SportSport.ba

What about the Nerazzurri's key performers? The coach gave an update on Milito's return from injury. "He still should be a month away, but I can't put an exact timeframe on it. He's not yet back with the group, so it's not going to be quick." And on Icardi: "Sadly, he's never been able to train at his best, but in the short time he was able to train he responded very well. He's talented, he's still got a long way to go, but he's got what it takes."

In your interview in today's edition of La Repubblica, you admit that you didn't know about the change of ownership when you took the reins at Inter. When you said, "I've always worked with the aim of getting the most out of the personnel and my presidents have been able to sell on what I've increased the value of", was that an indirect message to Thohir? As if to say: the squad is in good hands but if we want to do business let's buy someone we can make money on too. Or was that a coincidence?
"[Smiling] Yes, it's a coincidence. It's part of my job. Those who know me know very well that I try to maximise the potential of the company's ****. When I'm handed a squad of players, I try to improve them, give them a playing style, but also work on them individually to develop the youngsters. I've done that lots of times in my career and I don't see why I should change now that I'm here at Inter."

But Inter perhaps need a little extra something to take them up to the next level. Wouldn't you like a player who's already the finished article?
"I'd like to meet a coach who wouldn't want to have the best, top-level players. Obviously it's the club that dictates the guidelines. What the coach wants, or would like, is one thing; another is what the club sets out based on financial parameters - something you can't ignore nowadays."

Could you at least tell us where you'd like to bring someone in?
“You know me well enough by know... I never talk on the outside about things that I must first and foremost share with the owners and my sporting directors. It would be wrong to do any differently because even if you are interested in a player, when you come out and say it publicly it becomes even tougher to sign him."

What's surprised you positively in this first phase of the season and what do you still need to work on a bit?
"I'm happy with all my players. If you want to pick out individuals, we can point to what Alvarez is doing, what Jonathan's done, what seasoned campaigners such as Cambiasso are doing – a player some people said was on the decline last season but who has come back this season and is playing as well as he was three or four years ago. I've given you three names but I could name many others because I think the whole squad has improved. You can see an identity, a team playing with conviction, everyone helping each other and I think that's what you need in the modern game. Where do we need to improve? Sometimes our concentration drops a little but we're still quite a young team and we have players who need to grow. We have to play more consistently over the 90 minutes and show a bit more guile in certain situations."

When it was put to Mazzarri that he will probably look to trim his squad in January, the coach explained:
"It's not that I'm always looking to trim the squad; when it's appropriate it's good for the club too. We'll see what needs doing. I'll speak with the sporting directors – we still have a bit of time to look at things. I still need to get to know all my players properly, there are things to assess."

Just a few months after Mazzarri joined Inter, the team already looks as if it's been moulded by his hands.
"When you do the job I do," the coach explained, "you always hope for that. From day one I start working on the team, on my ideas, on the lads I have available to me and I always hope that they start following me as quickly as possible. It hasn't been easy but I'm pleased with the improvement - which I'd describe as stratospheric - because I think Inter have already shown some great football this season."