COCO: "IT IS AN HONOR TO PLAY FOR SUCH AN IMPORTANT CLUB, AND I AM READY FOR THE CHALLENGE" (inter.it)
Friday, 21 June 2002 12:26:55

MILANO - Throughout Fancesco Coco official presentation as a Nerazzurro, the new comer stated a few words: "I am very happy to be here. To play for such an important club is an honor. I am ready for the challenge which lies a head of us"

ORIALI: "WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING COCO FOR YEARS, WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE HIM" (inter.it)
Friday, 21 June 2002 12:56:46

MILANO - Francesco Coco official presentation began this morning at 11am. At the press conference Inter’s team Director Oriali said a few words: "We have been following Coco for years. I believe Coco is an ideal player for Inter. Unfortunately he is here with us today and not still involved in the world cup, however we are very happy to have him here with Inter."

COCO: "RONALDO AND VIERI ARE THE BEST ATTACKING PARTNERSHIP IN THE WORLD." (inter.it)
Friday, 21 June 2002 16:45:02

MILAN - Among the first words Francesco Coco had to say after being officially presented as an Inter player this morning were his compliments for strike partners Ronaldo and Vieri . 

"Ronaldo and Vieri are the best attacking partnership in the world. I hope they can have the opportunity to give a lot to this team, because together they constitute one of Inter's strong points. The disappointment for the national team is immense, but let's put that behind us now and concentrate on this new adventure in nerazzurro."

Coco determined to repay Inter faith (onefootball.com)
Friday 21st June 2002

Francesco Coco is hoping to prove Internazionale have got the better half of the bargain after signing from AC Milan in a swap deal that saw Dutch midfielder move to the Rossoneri. "I hope so, as that would mean that I will have a great season," he said.

Inter presented Coco to the press at the Pinetina training centre on Friday with the Italy centre back still sporting a plaster above his eye from the knock he took during the Azzurri's World Cup defeat to South Korea.

With Italy still reeling from the shock of that loss, Coco admitted he had hoped that the announcement of his arrival at Inter might have been delayed.

"To be honest, I had hoped to come back a little later, let's say in ten day's time," he said. "But what happened has happened and now I'll have a short holiday before beginning my new adventure with the Nerazzurro.

"I'm very happy," he added. "The transfer has been spoken about for some time and I can't wait to begin. It will be a challenge here and I have always loved challenges in my career.

"Both Milan's clubs are important sides and if they agreed on this deal, they had their reasons," Coco added. "I'm 25 and I want to show my ability by playing in Italy at the top level. Inter are a top team, they are always looking for stars and I hope to be one of them."

Coco forced his way into the Italy side after missing the opening match against Ecuador and vowed to do the same at Inter.

"The first objective is to win a place in the side, because no-one has a right to one at Inter," he said. "Once I have claimed a shirt I will have to fight to keep it." 

Inter ruled themselves out of the race to sign Lazio defender Alessandro Nesta and Valencia midfielder Kily Nerazzurri on Thursday, but sports director Gabriele Oriali was delighted to have sealed the signing of Coco.

"We had been looking at Coco for a long time and we believe he can fix the our main problem last season, the left side of defence," he said.

"I'm sorry that we decided to organise this press conference just a few hours after one of the worst defeats in the history of Italian football, but at the same time we are delighted to have signed a player as great as Coco."

Coco spent the 2001-02 season loan at Barcelona despite having impressed sufficiently at Milan to force his way into the Italian national team. Fatih Terim, then coach at Milan, professed a preference for Serginho on the left and deemed Coco to be surplus to requirements after just one game of the 2001-02 season.