The former Nerazzurri defender talks about himself and the team, his idols and the challenges for emerging young players
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Andrea Ranocchia, former Inter captain, lets himself go in a long interview, after winning the 20th Nerazzurri championship, also recalling some significant moments of his career. From the management of the team, through Inzaghi, the phenomenon of racism, the new generations, has his say on the world of football, with an eye to the future. For the full interview read here.
Inter's triumph has aroused many emotions, but the victory which occurred on the very occasion of the Milanese derby It was undoubtedly tastier. An enormous satisfaction, considering the emotional bond that still ties him to the club and his personal memory of the first derby, lost in 2011, at a time when his Inter was also aiming for the Scudetto.
Since he retired, at just 34 years old due to an injury, Ranocchia has remained linked to the Nerazzurri. For the team, in fact, he takes care of the Frog Talks podcast, he also participates in various television and radio programs as a commentator and opinionist, and is also an entrepreneur in his Umbria.
In the long interview Andrea Ranocchia looks back over the last year. He claims to have believed in the team's potential since the beginning of the season and without hesitation declares: "For me, Inter's squad is unmatched in Italy because it is very long, with very strong players". Despite this, the former captain is aware that on the Champions League pitch things are different, and the results are often determined by episodes. Referring to the matches with Atletico Madrid, commented: “In the return match, Atletico played a great match, you can only say well done to their opponents when they deserve it and when they play good matches”.
Inter's promoted
Returning to the team's merits, in addition to the roster of players, Ranocchia praises Inzaghi's work, a coach who more than others is able to interpret each match differently, based on the opponent, and to be empathetic. A quality that cannot be missing in a good CT: "He is a coach with whom you can become familiar, he is empathetic towards the player. So maybe the day the player is not well or has a little problem, he understands how to handle it, not with beatings but by putting himself in his shoes".
Inter's management also deserves Ranocchia's praise. Marotta, Ausilio and Baccin, despite the difficulties, have managed to build a competitive team. On the subject of difficulties, he recalls the important role of Steven Zhang, Nerazzurri president who took over the team at a difficult time, managing to bring it back to the top of European football. Despite what one might think, that of Zhang, in the words of the interviewee is: "An ownership that, even if distant, always makes its presence felt and above all listens to the advice given by the managers, the needs of the players and of all those who revolve around them".
From past to present, football idols
Andrea Ranocchia, during the interview, also lets himself go to personal memories. He tells his first impact with the Nerazzurri at just 21 years old, for him who came from Genoa. “When I arrived, I didn’t understand anything” he admits. Settling into a team that had just won everything, it was right after the treble, was not very easy.
It was his new companions who helped him, and their welcome was warm and very supportive.Stankovic, Materazzi, Chivu, Thiago Motta These are the players who helped me understand what Inter was, what it meant to play for Inter. And they were the ones who were closest to me,” he recalls, without forgetting Samuel, Cambiasso, Pupi, all very helpful.
Among the football idols he met during his career, Alessandro Nesta recalls, playing against him was a great emotion. And then how can we forget personalities like Zanetti, Totti, Maldini, Del Piero and Baggio, football icons with whom he had the honor of sharing the field. Then in the national team "I was lucky enough to play with Buffon who is another totem, another incredible player, Pirlo...".
Returning to the present, who would you like to see in the new Nerazzurri squad? Ranocchia has no hesitation, the answer is Vinicius Junior, striker of the Brazilian national team and Real Madrid. "He is a player who is too fast. He has technique in speed, which is out of the ordinary and at any moment he can skip past you and he can make assists, he can shoot. So if I didn't have a budget, for Inter I would immediately take Vinicius".
Too much pressure on young people
You can't talk about the future of football without mentioning the theme of racism, unfortunately always current, also in reference to the recent episodes between Acerbi and Juan Jesus. “Certainly both the Football League and all the clubs are taking this situation head on, the FIGC is the same with all the initiatives it is taking”. According to Ranocchia, prevention has increased, but there is still a long way to go, it is a cultural problem and eradicating it is complicated, we must start with education, both at home and in schools.
Today, young people who approach professional football have one more problem than in the past. The pressure is much more intense. because of social media. “Footballers are immediately accessible and this can lead to enormous pressure. Everyone is a journalist and can write anything, reaching the players directly”. This constant and continuous pressure is reflected in the mental state and behavior on the pitch, which often becomes aggressive, even if not necessarily linked to racism.
The media pressure is a lot, but at the same time in the youth sectors lack the necessary structures to support emerging talents. And he concludes, speaking of his son who has recently started playing football: “I am happy that he has started, but I do not put pressure on him. Football should be fun first and foremost”.
Article published on May 15, 2024 - 13:43 pm
