Frank de Boer concedes criticism and pressure “are normal” when Inter don’t get results, but he’s “confident we’ll have success in future.”
The trip to Pescara kicks off on Sunday at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT), click here for a match preview.
The Nerazzurri managed just one point from the first two rounds, but is this already a crossroads going into a week with three games?
Frank de Boer concedes criticism and pressure “are normal” when Inter don’t get results, but he’s “confident we’ll have success in future.”
The trip to Pescara kicks off on Sunday at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT), click here for a match preview.
The Nerazzurri managed just one point from the first two rounds, but is this already a crossroads going into a week with three games?
“We are happy that now we really start. I think three games in one week is always positive, as we can continue working on the plans for the team,” said the Coach in his Press conference.
“The only difficult thing is over the last two weeks of international duty we had only seven players available, which is incredible. Today is the first day we can really work together and we have to concentrate on Pescara.
“A lot of players had 90 minutes for their countries, so that is good for us. We are eager to get points, as we need it, but mentally and physically are in better shape than two weeks ago.
“I’m convinced we are further along than in the first two games. I want to see a team that is united with one idea how to play. They must attack together and defend together. If we do those two things, then I am convinced the points will come.
“If you have bad results and they don’t play the way you want them to play, then that’s a problem. We saw better things against Palermo and I am convinced we can do even better against Pescara tomorrow.
“Of course the season has already started with two games, but for us I think now it really starts. We didn’t have time to train the players for the last two weeks on the technical side. We worked on physical training, but not technical, so in that sense they are not further along.
“It’s a very long period until the next international break, so for me it’s starting really right now, but we cannot just forget the first two rounds.
“You have to defend with the whole team. That is what we must really start to recognise in the team. For example, if we are forward and lose the ball, the whole team has to react, so one player doesn’t have to run 40-50 metres back. It’s more the philosophy that we have to change.”
The media in Italy is notoriously rough on certain clubs and De Boer is already talked about as being on the precipice or at the crossroads. Did this surprise him?
“Of course it’s normal that a new foreign Coach will have more eyes on him. If you look through normal glasses, you can also see I only had two to three days to prepare for the first game, so you have to be realistic. Rome wasn’t built in a day. It takes time, we are taking it step by step.
“I am convinced we have all the elements at Inter to create something very nice. At a big club when the results are not there, the pressure is always high. It’s no problem for me, I am confident we’re going to have success in the future, but you need time.
“There is something that didn’t function for four years in a row and I am convinced we’re going to change it, but it takes time. I get the feeling I’ll have time to build an Inter that everyone will love and the memories of many years ago will come back.”