Inter are coming from a season which was the worst I have suffered through since 1993/94 and perhaps it wouldn’t be entirely unreasonable to expect another tough season. I don’t think Inter will win the Scudetto 2013/14 and I also believe that it will be difficult to achieve a place among the first three teams that would qualify Inter for next year’s Champions League. Despite this, there are still reasons to have hopes for the upcoming season. There are bright spots and reasons to believe that Inter reached the bottom 2012/13 and now will return to givíng us fans positive experiences. In this Monday editorial, I have chosen to present some of the reasons for us Interisti to be optimistic about the 2013 season / 14.
This is the season when we get to experience the birth of the new Inter
Inter is a club that has gone through a tough period after standing on top of the world in 2010. I think we’ve gone through the worst and that better times will come. Inter will also undergo major changes at the club level which I believe will bring a positive spirit. Erick Thohir will by all accounts step in as the new majority owner of Inter and from what I read it seems that he is anxious to preserve the club’s tradition and combine it with a more modern way of handling the business as a large company. Some people will be replaced, others will stay. I don’t think it will be an earthshaking revolution right away but that staff will be replaced gradually. Inter have also, in recent years, signed many promising youngsters to their youth sections, some in stiff competition with other European top clubs. Inter have also signed some young players to the first team and the fact that this is the new Inter will also be obvious on the pitch where younger players will replace older. I don’t think this team will win the Scudetto 2013/14, but I hope that more young players will take the chance and establish themselves to turn Inter into a team that wins titles.
Inter can focus entirely on Serie A and Coppa Italia
The season 2012/13 started early for Inter, perhaps too early. Today, many people are critical of how Inter play when they have played their friendlies. Although the result against Hamburg, who basically have completed their pre-season, was good, there are still things that need improvement when it comes to how Inter have performed. However, I’m not particularly worried given that it’s about a month until the season starts for real. If we go back in time to last year, Inter started playing real games at this time and the changes and adjustments Walter Mazzarri can do today, Andrea Stramaccioni didn’t have time enough to do as the season was already going on. You can only guess whether the accelerated preseason affected the players’ physique and how much the many injuries were due to the short preparation time. Enough about last year, Walter Mazzarri doesn’t have these problems. He still has plenty of time to train his team both physically and tactically and I think Inter will be much better prepared for this season and thus the next question is: how far can Inter go?
Kovacic plays his first full season with Inter
The talent of the youngster Mateo Kovacic was probably missed by none. He was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise horrible spring season. Consider then that Kovacic this season has acclimatized, he has learned the language better, he has been with Inter during pre-season and he has become accustomed to the Italian football. Beyond that, he is now in a team where a more positive spirit prevails than when he arrived. Is there really any limit to how good he can get? Is there a risk that we supporters exaggerate his greatness? I don’t believe so in any of these cases. I realize that he is young and he will make mistakes, but I hope that during the coming season he will establish himself as one of Serie A’s best midfielders and that he continues to develop into one of the better midfielders the team has had since Lothar Matthäus made his rushes on the turf at San Siro.
Belfodil-Icardi
They are two young players who lack many of the qualities Diego Milito has, especially routine. Icardi, in my eyes, is a very talented scorer and what he did in Sampdoria last year shouldn’t be underestimated. Scoring 10 goals in Serie A during his debut season with a team like Sampdoria is nothing else than really good. The fact that Inter managed to sign him as painlessly as they did suggests that the incompetence of our technical director and sporting director is exaggerated. The deal is nothing short of genius, both football-wise and economically. Icardi has received some criticism for the performances during the preseason, but as I mentioned earlier, it isn’t now he should be in shape. Belfodil is also a great talent, although he has a different style of play than Icardi. The deal that brought Belfodil to Inter has been criticized by many as Inter gave up Cassano and a large sum of money. A sum of money, however, Inter will save in salary costs. Belfodil scored almost as many goals as Icardi and with a little time and patience, Inter will have an incredibly young and exciting attacking pair for years ahead. Obviously, players like Palacio and Milito, when he returns, will start most games, but I think and hope that Mazzarri will handle these talents well.
Inter’s “farm team” Livorno
As of right now, Inter have loaned goalkeeper Francesco Bardi and Marco Benassi to Livorno for the coming season. Rumors claim that they can be joined by Samuele Longo, Alfred Duncan and Diego Laxalt. Inter, in other words, will have something that can only be described as a “farm team” in Serie A where some of the best talents can develop in peace and quiet and get experience in Serie A, before returning to Inter and fight for a spot on the a-team. I can say that I will follow Livorno’s matches with great curiosity.
Walter Mazzarri
I have no problem admitting that I like Andrea Stramacccioni and I think that even he would do better this season. I have defended him and his results in 2012/13 many times, and although he made mistakes and many times seemed inexperienced, I continue to argue that he is a great talent and he got the worst conditions any Inter coach has had as long as I can remember. In addition, I’m extremely tired of the constant coaching changes and therefore I hope that Walter Mazzarri will remain at Inter a long time and that he gets the time and patience none of his predecessors received. There is no denying that Mazzarri is one of the greatest coaches in Serie A despite his few titles, and perhaps he has come to Inter to finally win those titles. Also, at least my Inter Heart is warmed by the fact that Mazzarri wanted to come to Inter so much that he chose to lower his salary. Mazzarri’s drive and energy gives me hope for a positive season.
All this and hopes for much more makes me look forward to the upcoming season in a positive way.
