Former Inter defender Cristian Chivu was interviewed during his visit in Indonesia last week by the national daily newspaper Republika.
The Romanian began by commenting on the current season and the failure to reach the objective Champions League: “It hasn’t been a failure, it was a good season. We have seen how difficult the Serie A is. Inter tried to reach the Champions League, but the competition was fierce. There are clubs that are stronger than Inter but we have to accept that. However, it has certainly not been the best of seasons. Of course, after the great start we were all expecting to fight for the title, but as time passed we first fought for the second place, then the third and finally the fourth. There certainly were some problems and only those who are involved can know what they were. The important thing is to solve and correct these problems.”
When Chivu joined Inter from Roma in 2007 he was coached by Roberto Mancini for one season. Now Roberto Mancini is back at Inter and after the result this season there are discussions about his future. The former Inter defender is certain: “He’s a good coach, experienced. He coached Inter in the past, he is the man who laid the foundations for the successes of 2010. He brought a winning mentality 10 years ago and he is the right man for this team.” One of the names mentioned as a replacement for Mancini is former Lazio and Inter player and current Atlético Madrid coach Simeone: “I don’t understand why people say that. He’s in the Champions League final with Atlético Madrid, the second in three years. Inter are happy with Mancini and he has to get the opportunity to finish the work he started.”
The objective for Inter is still to return to the Champions League and Chivu explains what is needed: “It takes time and patience. You can’t build a winning team overnight. You have to understand your own mistakes, start over from the failures and understand which are the right players to build a winning team. Mancini is the right man to do it.”
Inter’s defense improved in 2015/16 and Miranda and Murillo should have much of the credit for that. Chivu, however, doesn’t see his heir in the current squad and explains why: “No, all players have different characteristics and can’t be compared. In my career, especially when I was young, I played in different positions because I was well-trained to do it. I can’t say who is my successor at Inter, but I really like the Miranda-Murillo pairing.”
Many former players eventually become coaches but the former Inter defender hasn’t made up his mind about the future yet: “I don’t know what will happen in the future, but one thing is certain: I miss the field, I have lost the football daily routine. Two years ago I said I would never become a coach, but now I’m thinking about it.”
Source: republika.co.id
