Inter players have room for improvement: Benitez
The 50-year-old Spaniard, who signed a two year contract in June after after being sacked by Liverpool, said that the two week preparation in the US was good for the squad but that there was still work to do ahead of their opening match with Bologna on August 30.
“The players had to improve their physical condition,” said Benitez, who replaced his nemesis from his time in England, Jose Mourinho, in the hotseat after the Portuguese coach left for Real Madrid.
“That was not easy as the players who were involved in the World Cup finals and arrived late as a result, but overall we are happy now with their state and we can now focus on the tactics,” added Benitez, who faces an unenviable task of following Mourinho’s achievements of last season in landing the domestic double and the Champions League.
Benitez, who failed to build on his initial success at Liverpool in winning the 2005 Champions League, said that he saw Inter’s strategy as hitting teams on the counter attack.
“If we can improve in pressurising our opponents when they have the ball and score three goals immediately on counterattacking that would be a good thing,” said Benitez, who made his name as Valencia coach guiding them to two league titles and the UEFA Cup in his tenure.
Benitez was targeted again by Mourinho in a Sunday Times interview where the Real coach taunted him by saying that even if he wins the Intercontinental Cup and European Super Cup they will really be his victories and not the Spaniard’s.
Benitez’ first competitive match in the dugout will be the European Super Cup against Europa League winners Atletico Madrid in Monaco on August 27.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 9th, 2010.
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