Inter director Piero Ausilio assures this Scudetto is ‘just the beginning’ and he intends to keep building with Antonio Conte and balanced investment. ‘The coach made the difference.’
The Nerazzurri won their first Serie A title in 11 years, although there are still question marks over the future of coach Conte and even the club itself.
“This is just the beginning,” assured Ausilio on Sky Sport Italia.
Inter director Piero Ausilio assures this Scudetto is ‘just the beginning’ and he intends to keep building with Antonio Conte and balanced investment. ‘The coach made the difference.’
The Nerazzurri won their first Serie A title in 11 years, although there are still question marks over the future of coach Conte and even the club itself.
“This is just the beginning,” assured Ausilio on Sky Sport Italia.
“It has been a difficult journey, because it’s never easy when you change ownership three times in a decade. I challenge anyone to get results in the short-term like that.
“During the Suning period, fortunately we have found some stability. I never said it, but I feel fit last year that there were the right sensations and something special happening. We finished second last season, closing the gap from Juventus to just one point, and played the Europa League Final.”
Even before that, Ausilio tips his hat to previous coach Luciano Spalletti for the real turning point.
“We started the journey with Spalletti, because Inter’s fortunes changed when Matias Vecino’s goal beat Lazio and we got back into the Champions League.
“Then Conte arrived and he takes everything to the extreme. I thought there were many sides in the running for the title, but Conte made the difference and fortunately we have him.”
Beppe Marotta had said it was better to spend more on a great coach and have fewer players to make up for it.
“That is absolutely true, every team has to be structured starting from the coach,” agreed Ausilio. “All those years of not winning just increased the pressure to a level where only a winner like Conte could deal with it.”
Ausilio was inevitably questioned on the future, especially with Financial Fair Play parameters and Conte wanting investment to improve the squad.
“The moment to plan for the future along with the coach and the club has not yet arrived, as first we want to enjoy this success. I can imagine we’ll have to be able to maintain the quality of the squad while also and above all else thinking about the financial aspect.
“The coach like all of us wants to grow and improve, to win and continue winning, but we must also do that while being honest. There are financial situations after the pandemic that reduced our revenue. We haven’t had the fans for a year and are living off the revenue that is supposed to be used to invest in the squad.
“When that money is missing, we need creativity and ideas. The plan is to do well and we haven’t considered selling players. When we talk about revenue, we don’t just mean lowering costs.
“I know the players who are considered fundamental and we will keep hold of them, making the football needs coincide with the economic ones.”