Inter Per Sempre

"Very pleased to see Balotelli's human qualities taken into consideration as wll as his talent."

MILAN - Massimo Moratti gave an exclusive interview to Inter's editorial director Susanna Wermelinger on the sidelines of last night's Lombard Group of Sports Journalists New Year's event that saw Mario Balotelli win the award for Best Emerging Player.

This is what the Inter president had to say:

President, the winter transfer market has just ended. Inter have done some intelligent deals to give greater balance to the team.

"Yes, it was conducted very very well by our transfer chief Marco Branca, because we had many opportunities and with a person like me who changes his mind every so often it's not easy to follow the transfer market well. But we managed to seize the best opportunities while at the same time respecting the relationships we have with the other clubs, who weren't ready to welcome our offers, but I repeat, it was a transfer market conducted perfectly from an economic and sporting point of view. We will see how things go from here."



A very intense period awaits Inter and Mourinho will have to calibrate his strengths...

"Now it is important for Mourinho, who has also followed carefully every move of the transfer market, to be in a position give the team a new equilibrium and face the upcoming matches with serenity, by taking account of the players who have left and those who have arrived. It's important to recover those two or three players who have a few problems, and get Chivu back as soon as possible so the team can be at full strength to go forward in the Champions League as well."

Now you'll be playing a match every three days, or perhaps even less.


"It's like this now. We could have done without that snowfall in Parma, but we know it can happen and we accept the decisions."

At least you don't run the risk of missing Inter...

"I have to admit I'm sometimes amazed that there's a match to play every two days, but it's always a beautiful emotion and we always watch Inter willingly."



Out of curiosity, what did president Massimo Moratti do when the match in Parma was called off because of the snow.

"It really does change things... I was forced to watch another match and I was without a certain kind of emotion. A break now and then isn't bad for the players, and it's not bad for us, either."



Looking at the table, we heard it said for a while that Milan had played a match less than the others. But so have Inter now...

"I think it was a favourable Sunday for us because only Roma took advantage of the chance to catch up with the leaders. It was a very good Sunday."

We are at the Circolo della Stampa. José Mourinho has revolutionised slightly the traditional rapport with the media that follow Inter. He's a strong man who is never scared of saying what he thinks...

"For me there is great loyalty in Mourinho's speeches, loyalty that comes from his professionalism and from the fact that he finds it too hard to tell lies. He speaks his mind to the press and sometimes he constructs situations that I see as very amusing. It's with this professional loyalty that he explains football to those who are listening to him."

Mario Balotelli was awarded Best Emerging Player. Perhaps he has already emerged...

"Yes, Balotelli has already emerged. We coud say that above the waist he's already out of the water... I thank everybody, especially because this recognition has a thousand meanings in a region like Lombardy. I think there's also great esteem for Balotelli as a talented footballer, but not only. I was very pleased to see his sensibility and human qualities taken into consideration as well."

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Branca and his staff did a magnificent job.  Last year was a disaster, but this time around, it was out of this world.