Darko Pancev says his move to Inter was “a catastrophic mistake”, and warns Luciano Spalletti of “crises”.
The striker joined the Nerazzurri in 1992 from Red Star, where he had scored 97 goals in 115 games.
However, he struggled to adapt to Serie A football and scored just three League goals in 19 appearances.
“Before arriving at Inter I was one of the top five strikers in Europe,” Pancev lamented, speaking to FCInterNews.
Darko Pancev says his move to Inter was “a catastrophic mistake”, and warns Luciano Spalletti of “crises”.
The striker joined the Nerazzurri in 1992 from Red Star, where he had scored 97 goals in 115 games.
However, he struggled to adapt to Serie A football and scored just three League goals in 19 appearances.
“Before arriving at Inter I was one of the top five strikers in Europe,” Pancev lamented, speaking to FCInterNews.
“I’ve achieved practically everything there is to achieve for a footballer.
“In addition, I started my journey at Inter incredibly, with five goals in two games in the Coppa Italia.
“Later though because of [Coach Osvaldo] Bagnoli, someone who counted at the club, and the other players in the team I began to perceive that something was wrong.
“I was scoring in training too, so I knew there must be some manipulation going on which meant I wasn’t getting on the pitch.
“It happened very suddenly and with no explanation. The boss put me on the fringes of the squad and that’s why my adventure at Inter started and ended badly.
“Younger fans have to know how it went, I don’t care if I’m viewed as the Nerazzurri’s greatest disappointment, the truth is I never got a real chance.
“Every player knows that if you’re only playing every seven or eight games you could be Pele or [Diego] Maradona, you’ll never hit form that way.
“When you go from a team which plays attractive football to one which plays one which isn’t good or attractive, it’s easy to see how it was a mistake.
“There was also the attitude of the team toward me, something which was really strange for such a serious club.
“It was a catastrophic mistake on my part. I could have gone to Barcelona, Real Madrid or Manchester United. This choice ruined my career.
“Between 1985 and 2000, Serie A was the best League in Europe and that’s when I was playing there, but I have to say now it’s at a disappointing level.
“The English, Spanish, German, French and even Portuguese Leagues are better in quality than the Italian one.
“The media? I understand that they couldn’t go against a giant like Inter, the battle was lost from the get-go and everything was done to ruin my image.
“As a nation I don’t have bad memories of Italy, I have nice memories of the country, its people and its traditions.
“I’m only talking about Inter and the professional side of things, even though there are many Nerazzurri players and fans I have to be grateful to.
“After I was kicked out of Inter, the club has been successful, but too often uncomfortable situations and crises have arisen.
“It’s the same today. Spalletti is a good Coach, and I hope he can succeed with the team the way [Roberto] Mancini did the first time.”