Inter director Piero Ausilio backed Frank de Boer and Mauro Icardi, but at the same time warned they “can and must improve.”
The Nerazzurri are playing away to Atalanta in the Lombardy Derby today. Follow the action from all the Serie A games on our LIVEBLOG.
Inter director Piero Ausilio backed Frank de Boer and Mauro Icardi, but at the same time warned they “can and must improve.”
The Nerazzurri are playing away to Atalanta in the Lombardy Derby today. Follow the action from all the Serie A games on our LIVEBLOG.
“De Boer is the Inter Coach and should focus only on playing well and winning games. Making long-term plans with regards to the matches is not right,” Ausilio told Mediaset Premium.
“The present is Atalanta, after which we will concentrate on Torino and the rest.”
The newspaper headlines in Italy continue to maintain De Boer is hanging by a thread with Laurent Blanc, Francesco Guidolin and Andrea Mandorlini among options.
“This country has not been very welcoming to De Boer. He is giving it his all, even giving interviews in Italian, and he deserves a little more respect from the media,” continued the director.
“In Italy all that matters is winning, but fortunately what the club thinks is the most important thing, and the club is satisfied with the work of the Coach, even if naturally games are to be won.
“We don’t consider De Boer an extra-terrestrial of football. He comes from a different sporting culture to ours, but the concept of work remains the same.
“During the week we are at the training ground and exchange ideas, but I don’t think it’s any different elsewhere.
“The team has absolutely no problem with the Coach. The lads are trying to do everything he asks, but naturally when you win it all seems easier.
“It is not that the Coach cannot express his concepts, it just takes time. This Inter can and must improve from game to game. He’s been here for three months, there have been two breaks for international duty where he had very few players available to work with. The results will come soon.”
As for Icardi, has he been accepted back into the fold after the row with ultras over his autobiography?
“The case was closed in the course of one day. There was a direct confrontation, we made an important decision. He is a determined player and cannot be judged on just one game.
“He played and suffered with the team on Thursday, so he realised how he needs to behave on the field.”