only achieve success if everyone sacrifices themselves and puts themselves at the service of the team. Talent alone is not enough. I want a team that plays with passion and wears its heart on its sleeve. The fans deserve that – we have to feed off their energy and energise them in return," said Pioli.
The Nerazzurri coach was clearly eager to get stuck into working with his players, as they look to climb the Serie A table.
"We have a vital month ahead. We start with the derby on 20 November and then we have eight games in a month. We have a big squad here but I’ll ensure all the players get a chance. You need a winning, ambitious mentality to be successful, so my priority is to ensure the players really want to get out there and be better than our opponents. We already have the technical quality to become a top team.
"The objective is to return to the Champions League and we have plenty of time to do that. The owners and president deserve that. I’ve had all the support I need from the club to do my job to the best of my ability. We know it’s not going to be easy and that we’ll need to work hard every day. I’ll try to make it as easy as possible."
Pioli also gave fans some insight into what he’ll be focusing on first as he gets used to life at Inter.
"Football is all about your performance and your attitude. The international break gives me a chance to get my bearings here at Inter – there’s great infrastructure here but lots of people to get to know. I’ll only get the team together a few days before the derby. We can use any playing style, but in the beginning I’m not planning on changing much.
"You train during the week to ensure you’re prepare to approach the match the way you want to. I want to see aggressive football so that’s what we’ll be working towards. The players need to improve the way they move the ball around the pitch so that our play becomes more fluid, quicker and – most importantly – more unpredictable.
"Inter don’t want normal – they want more than that. I’ll try to help the side reach its potential and at the end of the season I hope I will have given the team a boost rather than just steadying the ship," said Pioli.
Last but not least, Pioli had some words of thanks for those that have helped him get to where he is today.
"I was coached by [Giovanni] Trapattoni, who taught me so much. You have to do it your own way – I know that I’m at one of the biggest clubs in the world. Pressure isn’t a bad thing. I think this has come at the perfect time in my career. I’ll always thank Parma for the way they treated me. I’ll give 100% and expect 100% in return. My contract and future don’t matter a jot – Inter is the only thing that counts."
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