Inter’s new Club Manager Riccardo Ferri has given his initial thoughts upon his appointment to his new role with the Nerazzurri.
Speaking to the club’s official site, the 58-year-old expressed his pride at being back at Inter to continue his adventure with the club, this time behind the scenes.
Ferri left a lasting legacy on the pitch for the Nerazzurri, making over three-hundred appearances across all competition for the club and winning the Serie A title in the 1988-89 season, whilst he also made 45 appearances in an Italian national team shirt.
The 58-year-old has never really lost his connection with the club, and now he is back, having been chosen to take over the Club Manager role.
Ferri will have a similar task in his position working alongside Simone Inzaghi that fellow Nerazzurri great Lele Oriali had had working alongside Antonio Conte, assisting the coach with day-to-day training and providing a strong link between the club, the coach, and the squad.
“For me it’s a source of pride to be back in Nerazzurri colours,” he said. “The spirit is the same I always had even as a child, when I arrived at Inter.”
Ferri spoke of having “A lot of humility, a great desire to achieve things, to learn. And a sense of belonging, something that has always distinguished me, as well as wanting to do everything to make myself available to help everyone to strive for our common goals.”
“Now that I’m living this dream I want to enjoy it day by day,” he continued, “trying to be productive for the team, the club, and the whole environment, to ensure that we can all achieve great goals.”
“It’s a great responsibility,” Ferri continued, “like the one I had as a player. It’s important to understand the weight of this shirt and the ambition of the club. Having a corporate role within a team group is a privilege, but it is a a position that can also have hidden pitfalls.”
He stressed that “I will need everyone making themselves available to me in order to grow quickly and to immediately be productive so that we can achieve our goals.”
“It’s been a long time, but I was part of the locker room and I was part of a group of professionals,” the former defender said of how his experience will be relevant.
“It’s an experience that causes you to have a unique sensitivity,” he continued, “which will be useful for understanding the players’ attitudes and perspectives, seeing things through their eyes.”
“Sometimes the players go through negative circumstances that they don’t talk about in words, but which need to be expressed,” he continued, “this is why it’s important to be know how to read a player’s eyes.”
Regarding the most important quality for succeeding at Inter, Ferri named “Daily hard work and the ability not to break down after defeats and not get too excited at victories, and never forgetting the importance of perseverance.”
“Every day we must try to improve,” he stressed, “in all roles – not only the players but also everyone who is a part of this environment. Nothing must be left to chance if we’re to achieve our collective goals.”
