New Inter coach Walter Mazzarri has given an extensive interview in which he reiterates that he is aiming for the top of Serie A despite his admission that talk of reclaiming the Scudetto has been downplayed to protect his team.
The 51-year-old also commented that former club Napoli remained close to his heart but made it clear that he felt that he will have been fundamental to any success the Naples club have this season, particularly given the financial strength he helped create.
“It’s difficult to explain the incredible enthusiasm with which I’ve been welcomed here.” Mazzarri told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Probably the people understand what I’ve done in my career, because at times you are more appreciated outside your own club.
“We still need to work on tactics, the timing and making the movement almost automatic.
“I hope we’ll see my Inter at the start of the season, but it might take until October.
“I don’t think the enthusiasm will be counter-productive, as the fans understand what our possibilities are. I underline the most important word in our project: reconstruction.”
“President Massimo Moratti has not asked me to achieve any specific target. Would I settle for third place? I never settle beforehand, out of principle.
“I hope we can get back to winning as soon as possible, but I don’t promise things I can’t deliver.
“There are teams with something more than us right now. Juventus won the last two titles, Napoli finished second, Milan third and Fiorentina fourth before their recent reinforcements.
“Having said all that, Inter will challenge everyone and hope to overtake them.”
“If Napoli is a long-term project today, then what was it when I arrived and the team was in the bottom half of the table? I took them to qualify for the Champions League twice and won the Coppa Italia.
“It has been said I never mentioned the word ‘Scudetto,’ but the truth is I tried to avoid proclamations in order to protect the team. I am accustomed to helping a side grow and cultivate its ambitions.
“It’s also true that if Napoli have €124.5m to spend now it’s because I got the best out of players like Pocho Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani.
“The fans, players and Napoli remain in my heart, so I will cheer them on in the Champions League. If someone has forgotten in a month what we did together over four years, then I can’t do anything about that.”
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