INTER: COMMENTS FROM MAROTTA AND CONTE
From the new Inter HQ, Giuseppe Marotta answered questions from the press ahead of the Nerazzurri’s new 2019-20 season: "The fact that we’ve emerged from the Settlement Agreement is a good sign for the future. It shows how the Club’s hierarchy and Management have worked well for the good of Inter. Credit must go to the Management who preceded me, represented here by Alessandro Antonello and Piero Ausilio. We now go again and we are able to choose the individuals that will make up and give life to this project. Every goal is achieved because something important was done. The values are the culture of hard work, linked to discipline, order and respect; the second is the culture of winning that all of us must look to regain once again together; the third is the sense of belonging that makes you love these colours and this shirt."
"When I speak of individuals, I want to stress what we’ve achieved. I have Antonio Conte sitting next to me and the role of the Coach is fundamental in everything that he can give, with support from the Club. I must take into account the results that he’s achieved as a player, a coach and selector. He has the values that I highlighted earlier – ones that we want to extend across the entire club and to the players. This way we can gift great success to our fans."
"The idea was shared with Piero Ausilio, Alessandro Antonello and the President. We believe that someone like him is the ideal man to take over at this historic moment for Inter, particularly due to his winning credentials. We didn’t have any doubts and we didn’t pursue any other Coach. After the season finished, we held some initial meetings which were then followed up with the drafting of a contract. We were all very quick to propose a very ambitious project. It was the sharing of an idea built upon one specific motive: Conte was the ideal candidate for what we needed."
"I arrived and got to work alongside a great Management set-up that already existed here, my job is to share the desire to raise the bar and bring in all the human and motivational qualities that are essential at clubs today in order to achieve a winning mentality. This is something that not only needs to be given to all the technical components, but also all of the surrounding components. Together with my colleague Alessandro, we have the task of choosing men who will define a winning project, I’m very confident for the future."
"To conclude this important conference, I’d like to welcome a great director in Lele Oriali. His return will benefit us all."
Antonio Conte held his first press conference of the season at Inter’s HQ together with the Club’s CEO Sport Giuseppe Marotta.
"Choosing Inter was easy, I’m at one of the most important Clubs in the world and we immediately found that the same vision was there," the tactician underlined. "Sharing these ambitions was very important for me, despite knowing that a path of hard work and sweat awaits us. Objectives? I never set limits – I don’t want to create excuses. We know that we’ll have to put in the hard work and also work better than the others in order to bridge the gap that has formed in recent years. Giving our very best needs to be our basis so that there aren't any recriminations, then we’ll see what happens. This is a fantastic adventure, one which allows me to return as a coach after a year out and work for a Club with a great tradition."
"An important basis is there, and it’ll be up to me to make a significant contribution – as I’ve done previously," the Coach continued. "I know that I have a lot of responsibility towards the people who chose me, the Club and the fans. This is something that I’ll share with my players, we need to do little talking and put in the hard work. 'Head down and go' must be our motto. We need to focus on our goal so as to guarantee stability. Only by working altogether can we pick up many more points than we did in previous seasons. I don’t have a magic wand but it’s up to me to show the way, and it’ll be important for everyone to follow this path. A spirit of sacrifice, ferocity, passion and a great desire to work hard will be required if we want to have a season where we’re one of the key players, as is our intention. If someone doesn’t share this kind of ambition, it’s only right that they step aside. I have a lot of confidence in our squad and the abilities of our players. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Luciano Spalletti for his work – a contribution that has led Inter back to the most important European competition for two consecutive seasons. If we have the chance to play Champions League football next season then it’s also thanks to him. We must be ready to sweat and pursue the goal of excellence. It won’t be easy but we want to be competitive once again, as was the case a few years ago."
"When I arrived at Juventus, the club had finished seventh for two years running, while Chelsea had just finished the season in tenth place. However, it’s not right to make comparisons with the past because every experience is different. The important thing is not to place limits on ourselves in any competition. Even if we only have one per cent of winning then we must work with this percentage. For the impossible to become possible we must work extremely hard, on all aspects. What I can promise to the fans today is that we will give our all in trying to build something important, something that reflects Inter and gives the fans something to be proud of. As of tomorrow, we’ll start working and it’ll be important to start getting to know these players right away, transmitting the right feelings. To achieve something extraordinary then we’ll need extraordinary individuals – players that think about ‘us’ before themselves. This is what we’re looking for."
(Photo FC Internazionale Milano)
