WES WITH INTER IN HIS HEART
“My Inter can beat Juve. I don’t think the Bianconeri are stronger than us. With Strama, I have found a good relationship with him because he understands the players just like Moratti.”
“I’m as captain? Maybe but Zanetti is eternal. And I’m not stupid: now I eat at home.”
Noordwijk – There was a table of veteran players: Sneijder, Kuyt, Robben, Heitinga. In the national team of Van Gaal, even Wesley Sneijder is an old man and the young guys are lined up to pay homage. “Being the captain of the Netherlands at 28 years old is spectacular.” However, it must be less spectacular in the Europa League while his fellow teammates like Robben, Van Persie, Huntelaar, are in the Champions League. But Robben does not seem to take into account the difficulties of Italian football. “We are too expensive for Serie A? If you can afford Wesley, you can also afford me.” Wesley is now a face of Italian football. He is one of the few great foreigners to remain in our league but he is not afraid. “I have never thought that Italian football is in a decline and I still don’t think it is.”
But it seems that this season, the conversation seems to be a monologue: almost everyone is saying Juve.
“I don’t believe that Juve are strongest than us or other teams. It seems that Milan are in pieces but they still have good players. We are right there with Napoli and Roma. It will be hard for everyone to be able to win the league. Juve are the champion and the favorite but we can beat them.”
Roma, however, have beaten you instead.
“On the 2-1 for them, the game was over. However, we must continue play even at a 2-1 disadvantage. We play to win, always.”
The defense is a bit shaky.
“The defense, in fact, must improve. But against Roma, there was no Chivu who is important to our game as a left center back. In short, we are still missin something but I am confident that we have a good team and the right coach. We will fight until the end both in the league and also the Europa League.”
The Europa League is a true objective for a club like Inter?
“Why not? If the team is good, why not trying to go all the way? I would like to play the final in Amsterdam.”
Maybe against Ajax. Have you ever thought of going back to end your career?
“No. Never say never but right now it is too soon to think about it. I have a contract with Inter until 2015 and I want to stay at least until the end of the contract.”
Would you like to become the Inter captain after becoming Netherlands captain?
“Eh, maybe…” (Sighs and laughs). “But Zanetti is going to play until 60 years old and any aspiration about this would be useless.”
Why are you working so well with Stramaccioni? You are now a leader.
“Because he understands the players, just like Moratti. We are moving to a different direction with new ideas, and we need to continue moving forward on this path.”
Stramaccioni has put you as the center piece of his project.
“He has spoken to me a lot and about everything. He makes me feel important and this is good for any player.”
Maybe you appreciate the fact that you were never on the transfer market throughout the summer.
“Ah, but I’m used to it. It is not a comfortable position and in fact, this time things went a bit better. And I am happy because I wanted to stay and never thought of leaving Inter. I like the team, the city, the club. I also like this coach.”
You said that you never thought about leaving but have you thought about America?
“That is a project for the future. If my wife continues to be an actress then maybe in the future, to be together, I will have to make a choice and the MLS may be an idea. Not now though. We are very happy like this. Yolanthe is a great supporter of Inter and has always hoped that we would stay in Milan.”
Yet in Milan, you have been criticized for certain episodes. People are saying that you go out eating and drinking too much.
“I have to be criticized for what I do on the field, it would be useless to worry about the rest. But I am not stupid. I don’t go out every night and I am not going out as much as before. Yes those who criticized me may have been right because to be seen every night at a restaurant is not a good idea. In fact, I eat at home now.”
Are you happy with the Pazzini-Cassano exchange?
“I am happy for them. Giampaolo is a great striker and a great friend of mine but his story with Inter is now over and the same with Antonio and Milan. So everyone is happy.”
You like Cassano?
“Cassano is a bit crazy but he is a great player. He will definitely give us a hand.”
Inter could have gotten De Jong who you wanted, but he ended up at Milan.
“Again, I am happy for him. At City, playing was not guaranteed and now he will surely find space at Milan and will do well. And for the first time I would be able to play against him. We grew up together and so the feeling is there.”
So there will be sparks in the next derby?
“There have always been sparks in a derby.”
You said that the most important thing is to feel loved. What do you think about the “tiredness” of Cristiano Ronaldo in Madrid?
“I don’t know what to say because I have not heard from him for months. I think that this is just an exaggeration from journalists. If there is a need to find the solution, he and his club will find it soon.”
And what about Kaka who took your spot at Real Madrid and now he is not even playing. What do you think?
“It was not him who took my dressing room and my shirt so I don’t hold any grudge. Seriously, Kaka is a player of high quality. He has always been good.”
The game against his Brazil was perhaps your greatest moment in the national team. Then there was the Euro.
“I’m not thinking about it anymore but perhaps ten years from now, I will. After the World Cup, we reached the Euro perhaps with little presumption. Now we have to restart. We are not a top team but if we do things right, we can be.”
What does it mean to be a captain of the national team at a time of reconstruction?
“I now have great responsibilities and can no longer do stupid things. I am 28 years old, I have grown up. I will try to do the right things.”
Source: Gazzetta dello Sport
