Directly from Shanghai, Anderson Hernanes spoke to Inter Channel during the program “One to One”, in which Roberto Scarpini interviews Inter players. Here are the words of “Il Profeta”.

Everyone has started to call Prof: do you prefer to be called Profeta (Prophet ed.) or Professore (teacher ed)?

“In the beginning the nickname was Profeta, then everyone started to call me Prof because it is easier… Then it became professore because I try to give an explanation to everything and study every situation. That is why, I think.”

Because of this nature, you have never thought of a future as a coach?

“I don’t know, before I would have said no to this question, now I don’t completely reject the idea. There is still a little time left to play… and win.”

Last year was back and forth, at the end we saw the real Hernanes…

“Yes, in February I finally started to feel good physically, and everything changed. Since I arrived I have never managed to be on top, I had several injuries that I was not used to having. The first months I adapted, then I started to do more on the pitch and I have become more aware and useful to the team.”

You have great physical strength, before you didn’t. How have you changed?

“Now I feel very strong physically, I have no fear of any clashes or going head on to the ball. When I had just arrived in Italy the marker destroyed me and I always asked for a foul. But now I like to play hard, I’m used to the Italian football: I have changed mentally, I love the more aggressive and more European style of playing.”

You’re slowness is an act. You appear almost cumbersome in the maneuver, but then the ball leaves your feet and you become faster. Have you worked a lot on this?

“In football speed makes a difference. Now I don’t feel slow, I never liked to be. When the legs respond to my thought I can do things that I couldn’t do before. I had a doubt since I changed the type of training: was I slower before simply because I was training bad?”

Even Recoba underwent a transformation…

“It is pleasing to see this change in me, I feel different and stronger. I’m reaching the most shining moment of my career, where I’ll enjoy playing and winning. I have waited so long.”

And usually playing for Roberto Mancini is a guarantee of victory…

“The coach is a tough guy who doesn’t give up on his philosophy of playing. As a player he had a lot of quality, and on the pitch he expects the same. He wants to win deservedly, by playing good football. It might take a moment to connect everything, but we can win by playing well.”

Mancini has changed your role. What do you think about that?

“Before I did not have the characteristics suitable to play there, now I’m at ease because Mancini has changed me.”

Is the Paso Doble your trademark?

“Yes, you can say that. It’s interesting because I have been doing this move since I was twelve, thirteen years old and I used to played five-a-side. During these holidays I got to meet my old coach who had seen a video of my actions and that reminded me of when I was practicing alone as a kid among the pillars of my house and he told me: ‘It’s amazing, I have seen you do the same things as you were doing on the pitch.”

A new season is about to begin. Will you win?

“When you create awareness together and everyone has the same goal, sooner or later you will reach it. Even the President is doing a lot and investing a lot: in the gym, in Pinetina, they gave us all the best tools to train and us players, we are hungry, we want to win trophies. The fans want to win as much as we do, thus we are all aiming for the victory.”

Good luck for the season, Prof…

“Last year we didn’t do as well as we can, so this year we have to do twice as well.”

Source: fcinternews.it