“Coco to stay at Inter”

(translation and scan by Kim!)

Coco,Carini and Choutos, three Interplayers who didn’t find a club this summer.

The most worrying of all are Coco’s failed transfers, for both him and Inter. Coco has a contract with Inter until 2009, worth approximately 15 million euros.

Mancini however doesn’t plan to use him this season, he didn’t even get a shirt number. “I wanted to go away, Espanyol and Torino were very interested in me and I would’ve loved to go there. No-one has explained to me yet why both transfers didn’t work out.”

What about his physical condition?

“ I got injured in the game against Chievo, and I’ve still got a month of hard work to do with doctor Bisciotti. Then begins the real recovery. But I can take my time, I don’t have to recover quickly because I won’t get a chance to play at Inter anyway. I need to wait till January.”

You seemed to have “reblossomed” at Livorno

“ I play 28 matches and I kept improving myself every match. When I finally felt that I was back at my old level, I got injured. I’m very grateful to everyone in Tuscany, and especially Roberto Donadoni. He called me to tell me I should come to Livorno, he had faith in me. He knew me from when we were both at AC Milan, so I knew what he was like.”

You never gave up?

What happened to me would’ve “torn down a bull” : 2 back operations which led to problems with the nerves in my back. A terrible disaster which started in 2003. I lived in hell for 1 and a half year.”

Is there anyone responsible for that?

“I can’t blame anyone, but if I had to do it again I wouldn’t have had that second back surgery. Which led to muscular problems. I took a hurried decision by opting for a second operation, after having played Inter-Ancona I was literally nailed to my bed for 4 days.”

You didn’t consult with anyone before taking that decision?

“ Paolo Baffoni, who works for Zaccheroni, advised me to not have a surgery again, but to try and solve the problem in a natural way. They told me I’d be back again in a month and a half after my second surgery, but it took me a year and a half to recover…”

Mancini kept you in the squad

“That season I played 6 matches in the Serie A and Coppa Italia. I’m not saying this because I want a fight, but it was a little strange. I needed to play more matches in order to return to my old level, but I didn’t get the chance to do that at Inter.

And then came Livorno. Meanwhile we did see you in the gossip magazines, accompanied by gorgeous women…

“I lived a normal life for a guy my age. But it seems that in order to not be considered frivolous, a football player should live a life like a monk! The thing that annoyed me the most is my image of a “womanizer”, people like to believe I go from one woman to the other.”

You’re almost 30, how do you see your future?

“If I find a squad, willing to give me the faith to play on a regular basis, I’ll return in the National team. All I need is for my physical condition NOT to let me down this time.”

At which club do you see yourself playing in the future?

“ Where there’s something to fight for. I had an oral agreement with Torino, and everything seemed to be going ok with Espanyol. Now I’ll just have to wait till January, and hopefully La Befana (Italian tradition, witch who brings gifts to children) will give me this present.”

He always had luck with women…

http://s51.photobucket.com/albums/f361/forzafrancescococo/various/?action=view¤t=GAZZETTAcoco4-9-2006.jpg&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch1