Frank de Boer warned “it’ll take at least four weeks before the level I want to see” as Inter host Palermo, and welcomed Gabigol and Joao Mario.
It kicks off on Sunday at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT), click here for a match preview.
First of all, the Coach was naturally asked about Gabriel Barbosa and Joao Mario, who flew in yesterday for their medicals ahead of a combined €70m transfer.
Frank de Boer warned “it’ll take at least four weeks before the level I want to see” as Inter host Palermo, and welcomed Gabigol and Joao Mario.
It kicks off on Sunday at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT), click here for a match preview.
First of all, the Coach was naturally asked about Gabriel Barbosa and Joao Mario, who flew in yesterday for their medicals ahead of a combined €70m transfer.
“Of course we are interested in good players. It’s still not 100 per cent, so I cannot say much about it. Of course, good players are always welcome at Inter,” said De Boer in his Press conference.
“Joao Mario can play in all midfield positions, while Gabigol can also play in three different positions as a striker. We’ll have more opportunities, but first of all we have to focus on Palermo.”
The Dutchman lost his first competitive game in charge, a 2-0 defeat at Chievo, so what did he learn from that experience?
“We didn’t play our best game, as everyone saw. I still blame a lot on the physical condition of my players. We had many more problems in the second half because of the physical conditions.
“We trained very well this week and I am convinced we’ll see a better Inter tomorrow.
“It takes time, so in 10 days you can’t change everything. You have a philosophy, but have to respect the culture in Italy and at Inter. It all takes time.
“Step by step it is becoming clearer for me and for the group to understand what I want as a Coach. I am convinced every week we’re going to improve.
“The most important thing is to prove that we are improving and we’re going to fight as hard as possible to wear the Inter jersey with pride in every game. As I said, you are going to see a different Inter tomorrow, but we are not yet there.
“Our objective has always been to play in the Champions League and I am hopeful we can achieve it. We need to improve a lot, especially physically, as it takes a lot of energy to play with my philosophy. I’m convinced the players want that too.
“We have an experienced team, this is not the first team they’ve played for, so they know many different tactical systems. We will only improve things with small details. You can say we played with three or even five at the back against Chievo, so it’s all about your point of view at that moment.
“Of course my favourite system is 4-3-3 and the majority of our games will be like that, because I think it’s the best way to get success. You also need to recognise when you can’t do it and I feel that too is the strength of a manager, to step back and realise we’re not ready to play that system right now.
“We need at least another four weeks before saying yes, this is the level I want to see.”
This will be his first game at San Siro after a friendly against Celtic in Limerick and trip to Chievo.
“Of course we want to make a good first impression. The public is important, so if someone makes a mistake, it’s crucial we all stick together.
“It’s stimulating, because I believe in the Inter project and I made this step from Ajax because it’s motivating me to work harder so I can get the results I want.
“Of course there are differences in how you prepare for a game. At the beginning you have to learn how they are used to doing things and how I’m used to doing things, so find a path in-between.
“I won’t give examples, but at times I was happy at the way they did things and it’s a new experience for me. You learn every day about this culture and find the solutions for the best way to perform. It’s a nice learning process.
“I spoke to Gary Medel about his favourite position and it’s an option putting him in defence, so he’s available there if we need him. It’s good that he’s multi-functional.”
De Boer met with the club owners from Suning Group and President Erick Thohir, so were any specific targets set for the season?
“It was nice to meet Mr Zhang, to know he’s supporting us along with Thohir. It’s the most important message that we’re here all together, the message to not just me, but the whole staff and players. We’re starting a project and they are supporting us.
“Of course they want Inter back at the position they are used to and if needed, we can always ask for help. They showed a lot of trust in our project.”