New Inter Coach Andrea Stramaccioni’s interview this afternoon was surprisingly prescient, as he was asked what he’d do if he was called to the senior squad.
The Primavera youth team boss was promoted in place of Claudio Ranieri after crisis talks late Monday evening.
New Inter Coach Andrea Stramaccioni’s interview this afternoon was surprisingly prescient, as he was asked what he’d do if he was called to the senior squad.
The Primavera youth team boss was promoted in place of Claudio Ranieri after crisis talks late Monday evening.
Only a few hours before that, he was in the Sky Sport Italia studios discussing Inter’s triumph in the NextGen Series – the youth Champions League – beating Ajax on penalties.
“This victory by Inter is a win for all of Italian football,” said Stramaccioni.
“I also said it yesterday after the game and I want to repeat it today: Arrigo Sacchi, the technical coordinator of the Italian national youth teams, before the match kept me on the phone for a long time to give me support and also guidance, because this event had an importance that went beyond just the club level.
“Italy has, and is producing, players, and this is a great heritage. Perhaps the absence of a reserve team makes a bigger gap; the divide between the first teams and Primavera teams. But there are good young players in Italy. As for our youth academy, here I've found players of great quality. Our youth sector is really at the forefront.
"From here to the end of the season the only league that matters is the Primavera league because there the Scudetto is up for grabs and we're fighting for it.”
President Massimo Moratti skipped Sunday’s Juventus-Inter match so that he could be in London for the NextGen Series Final.
“The President really made me feel moved. What he told me just before and then at the end of the game, however, will remain with me. What I can say though is that for me Moratti means football and the fact that he embraced me so wholeheartedly was something truly lovely. He is unique.”
With remarkable prescience, Stramaccioni was asked what he would do if he were called up by Moratti to lead the first team.
“To tell the truth I've only been called by you here at Sky Sport…" smiled the 36-year-old.
“When Moratti calls I always respond, in general. He's my President, and I'll always answer his calls.”