Inter coach Simone Inzaghi gave up a long association with fellow Serie A side Lazio to join the Nerazzurri, but is happy with his career choice.
This according to his former teammate Massimo Oddo, who spoke to Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport and explained how the Nerazzurri manager has made the transition to life at Inter.
Inzaghi had been the head coach of the Biancocelesti’s first team for the past five years, and before that he had been with the club as both a player and as a coach with the youth team.
The 45-year-old is set to face his former club for the first time next Saturday when Inter travel to Rome to take on Maurizio Sarri’s new-look Lazio, and it will represent many emotions for the coach who has settled in to his new challenge with the Nerazzurri but still feels attached to the club to which he gave many years.
Oddo spoke about the fact that both Simone and his brother Filippo at Serie B side Brescia have started well this season, stating that “[I expected it], also because it is still necessary to underline that they have two excellent teams at their disposal for their respective leagues . Having said that, they have done a more than excellent job so far.”
Asked which of the pair had the more difficult task he stated, “I would say both, the coach’s job is complicated for a thousand reasons. Today, more than in the past, there is no time given, they ask for results immediately.”
He went on, “They still have two demanding challenges, Pippo because he has an important history in Serie B, with Benevento he broke all records and therefore a lot is expected of him; he arrived in a historic and glorious club, with a strong team.”
“Simone instead accepted a major legacy, that of Conte, taking over the Italian champions,” he reflected. “Perhaps the transfers of Lukaku and Hakimi have taken away a bit of pressure, but Inter remain Inter and when you arrive in a club like this, it’s always difficult regardless.”
On how difficult it was for Inzaghi to leave the Biancocelesti for Inter he stated, “A lot, because Lazio was his home. He was there for 22 years, he is sentimentally linked to the Biancocelesti colours and his family is from Rome.”
“Then Lazio is an important, noble club,” Oddo continued, it is never easy to change from a great one to another. It is one thing to leave a small-medium club after years, but to leave Lazio is another thing. Maybe the fans saw it as a betrayal, but it wasn’t like that. Simone thought about it a lot and well, but the life of the coaches is like that.”
“Even if it happens rarely now, for footballers it is possible to marry a team for life, for coaches it is almost impossible. There are natural cycles that sooner or later are destined to close,” he reflected.
“His heart is white and blue,” Oddo stated. “I have known Simone like the back of my hand for thirty years, he is like a brother. He is a self-confident person, but also very sensitive, fragile and I am sure he would suffer enormously if he heard even a single whistle [at the match against Lazio].”
In Milan, he said, “I know he is happy, I was having dinner with him two evenings ago, we live a hundred meters from each other. He is very well, he is happy with the choice he made and then the decisions of a coach weighs on the results and so far everything is going in the best way.”
On his predictions for the Nerazzurri’s season Oddo stated, “Inter, even if they have lost important players, always have a strong team, also because those who have been signed are far from bad players.”
“They are an Inter with different attacking characteristics,” he went on, “but they remain one of the main candidates for the Scudetto. I would say one of the four favourites with Napoli, Milan and Juventus. Obviously without forgetting the Roman sides and Atalanta.”
And on which Inter player is most important for Inzaghi he suggested,”I hear Edin Dzeko mentioned, certainly he’s very important, but I am convinced that without him Simone would be able to find alternatives. Right now I am thinking of the three central defensive players, especially Skriniar and De Vrij.”
