We are approaching the third match in seven days for Mazzarri’s Inter. After the away game in Bergamo, this will be another hard challenge. The Nerazzurri have reached Udine, and will play against the squad of Francesco Guidolin. Inter’s head coach discussed the upcoming game in today’s pre-match press conference. Here is what he had to say:
Udinese have played very well at home. Except for one game, the one against Roma…
“Yes, we know that this definitely will be a difficult game. My opinion is that they have a great head coach who works well with both young and experienced players, and who knows how to give his team an identity. It’s a difficult challenge, at their home stadium they are very strong”.
How are Campagnaro, Handanovic and Icardi? Could they be called up?
“Handanovic will be evaluated today. Icardi aswell, I need to know if he is able to play for a few minutes because we are short in attack and I will call up a Primavera player. Campagnaro, however, is not fit to play yet”.
What did you and Moratti talk about yesterday?
“I really like how he is always here with us. I have never talked about private conversations, but we had a chat and I like that he comes to talk to me”.
What is it that Inter lack, compared to the three top teams?
“In this world, everyone can say what he or she wants. We certainly lack some points. We have lost several points along the way, sometimes because of stupid decisions, and sometimes because nothing went our way. There have been moments when some things haven’t functioned correctly. Against Atalanta we made some mistakes that could have been avoided. We are also a bit less experienced and cynical than the other teams, but we have started almost from zero with young players who do not have a lot of experience, and we knew about this all along. Then there are some aspects in which we haven’t been very lucky”.
Are you worried about this loss of points?
“No, absolutely not. For us this season is a new beginning, considering how the last season went. On paper, we should play well and focus on ourselves, all I want to see is a team that plays well. I think the supporters are also happy with this point of view. Of course I don’t like losing points, but even Vincenzo Montella said after a lost game that he was convinced of being on the right track. This is also my viewpoint”.
Who is Inter’s first choice penalty taker?
“When they give us a penalty, you will see…”.
What did you make of Cuadrado’s red card?
“It will be taken care of by competent people, surely certain situations will need to be evaluated in order to change something over time”.
What do you ask of the team after ten played league games?
“I want us to grow. Every match we need to develop, we need to eliminate the mistakes made in the previous game. This is the only way for team to develop even further. However I am satisfied, because everyone is trying to do what the coach says”.
What do you see as the reason to the many goals conceded lately?
“Let me point out that I would have no proble with winning every game 4-3. We have conceded a few goals, but I look at the team in general. We are one of the best attacking teams in the league, and this makes me proud. We have ten different goal scorers, which means that we have good team play, and the players do a lot of things the way I want them to. I am happy with this aspect, and the conceded goals will be analysed separately. I am not concerned”.
Could Taider play from the first minute?
“Yes, that could be an idea. We’ll se”.
Is Samuel fit enough to play two games in such a short period of time?
“I am waiting for him, I want to talk to him and find out”.
Are you thinking of changing anything, or will you only make changes when you really have to?
“The team is homogeneous, because everyone has understood what I want. Now we can make changes depending on form, rather than on suspensions or on our opposition. I can make better evaluations because I know more about the squad now than I did a few weeks ago. We have had three games in seven days, we cannot make big tactical changes because these things need to be tested and we haven’t got the time”.
Thohir has been quoted saying that the team needs wingers. Do you agree, or is a vice-Milito more important?
“You keep asking me about transfers. I do not have direct contact with the new majority owner. I talk with Branca, Ausilio and Moratti. I do not know if they have considered this, and no one said that we need wingers more than we need a striker. I prefer to talk about the present and the team’s current form”.
You are like a father to Campagnaro. Is it a little annoying to see him being called up to the national team? Can you talk to him about such things?
“First of all let’s see, because he is on the preliminary list and it’s not yet decided that he’s going. I will let things happen first before I comment on them. I have to point out that I manage the whole team like I am a father to them, if there is a need to tell them off I will tell them off, and if I need to praise them I praise them. I treat my players like they are my kids. But I am a coach and I do not take notice if a player has been with me for seven years or six months. I do not consider this when I make decisions, I behave in the same way towards all my players”.
In attack, the numbers are important. Do you get regretful thinking about a Milito at a hundred percent, or another striker who scores 20 goals a season?
“I do not talk about transfers, but when I arrived at Inter I hoped to have a Milito in top form as I rate him very highly, I see him as the best striker in Europe when he is in form. We could have had a few more points with him”.
Is there something you need to work on in away games?
The only thing I can think of is that when we score, the opponent pushes forward in search of an equalizer. I tell the players ahead of away games that they shouldn’t even celebrate their goals, because they will have to work even harder. They must not get distracted, but put in even more effort because the opponent will react. We must be concrete and cynical. Against Verona, for example, we managed to do this. We can not afford to lose pressure”.
What does it mean to train a team during a financial takeover?
“I don’t know how many times it has happened to other head coaches. Of course it’s not a normal thing but even though it obviously affects us as well, it has never been noticed in the dressing room. The team has never been distracted by this”.
Several times in the latest press conferences, you have stressed that Inter lack points. Are the referees a factor in this?
“You are the ones who need to be alert and evaluate this, I will not take part in a discussion like this one. There are times in life when things do not go your way, we have experienced a moment of bad luck, just like we have gone through fortunate moments. I think that these are just episodes where things don’t work out the way they should”.
Source: Fcinternews.it
