Inter President Erik Tohir has called on Nerazzurri fans to be patient, as he hopes to have the club one of the 10 biggest in the world.
The Indonesian patron spoke to CNN about the state of Inter, and of Serie A in general.
Inter President Erik Tohir has called on Nerazzurri fans to be patient, as he hopes to have the club one of the 10 biggest in the world.
The Indonesian patron spoke to CNN about the state of Inter, and of Serie A in general.
“The fans must have faith in us, because everything we do is for the good of the club,” Thohir has commented in the interview, in which he also warned Serie A against another Calciopoli.
“The goal is to return Inter to being one of the top 10 clubs in the world. I’m not seeking personal glory, it's more about how can I work hard, along with my new team. With a lot of support and the same vision we can do it.
“When we decide to sign a player, we involve everyone at the club, keeping in mind the technical, commercial and financial implications of the signing.
“It's the model we use at [MLS side] DC United, it’s a sustainable model, and we believe it's the correct one.”
Thohir also called on Serie A to do more to appeal to fans from outside of Italy, insisting that the League could become the second biggest in the world, after the English Premier League.
“The English Premier League has become bigger and bigger, but Serie A can be the second biggest league in the world.
“We still have a good base from which we can compete with La Liga and the Bundesliga.
“We need to talk to fans in a global sense, not just within the borders of Italy. Other Presidents have been quite open-minded, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.”
Thohir also believes that Serie A could attract fans in Asia, by using the draw of Italian culture, having games at 3pm on a Saturday and even playing games abroad.
“The attraction of Milan is not only in football, but in other things like fashion and culture. A lot of fans in different regions want to see the real live game rather than on their television or computer.”