Cairo: ‘I transmitted to the players my determination’

di Andrea Rosselli

Torino chairman Urbano Cairo was hosted yesterday by the Torino daily newspaper "La Stampa" and answered several e-mails by the fans, who wanted to know his opinion about this terrible start to the season and most importantly his recipe in order to get out of this early crisis. Here's a selection of his answers.

How can you lose like this at home against Lazio? It's time to react".

"Today I met the team, I talked for 40 minutes and I gave them a strong, positive message. I reminded them what we are: we are Torino, we always need to be humble and determinated. Unfortunately many players are new and they still have to understand a few things about this club".

Don't you think you made a few mistakes during the summer transfer market?

"Even last season's January session seemed wrong, but afterwards it paid us back: Abbruscato, Gallo and Lazetic were instrumental for the promotion. We must be patient and give the new players the time to find the right chemistry: within a few weeks we'll be able to give a more accurate opinion".

We should have kept De Biasi for this first Serie A season, and then make a more ambitious plan for the following ones.

"I don't think so: on the contrary, I should have fired De Biasi earlier. I didn't do that because I'm a heart of gold".

Zaccheroni is presumptuous, why didn't you choose Cosmi?

"I didn't even think about Cosmi. Zaccheroni is the right coach for a mid-term project: his teams play good soccer, he gives the youngsters room, he never loses his head".

There are 29 players in the roster: we need to sell someone in January.

"There's enough time to think about it. It's true, 29 are too many, but I told all of them to think positive, because everybody can have his chance in every moment".

Why did you buy Oguro and not Cruz?

"I wanted both Cruz and Materazzi, but Moratti didn't want to sell them. Cruz has always been untouchable for the Inter chairman, and Materazzi became more than untouchable after his superb World Cup".