Zhang: "United in our desire to win more silverware"

MILAN - Inter beat Sampdoria 3-0 on Sunday to round off a season that saw the Nerazzurri claim the Coppa Italia and Italian Super Cup, besides finishing second in the league. Steven Zhang has now taken stock of the year and set the targets for the coming campaign after meeting with Simone Inzaghi and the senior management team.

It’s been an exciting season full of brilliant moments for the club and all the Inter fans. 

"It’s been an amazing season. We’ve added two trophies to our collection and advanced in the Champions League, getting through to the Round of 16 after so long. Unfortunately, we didn't win the Scudetto, but we saw that we were able to fight to the end. Congratulations to AC Milan and to all our competitors in the league. We’re really happy to see our fans celebrate. Overall, it’s been a historic year which we’ll all remember."

Today you met with coach Simone Inzaghi, as well as top management, to start planning for next season, a sign that working together as one is key to the success of the club. 

"The season has just finished but we don’t stop working. We’re already thinking about the next one. As a football club, our main objective is to stay competitive and fight for the biggest trophies, always looking ahead and aiming for the top. Our meeting today allowed us to plan for next season and to try to improve on last year."

Let’s talk about today’s meeting. Is it fair to say that Inter will continue to be competitive next term and strive to keep up this winning streak started by Suning?

"We started six years ago. Finally, last year we won the Scudetto and this year we’ve added two trophies to our collection. It shows we’re headed in the right direction. In the past few years, we’ve managed to increase our points tally and it’s been especially impressive over the last three years. It shows that the players and staff in Appiano are moving in the right direction. I also want to thank all the employees who work in the offices. It’s a team effort. The work of our staff and the support of our fans have brought us these results over the last six years. There have been ups and downs, but we believe we’re on the right path. Next season, we're going to continue to bring that motivation and push forward."

Many people have highlighted the special rapport you have with coach Simone Inzaghi, as well as the qualities he brings to the side.

"I said to the coach a few months ago that working with him keeps me calm. It’s a pleasure working with someone like him in this industry. He’s a very intelligent man. He’s a great coach, which you can see in the results on the pitch. He creates a calm atmosphere whether in the office or dressing room. We’ll move forward together. I can see his deep affinity with Inter. He has the support of the fans and all of us."

What memory stands out from the season just gone and what can we expect next year?

"Looking ahead to next season, we must be very competitive, even more so than before. The aim is always to improve. Getting results is the main aim of the club and everything else comes along with that. Moreover, as one of the biggest football clubs in the world, we must be sustainable at every level, including the employees, management and players. We’ll be looking at our cost and organisation structures, the company culture, marketing and commercial abilities, supporting our partners and sponsors, and bringing joy to our fans all over the world. The best moment has been seeing the fans return to the stadium and support the players. That was the most memorable part of the season and we hope it will continue next year."