PINZOLO - "The welcome we've been given by the fans here has been fantastic. I really want to thank them for that," said Ivan Cordoba today at the team's summer training camp in Pinzolo, as he prepares for his 13th season in Nerazzurri colours.
Speaking exclusively to Inter Channel, the veteran defender went on to talk about the new coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, and the excellent impression he has already made: "There were so many names being touted about before he arrived but I think the club was always ready to take the choice it eventually did. The gaffer is seen as the right person to lead us on to yet more success. We all need to put in a lot of work now but that won't be a problem, because that is already part of this team's mentality. What we must concentrate on doing now is adapting immediately to playing the way the coach wants us to. The three-man defence? It's part of the system that Gasperini has always used and he wants this tactical element to start seeping into our mindset so that we can use it when required, though as he has said himself we must be prepared to adapt to anything. With three at the back the central defenders are a bit more involved and you have to be extremely focused on your movements, even more so than usual. And maybe this way we'll all get more opportunities to play..." smiled the defender who is currently recovering from injury, having undergone key-hole surgery on his left knee on 15 April.
"It had got to a point where the pain was so intense that it couldn't wait any longer," explained Cordoba. "And the holiday period was the ideal time to make my recovery. Now I can start working again and build up to full fitness in time for the first Serie A match. That's my aim anyway, then of course if I can bring that date forward... [Cordoba smiles referring to the Italian Super Cup – Ed.] then we'll see. That would be a great way to come back."The Nerazzurri defender also spoke about his Inter team-mates, saying that the players are "motivated and the youngsters help us in that sense. We know that we're a good team and that we can cause anyone problems. We have lots of great players and a great club behind us."
Cordoba also wanted to say a few words about Giacinto Facchetti: "A wonderful person, nobody can blemish his marvellous image after everything he taught us and the legacy he left behind. Facchetti is the emblem of Inter, he symbolises everything this team is about, and all the newspaper and TV headlines saying bad things about him don't even deserve to be read."
