Official: Inter appoint Cristian Chivu as head coach (via www.inter.it)

The new Inter head coach Cristian Chivu was officially unveiled in front of the press for the first time in the early hours of Sunday morning from the team’s Club World Cup training base at UCLA, where he spoke about his plans, project and goals for the ongoing tournament in the United States. 

Chivu was appointed as the successor to Simone Inzaghi as head coach of Inter earlier in June, and will have his first taste of competitive action against CF Monterrey in the Club World Cup in the early hours of Wednesday morning. 

Though Chivu has only been in his job for a matter of days, he is well familiar with the Nerazzurri set-up, having spent the last seven years of his playing career in San Siro, and having also led the club’s youth teams from the U14s up to the U19s. 

“I was already the coach of a team in the Youth Sector. This club gives you the push to do something special, including in the Youth Sector,” Chivu told the press in the United States.

“The sense of responsibility is great, the same as when I came here as a player. I’ve been here 13 years, with a little pause in between, but I’ve always been here”. 

The Inter squad were visited by former player Maicon at their training camp on Saturday: “We spoke about the past, we’re a good group. I enjoyed seeing Maicon today, just like I liked seeing the messages from everyone. Having their support and trust makes me happy to be here,” Chivu said. 

“We’ve gone back to our roots, Interismo,” Chivu said when asked about the club’s decision to appoint him. 

“President Marotta has been here for a while, he knows what it takes. I’ve always had this word in mind: it means pride and loyalty. We’re one of the best teams in Europe, we need to show it on the field. You can win and lose in football, but when things are going well, the club finds it more straightforward”. 

“The project is both new and familiar. We need to carry on what’s  been done—Inter requires this kind of mindset. The bar has been raised in recent years, and we have to keep it there. It’s about having self-belief and confidence, and working well with both the club and the team.”

Chivu on Inter’s Club World Cup campaign

Chivu shared his thoughts on the newly revamped Club World Cup tournament, which began with a 0-0 draw between Inter Miami and Al Ahly on Saturday night: “We must honour this competition,” the Nerazzurri tactician said. 

“There are 32 teams from all over the world, and it’s a unique moment for global football. Every team here will want to give their all. We’re at the tail end of the season, but we’re here to do our very best.”

And on Inter’s upcoming opponents, Monterrey, Chivu added: “We studied on video, we know they’ve changed coach, they’ve probably made some changes. They play in a proactive way, vertically, they also have some good individual players.

“This competition is unusual, but beautiful. Let’s not forget the team’s journey: the value of the team cannot be judged by the fact that it hasn’t lifted trophies. It has had an extraordinary journey. 

“The duty of a team and the coach is to always give their all, for me it is not a failed season. Inter eliminated Bayern and Barcelona, ​​they were considered one of the best teams in Europe a few weeks ago. Failure does not exist: you always have to try until the end, failure is when you make excuses or look for alibis. Being with the players I have not seen people pointing fingers and looking for culprits”.

Chivu on Inter familiarity and replacing Inzaghi 

“I know everything about Inter, I also had a lot of time with Inzaghi when I was coaching the Under 19s. I know a lot of the guys. It’s not a problem for me if they call me Cristian or Mister,” Chivu said when asked about his return to San Siro. 

“It was a surprise: my plan was to stay in Parma,” he continued. “Then came the call from Inter to have a meeting. I asked Federico Cherubini for permission, as a gesture of thanks to the Gialloblù club. You know what Inter represents for me, it is a source of pride and honour. I have an excellent relationship with Simone Inzaghi and we have kept it. I had called him before the call for Inter, to wish him good luck for his new adventure in Arabia”.

And on staring again after the disappointment of the 5-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final at the end of May, Chivu said: “Losing a Champions League final hurts. The only thought I had before the 2010 final was: “What if I lose it?”. But I told the boys that the path they have taken is important. We will find the energy and motivation to try again. 

“We have the obligation and duty to aspire to important things. History says this. We must have respect for our crest and for the competition we are playing and for all those who have raised the bar in these years.”

Chivu’s press conference finished with a confirmation of his new coaching staff

• Assistant Coach: Aleksandar Kolarov 
• Technical Assistant: Mario Cecchi 
• Technical Assistant: Angelo Palombo 
• Fitness Coach: Stefano Rapetti 
• Fitness Coach: Maurizio Fanchini 
• Goalkeeping Coach: Gianluca Spinelli 
• Goalkeeping Coach: Paolo Orlandoni