Andrea Stramaccioni hit back at Antonio Cassano, who called the former Inter striker “a phony” who was working to get him fired, and explains their ugly row.
Fantantonio claimed during an interview with Sky Sport Italia that Stramaccioni was “the worst person I ever met” and they came to blows during a locker room row.
Stramaccioni called La Gazzetta dello Sport to give his version of events.
Andrea Stramaccioni hit back at Antonio Cassano, who called the former Inter striker “a phony” who was working to get him fired, and explains their ugly row.
Fantantonio claimed during an interview with Sky Sport Italia that Stramaccioni was “the worst person I ever met” and they came to blows during a locker room row.
Stramaccioni called La Gazzetta dello Sport to give his version of events.
“It’s really quite simple, especially as there were several people present that day. I never talked about what really happened. I faced up to Cassano after someone from Inter related some information to me. He said that it had also happened other times and it was only right, for the good of the team, that I know this before the delicate double meeting with Catania and Tottenham.
“I learned that Cassano had basically staged a rally in front of some players and members of staff, explaining how good Walter Mazzarri was and how much better we’d be if he replaced me.
“Cassano was absolutely convinced that I would not have kept him at the end of the season, but sure he would be in Mazzarri’s plans. Instead, it was Mazzarri who kicked him out of Inter…”
The date of the row has been pin-pointed at March 1, 2013.
“The day after I was told about this, I waited until the end of the training session to speak to him alone, but seeing as he rushed off first, I ran after him to confront him verbally.
“He denied everything, being the phony that he is, and I said he was worthless as a person and had no sense of gratitude, seeing as I had wanted him at Inter. Obviously, it all degenerated from there.
“He didn’t even touch me and he knows it. I shouted at him that, up until the moment I was no longer of use to him, he embraced me after every goal and said I was a great Coach. Afterwards, in his view I had become the worst Coach in the world.
“I am not a phenomenon, nor a disaster, and I always refused to talk about this with anyone, including President Massimo Moratti, because the locker room is sacred.
“Many things happen in the locker room and I believe they should stay there. Even the few players present at the clash did the same.
“Today, many years later, Cassano has probably decided to attack the person who has less media sway than the others he faced in his career.
“However, by making this statement, he has confirmed exactly what I thought about him after that confrontation.”