Saturday, 27 January 2007 16:21:25
APPIANO GENTILE - Part two of Roberto Mancini's Sampdoria v Inter news conference:

Mancini: your remarks on the comments attributed to you by a British newspaper?
"I never said those things. I haven't spoken to anyone, I can't deny something I never said. The contract? Things are exactly as they were before. I repeat: I didn't say those things and I have never spoken with anyone. But it's different if they report things I might have said two years ago, when I said I would like to coach in England after my adventure at Inter. Does it annoy me if they talk about this? No. It's like a good player who plays for a great team and he's wanted by the big clubs. These are things that can please you because it means you're doing a good job. But to go as far as to say that I said certain things.... that is different, and it's not true."

Manchester United's managing director said that in the modern game there should be different contracts for players, linked to performance. What do you think?
"Each person has his own ideas, which might be good or less good. I believe there are already these kind of contracts. Some strikers earn a slightly lower fixed wage and get bonuses if they win or score."

It has been said that every contract should be like this, so they would be respected up to a certain point...
"It's not just the players who don't respect their contracts. Sometimes clubs decide to sell a player or get rid of a coach even if there's a long contract. These things are normal in football."

Many say Antonio Cassano could join Inter...
"Absolutely not. I don't know anything about this. I can rate Cassano just like many other coaches. If there is the possibility of him returning to Italy, I think Inter could be in the queue. Maybe later on."

What's your opinion of Michel Platini becoming UEFA president?
"I'm very pleased. A great ex-player has become president. He has worked very hard to arrive at this position because he dedicated himself to that kind of work after he stopped playing. Being a young person, I think he could have good and innovative ideas. His election could be good for everybody."

If you could question Platini on the most urgent matters facing our game, what would you ask him?
"Seeing as Italy are in the running for the 2012 European Championship, I hope he forces us to build great stadiums. Stadiums where fans can easily go to, and that they will willingly pay a bit more to go to because they're going to see a show and can sit comfortably in a reserved seat, and don't have to go to a match three hours early to find a parking place. Stadiums in which there's no risk of remaining on your feet. This is what I would ask Platini for."

As the coach of an Italian club, would it be fair if the great footballing nations like Italy had a team less in the Champions League?
"Once upon a time only one team - the one that won - participated in the European Cup, which was a completely different tournament from today's one. I don't know what will happen, or if they will take away one team from the big nations to allow others to participate. But to this end, football can certainly evolve. It might be a bit less spectacular, but there are many other solutions if the goal is to bring entertainment through football to those countries where our sport is less well known. This could certainly help and it could be positive, even though it won't please certain nations."

A question on Ronaldo: the Nerazzurri fans are a bit irritated over his transfer to Milan. Have you spoken about it amongst yourselves?
"I don't know, and I don't know if the players have spoken about it either. But I do think it's quite normal for the Nerazzurri fans to be a bit annoyed. When Ronaldo was at Inter he was the best player in the world and he was loved like few others have been."