Inter coach Antonio Conte discussed his mindset, his career, his goals with the Nerazzurri and more in an interview in today’s paper edition of the Milano based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I live Inter 24 hours a day, non-stop, with a single goal, to help the team return permanently among the top clubs, where history wants them to be.
“The final goal is never taken for granted or guaranteed, it is created through a long path made of passion, work, effort, sacrifice, attention to detail.
“I have always worked in my career in this way, and when one day, I hope far away, I will leave, one thing I am certain of, the Inter I will leave will be, from all points of view, better than the one I found.”
He touched on the importance of hard work and how a certain passion is necessary.
“To be permanently competitive at high levels it is necessary that everyone gives their best in every part, raising their personal level and therefore the overall level.
“It is the sum of these steps forward that makes one reach the goal and marks the difference between ambitious, hungry for win and able to take responsibility squads and “sitting” squads, accustomed to settling for and accepting defeat.”
The 51-year-old Italian coach commented on how he is working to build the winning mentality in the Nerazzurri squad.
“Many speak only of winning as if it were there, easy to reach, at hand. I instead speak of the winning mentality. The preparation for winning.
“Because, you see, you can win a season because of other teams’ faults or because you’re doing well, but being a winning team over time is something else. And my goal, together with the club, is to bring Inter back to that level.”
Conte spoke about how climbing to that level requires a lot of hard work, and not simply just signing better players.
“But we must be clear, you do not get there thanks to a signing and not even just for the skills of a coach, because the ten years without success at Inter is not random.
“We have done a lot, we still have a lot to do. I accepted the assignment at Inter knowing that I had to fill the large gap. I work with this mantra every day.”
The former Juventus and Chelsea coach spoke about some of the famous Nerazzurri coaches before him.
“The Inter of Herrera and Mourinho were consolidated realities. Teams with many men who had already won so much.
“Also, my Inter has important values, I just don’t want to confuse different dimensions. We started much further back.”
He thought that it was good for fans to dream of successes this season but not to be disappointed should trophies not arrive.
“Fans have the right to dream, but we have to be aware that last season was a strange one in which we did something incredible also thanks to other people’s faults.
“We ended up a point behind Juve, because after winning the title they gave up a little. Paradoxically, I am prouder to have arrived so ahead of Napoli, who were playing to win the Scudetto.
“I remember not only finishing a point behind Juve, but also the game they played and won against us pre lockdown. In which they have shown that they still have intact wickedness and hunger for success. We are working to be no less.”
Conte commented on the growing structure in the squad.
“Numerically we are more structured. As footballers we can improve.”
He was not clear if he was satisfied with the Nerazzurri’s work in the transfer market this summer.
“Coaches are never completely satisfied, don’t you know? You will never find one, trust me. Each of us have something to fix, some role you want to cover differently, some players to adapt. It has been a difficult market for everyone.
“Both in buying and selling. The team had been clear, you get in the market with what you earn. My task is to work and make the squad that is made available to me better.”
The 51-year-old Italian coach spoke about how he thinks of the club before himself.
“I have always been a businessman. The club comes first and above all. That’s why I also work to grow and improve the structures. It is right that everyone, me first, should work in function of the club.”
The former Italy coach touched on Inter’s poor start to the season.
“Inter’s image has changed for our opponents, and this means that we have done well. But also, that the games against us are prepared differently, they all play to the death and with maximum concentration. This season is more difficult than the last.
“We must be good at seizing the right chances in the game, wasting less, avoiding any distraction. In two words, growing up. The opponents’ guard has risen and we must understand that well.”
He did not want to talk about Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen’s lack of playing time.
“All the choices I make are always and only for the good of Inter, not for the good of the individual player.”
Conte commented on how he launched the career of Italian defender Alessandro Bastoni last season.
“A coach must have a vision. You look at a guy and see what he could become. And in Bastoni I saw something. But now we’re not going to start talking about single players, right?”
He then gave his thoughts about Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal, who joined from Barcelona in the recent transfer window.
“Vidal is a great player, on the field he always knows what to do. He would need two weeks of full immersion training, but he plays continuously and so he will have to take the best shape playing.
“But Arturo doesn’t argue.”
Finally, Conte spoke about his relationship with Inter president Steven Zhang.
“He is an extremely prepared, determined, sincere person. Inter is now part of his life, and even at a time like this when he has to spend time in China, he makes us feel his support.”