“I read that I was described as raging in Italy, but some assessments, which were directed at individual players were made in the heat of the moment. As president, I am the first supporter and it’s normal that I was saddened by an undeserved loss, additionally I recovered wholly, and mainly I already put it behind me. The only thing that matters now is to come back right away and get the points.” That’s what Erick Thohir said in a long interview, in which Luca Taidelli interviewed the Indonesian tycoon, published in today’s Gazzetta dello Sport. It is interesting and, in some ways, surprising.

Inter takes a lot of time and energy. And DC United?

” Especially now, when we’re building a new project, I am fully focused on Inter. There was a board meeting scheduled in March for United, but I asked them to move it, because I also have to go to Milan and talk to the banks… That way, I missed even their first match of the season.”

Four months have passed since you became president, what did you expect would be more difficult and what could be simpler?

“To acquire a club in itself is always complicated, let alone if you’re a foreigner. There are many aspects to be studied and evaluated. But I have always worked to find practical solutions, the essential. I’m not a person who is interested in fame, I’ve always preferred to keep a low profile.”

A characteristic of your family reminiscent to that of Moratti.

“In fact, I think this also helped me be successful in the negotiations: Massimo Moratti reminds me of my father, Teddy. “I have a lot to thank my parents for teaching me many things – I was told I had to be rich because that would be the only way to help people and to be honest to be more credible. Then, there is also ambition, of course.”

Is it important to complete the refinancing of the club, not least because you only then will feel that you really are the one who controls Inter?

“On this front it will be needed another couple of months, there’s no real deadline. But I never feel like the boss, I have never taken over a business alone, I always wanted to have partners at my side to share and solve problems. Moratti supports me one hundred percent, we ‘re talking an average of three times a week. What counts is that we are all going in the same direction. Initially I felt pressure from some who wanted to see immediate changes, but it was not meaningful to make changes just to make them. Certain things have already happened, other will happen at the end of the season.”

Will Fassone, Ausilio and Mazzarri get new confidence no matter what happens from now until the end of May?

“No, because they are all under scrutiny. To better explain this concept, I say that Williamson will undergo the same scrutiny, I wanted (by explicitly placing him in Italy) to have him as director of human resources and the economic and legal issues. It is right to have confidence in everyone, but also that each one is responsible for their actions. Having said that, I don’t want to be misunderstood: right now I’m very happy with the work of all the three named persons. However I make regular checks with everyone. Mazzarri still has a year left on his contract, but he’s the first to know that additional planning will be required. The last time I was in Milan, I told him how important it will be to plan and I also repeated to him the need to be focused primarily on the present.”

You have suggested that Inter next season will be a mixture of young and experienced players. How do you answer those who say that Mazzarri’s philosophy isn’t exactly the one that makes young players grow?

“Mazzarri and I need to get to know each other better, but this is not an absolute truth. This is a transition year and for the coach it was important to be as specific as possible in their first year with us.”

After Branca’s farewell, Ausilio is left alone to handle the technical area. Do you think a new director will be needed at the end of the season?

“Ausilio is responsible for all the sporting area, not just scouting, but also the first team and the Primavera. It is he who in the end of the season may come to me and tell me that he needs someone else, I’m not going the be the one who will ask him.”

The deal Guarin – Vucinic: tell us what really happened with Juventus in January?

“These negotiations were conducted by the leaders and not by the respective owners. For Inter, it had been a good deal in the short term, but then we made the assessment that it wouldn’t be so for the long term. So I called my men and said that I wasn’t aware that we had completed the deal because I hadn’t signed anything. The players had already undergone medical examinations? It means nothing. In Vidic’s contract, we included a clause under which he must be able to play at least a specific number of games.”

But how much did the anger of the Inter Fans influence in reality?

“It is obvious that we can’t always please them, but at that time they were right. It was right to respect it, even if you don’t have to do everything they say.”

However, the story also related to the aftermath of the alleged telephone conversation between you and Andrea Agnelli.

“At the same time, we must consider that, between Italy and Indonesia there is a big time difference which sometimes makes it impossible to respond in real time to certain messages. I never made a definite commitment to the swap and yet I apologized for having blocked the deal. What is wrong is to publish a personal message, I had to intervene to defend Inter’s name.”

We return to the present. Is Sagna close to signing as a free agent?

“I have a habit of not making announcements unless there is a signed contract. I can only say that we like Sagna and that at the moment it is only up to him. Announcements are made only when there is a signature. Like when Palacio signed his new contract.”

It seems obvious that you need a striker, a winger and a central midfielder: can we say that the large investment will be made in the attack in the form of a man who can score 20 goals?

“Reinforcements will be made in attack or midfield.”

Thus you say Sagna, a winger, is already a done deal…

“I haven’t said that. And regardless, if we don’t get him, we’ll acquire a young player.”

Will you be forced to sell one of the great players to sign a great player?

“It’s not a given. Meanwhile, we will, at the end of the season, be reducing the salary cap a lot. And then we would also be able to take a player on loan, which doesn’t make it necessary to sell one of our best players.”

Regarding the reduction of the salary cap: On what criteria will the positions be assessed for the nine players with expiring contracts? Technical, economic or development prospects for young players?

“If I’m signing or keeping a player, it’s because he represents three basic parameters: the technical, the financial and in terms of marketing.”

It is no coincidence that Ausilio recently said that Vidic’s arrival has been attributed Thohir.

“It was well done by Ausilio. It is a merit for everyone, even if it is I who take the ultimate risk. Not to mention that with the discussion of an average age of 26.5 years for the next season, with Vidic, Palacio and possibly Sagna, there would only be room for one more player over the age of thirty. It will not be more than four.”

Regarding the last thirty year old, Eto’o has just said that if Moratti called nothing could be ruled out. Shouldn’t it be you who call him?

“Eto’o doesn’t know me and therefore it is right that he refers to Moratti. But for us balance is needed and with Palacio, who is another thirty year old, and Icardi who is very young, the attacker should have an age in between.”

Thus the tracks leading to Dzeko, Torres and Morata are still valid?

“Even I hear those names being mentioned. Perhaps one of the three can come for real. But he must correspond to the above mentioned parameters.”

The chapter Zanetti. You have already stated that at the end of this season you will decide together on a role for the captain. But can you tell us about this role, will it be more of a representative character or tied to the team?

“We will talk all together at the end of May, with Fassone and Ausilio. Zanetti has just asked me if he could get a role in leadership. I repeated that he currently only need to focus on the pitch. Not least because I don’t want his teammates to have a feeling that the captain is more concerned about his future than the present.”

You have always talked about a project for 2-3 years. At the end of these, you would be disappointed if…

“If Inter will not be back in Europe. Yeah, even the Europa League. Immediately would be perfect, not least because in the next edition there can be several major European clubs . Inter need to be in the cups and it’s not only an economic issue but also a matter of prestige. Obviously I’m aiming for the Champions League in 2016, but I’ve already said that.”

Source: fcinternews.it