MILAN – Inter Primavera boss Stefano Vecchi looked back on his brief stint in charge of the first team in an interview with Premium Sport News today.
"Going back to the Primavera is like a homecoming for me because this is my home,” admitted Vecchi, who has won the Viareggio Cup and the Coppa Italia since taking over the Nerazzurri Under-19s in 2014.
“With the first team I got to work with a great group of lads who are determined to bounce back. They took all my instructions on board – they were superb. It's a squad with a tremendous amount of ability, although producing it on the pitch is not always straight forward. Serie A isn't easy for anyone, especially if you're not familiar with the league."
Vecchi was asked for his opinion of Stefano Pioli in the wake of his appointment as head coach of the senior side this week, as well as his views on some of the senior players he worked with.
"Inter have lots of unfulfilled potential and I think Pioli can help them fulfil it.
“Gabigol is a good lad, very talented. He needs to get to grips with Italian football. He's getting there slowly but surely. He just needs a bit of time.
“[Geoffrey] Kondogbia needed a settling-in period last season. He's had some other difficulties this year but he's giving his all to come through it. He's still a young player.
“[Mauro] Icardi is a leader. He really looks the part as captain, this year more than ever before. He's got real character.
“There are players like [Assane] Gnoukouri and [Senna] Miangue who are already in the first team and lots of other good prospects who I hope can soon make the step up too.”
Pioli's first outing will be in the Milan Derby, a match where the form book traditionally goes out the window. The Rossoneri go into it on the back of a strong start to the Serie A campaign but Vecchi believes it could be even more unpredictable than usual.
"They're doing very well this season. I'm pleased for [Vincenzo] Montella – he's got them looking very tidy. They're in the mix for the Champions League spots at the moment but now they need to keep it up.
“The derby is always hard to call and I think this one will be even tougher.”
AC Milan are on the verge of becoming the second Milanese club to come under Chinese ownership in less than six months.
"The players don't get distracted by things like that. There's a whole structure in place,” the 45-year-old coach explained. “There are lots of very capable people at Inter, regardless of how long the owners spend in Milan.
Finally, Vecchi was asked about the possibility of him one day becoming a full-time coach of a first team.
“That's something all coaches aspire to but I'm very happy at Inter and our Primavera team has enormous potential,” he concluded.
