Former Inter president Massimo Moratti paid tribute to ex-defender and assistant coach Sinisa Mihajlovic after he passed away on Friday.
The world of Italian football was left in mourning after Mihajlovic lost his battle against leukaemia at the age of 53, with his impact at Inter as both a player and as an assistant coach remembered by Moratti.
Appearing on Italian television broadcaster Telelombardia earlier today, as reported by FCInter1908.it, Moratti spoke touchingly of the former Yugoslavia international, and felt that he had shown great strength and dignity throughout his career and his fight against the disease.
“I really loved Sinisa because he was a strong man, he was good and he was serious,” Moratti declared.
“He was a fantastic player and a great coach at the same time. Certainly unforgettable, to have known him was a privilege. He had the attitude of a boss, the charm of a boss.”
Moratti, who was at the helm of Inter from 1995 until 2013, then revealed that he had considered hiring Mihajlovic as Inter’s coach at one point, whilst also praising his contribution as assistant to Roberto Mancini on the Nerazzurri’s bench from 2006 until 2008.
“I heard it immediately the first time the illness he had came up and I called him straight away. He kept the tone of a valuable person, he didn’t play the victim,” the 77-year-old went on.
“He built a lot with us, the character of a team and helped us win the title with Mancini. He intervened in the right way, he had the ability to understand what kind of attitude to take.
“I thought about him as Inter coach and even had the chance at one point but then it vanished. I also talked about it with him.
“He was a real man. He carried this final suffering very well, he always made people think it would be resolved positively,” Moratti concluded.
Mihajlovic joined Inter from Lazio in 2004 and made 43 appearances for the club, scoring six goals.
