| Ernesto Paolillo, the Chief Executive Officer of Italian giants Internazionale, wants to follow in the footsteps of Manchester United. “The aim is to win it,” said Paolillo about the final of the Champions League to be held in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico next May, but that isn’t the only trail thing that the European Champions did that he admires. Paolillo has grand plans to see Inter follow them to South Africa as well. South Africa’s underachieving national team - the Bafana Bafana - was recently knocked out of the next Africa Cup of Nations in Angola, which will take place six months before the World Cup.
Paolillo plans for Inter to help them to lift their football out of the doldrums with a morale boosting tour of the country by the thrice consecutive Serie A Champions. Deprived of competitive football they need testing friendlies that Paolillo wants to give them that chance by bringing Inter to the country to play there and coach youngsters. He plans to give South Africans the chance to rub shoulders with the likes of José Mourinho: Inter legend Javier Zanetti, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Adriano Leite Ribeiro, Patrick Vieira, the teenage sensation Mario Balotelli, new signing Ricardo Quaresma and the rest of their star-studded team. Top South African club sides of the Premier Soccer League will benefit too from matches against the Milanese giants. Young South African players will get the chance to impress the Italian giants and possibly secure lucrative moves to Europe.
Despite the humiliation in their qualification group South Africa has a strong friend and advocate in Paolillo. He wants to see his club develop strong ties with Africa. “We can make a tour of South Africa or some other country - playing football over there,” said Paolillo. South Africa is the preferred target of their altruism. “We are very interested to do that you know,” he said. “One of the possible things we can do is to make a tour in South Africa.” Although Paolillo doesn’t rule out the possibility of touring other African countries, he plans for Inter to be part of the celebrations for Africa’s historic World Cup. “Why not in South Africa?” he said. “This is the most possible event that can happen.” The tour will most likely take place after the FIFA Confederations Cup, which will begin in South Africa next June
“We have some players coming from Africa that are very good,” said Paolillo, who has his heart set on Inter touring the hosts of the next World Cup and African football has other admirers in positions of power too. The newly appointed President of rejuvenated La Liga outfit Valencia, Vicente Soriano, declared himself an aficionado of African football as well. “I am a great fan of African football,” he said. “I like Africa so much and the power of African players.”  |
