Another Wednesday and time for another editorial. Our coverage of the mercato has been extensive, SempreInter.com has broken all our previous visitor records and we’re firmly establishing ourselves as the biggest Inter news-page outside of Italy. Alongside of this you are able to read new editorials practically every day of the week onsite, a fact we’re all naturally very proud of. Enough of patting ourselves on the back and over to why you clicked your way to this article, namely Inter. The mercato rumours are still going on but focus is now starting to shift to the upcoming season and what will happen on the pitch. Next seasons kits are out and they look very nice, both the home kit as well as the away kit impresses not forgetting the elegant training kits. Nike has together with Inter managed to create a beautiful kit which focuses on the black and blue after last seasons confusion with the red shirt. We’re back to what we associate with Inter.
Speaking of confusion, someone who appears to be confused is Andrea Poli. Similar to the case of Bonucci who was an Interista since childhood and also while playing for Inter, Bonucci also cheered for Inter when playing for Bari but suddenly transformed into someone who has been supporting Juventus all his life after signing for them, Andrea Poli released a statement during these past few days saying that he’s been a Milanista since birth. It didn’t quite sound like that when he arrived at Inter and proudly declared that he was in Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium on the 22nd of May 2010. Was he maybe there to mock Inter? Not very likely, unfortunately Poli seems to be confused which suits the Italian media very well. By the way Poli is an exceptional player who Inter couldn’t afford to buy for €6 million, or should we say that some bad decisions were made, because if we could have signed Poli for €6 million today, there is no doubt in my mind that Inter would have finished off the deal without batting an eyelid. Especially during this silly season where Radja Nainggolan is estimated to be worth €16-€18 million. Nainggolan is a name that has been linked with Inter a lot these past few days, just like Isla. If you ask me I think that these two are just the kind of players that Inter need if we want to fight at the top of the table this coming season. This is further evidenced considering how other teams are reinforcing their squads.
Someone who isn’t confused is Walter Mazzarri. The training sessions have started and instead of only reporting that some agents dog was walked in a park in Milano while a players, sisters, friends uncle was walking past, resulting in a story that the player is going to move to Inter, we can finally report about the training sessions and the methods:
“During the training sessions you don’t joke or laugh. I demand maximum concentration. You don’t give up. This season is important for everyone. There’s something on the line here for each and every one of us. We have to redeem ourslves and show our true worth.”
These words are reportedly part of the speech which Walter Mazzarri used to introduce himself to the players during his first training session. He put his foot down immediately. Aside from that Mazzarri has said that he wants players who run, something which would explain why Antonio Cassano had to leave Inter. Cassano doesn’t exactly fit into the profile of a hard working player or someone who doesn’t joke or laugh during the training sessions. My own personal philosophy states that these are attributes one should tolerate in order to get the best out of a player with Cassano’s quality, but fortunately I’m not Inter’s manager and fortunately Walter Mazzarri is. A coach who seems very clear in how he wants his Inter to look. Hopefully we get to see an Inter who run and honor the jersey for this entire season. I stubbornly stand by my statement that an Inter which would have run more for the full 90 minutes in all matches during the two past seasons, would have definitely won more matches. In many starting lineups it seemed Inter fielded 11 zombies who hardly broke out in a sweat for any part of the 90 minutes.
One last person who seems to have clear ideas in Mateo Kovacic. Corriere dello Sport reports that the young Croatian was the first one to arrive at yesterday’s training session. Outside the pitch he has his feet on the ground and lives a healthy life together with his girlfriend. A 19-year old who arrived from Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia and dominated in the Serie A in a very difficult midfield role as a deep-lying playmaker. A player who is yet to show us his best or to have played in his favourite position. A player who Inter has decided will be the centre of their new project. A player who dribbled, ran, made great assists and never failed to honor Inter’s shirt. A player who fits perfectly into Mazzarri’s new running and fighting Inter. An Inter who restarts here and now, with Walter Mazzarri and Mateo Kovacic. Speaking of running and sweating for the jersey, Dejan Stankovic embodies this. A legend leaves the club. His goodbye letter as well as the parting words from President Moratti illustrate the greatness of a champion of Deki’s stature. In order to do what Deki did best, you have to be injury free, something Stankovic hasn’t been these past two seasons. Let us unite in paying tribute to Stankovic as we look back at everythign he has done for the club but also look ahead. Look ahead to Kovacic and Mazzarri’s Inter. The 2013/2014 season will soon kick off. Ready, set, go.
