Inter Legend Luis Suarez: “Antonio Conte Doing More Damage Than Good Right Now”

Inter legend Luis Suarez has shared his belief that this Inter side are yet to become a great team and whilst he acknowledges that there is time for improvement, he also points out that Inter have difficulties.

“Inter seem too regular and scholastic. They have not yet become a great team, they still have to eat panettone. I find them to be too fluctuating during games and with their results, then it is clear that there is still time to improve and to get back on top but to date the I see difficulties,” he explained in an interview with Il Giornale, which appeared in today’s print edition.

The Spaniard, who was a fundamental part of the Grande Inter side of the 1960s, was then asked about his opinion on Inter manager Antonio Conte.

“The coaches count what they count, they are the ones who make you win and those who determine the matches are the players. The coach must not do any damage, so the less damage he does the more he is considered good by everyone, by the club, by the players themselves and by the media.”

He was then asked if that statement was him implying that the former Juventus and Italian national team boss was currently doing damage at Inter right now.

“For now, yes, he is doing more damage than good for now. Inter are not doing well and if I look at who came in last year and in the recent transfer window, the results are not optimal for me.

“Since he arrived, he has not yet managed to find the right team to create a high-level team. It is clear that if we want to be satisfied then it is another matter but Inter cannot be satisfied.”

Next Suarez was asked if it was utopia to think about Inter winning the Serie A title this season given how the season has started.

“I see it as being difficult, but being a strange year, without the fans and with so many strange results from so many teams, then anything can happen.

“Inter could win it of course but they don’t seem the best equipped to me, at least from how the year started. A team that wants to win the title cannot start with all these handicaps and defensive problems. They have to change gear and find the right continuity but they have to do it in a short time.”

Suarez was then asked about Inter’s performances in the Champions League and whether they can still make it into the next round of the competition.

“I think it’s very tough but since the results are also very strange, I hope Inter are so strange that they can win the last three games.

“The situation is delicate but it can be remedied and if they do this in this month and a half it will mean that the team will have brought out pride and soul which can then also be used to gain momentum in the league. However, everything remains uncertain, it is difficult to make predictions.”

Suarez proceeded to reflect on Inter’s recent Milan derby defeat, their first in the fixture for almost five years.

“Unfortunately I didn’t see the derby because it happened the same day that Barcelona played and I follow the Blaugrana games as a commentator.

“I felt that Inter didn’t deserve to lose but they did. Now everything is fine but there are too many games where you don’t deserve to lose or draw but then you don’t win. We need to change gear.”

He then returned to speak on Antonio Contr and whether he thinks Conte will still be with Inter come the end of the season.

“I don’t know because he has strange reactions, he always changes his mood. One day he is angry, another he is happy, you don’t understand him.

“It depends on him, last year it seemed to me that he didn’t want to stay then everything changed after that meeting but he is different than in the past.

“It is clear that it is not easy to comment from the outside but it does not seem to me that he is living in a normal situation. I hope he stays until the end because it will mean that Inter have had a good season, which I obviously hope for.”

In conclusion he was then asked whether he would stick with Conte or replace him at the end of the season.

“I would go on with him but we must also understand what he wants to do. If the club has prepared a cycle with him it is then useless to change it at the first sign of difficulty.

“Many times the coaches always pay because it is easier and more logical to change coaches when things are not going well than the players but the players also have to take on their responsibilities and raise the level of their performance to bring Inter back up. It can’t always be the fault of the coach.”