Nordic Football News

Inter have signed 25 year old Argentinian defender Claudio Verino, Mexican midfielder Alberto Ramirez (23), and Finnish international Ari Nyman (25). With the three new signings, the reigning champions have a full squad just three weeks before the start of the new Veikkausliiga campaign.

“The team is now complete with three keepers and 22 outfield players, but we have loads of work to do in just a couple of weeks,” head coach Job Dragtsma admitted, adding that competitors such as Honka, HJK and Tampere United have been ready for months.

“We knew last year that the higher we finish, the harder it will be to hang on to our key players. But we still did not expect to lose as many as five players, which is half of the team. And all of them were key players,” explained Dragtsma, referring to centre backs Diego Corpache (Haka) and Jos Hooiveld (AIK) and midfielders Dominic Chatto (BK Häcken), Mika Mäkitalo (Haka) and Domagoj Abramovic (Thrasyvoulos FC).

Helping the team bind together in just three weeks will be a problem, but the new signings are impressive indeed. The most delighting news for the fans was the return of Ari Nyman, who came through Inter’s youth ranks and left for Switzerland’s FC Thun two years ago. Nyman flew to the press conference fresh from Oslo, where he was involved for 67 minutes in the national team’s 3-2 friendly defeat against Norway just 15 hours prior to his introduction to the Turku football media.

“I’m really excited to return to Inter. One of the reasons I came back was Dragtsma. I left for Thun just two weeks after Job started as head coach two years ago, but he had already managed to convince me of his coaching skills in that time,” Nyman said.

Veikkausliiga players have found it hard in recent years to make their way to the national team, but Nyman is not concerned.

“I came back because I think I can develop as a player, so I don’t think the move is a risk in that sense. I had a brief discussion with (national team coach) Stuart Baxter on the plane, and he seemed happy enough with the move,” Nyman revealed.

Inter first showed interest in Nyman in January, but Dragtsma said the negotiations took a long time because of money issues and Thun’s unwillingness to cooperate. Nyman was not a free player, but the issue was solved out with the help of a sponsor. The deal was not settled until last week, and Nyman’s last game with Thun took place on Monday a week ago.

Nyman can play both midfield and centre back. Nyman prefers the former, and that is Dragtsma’s first option too.

“I have other solutions for the backline,” Dragtsma said.

One other solution is Claudio Verino, a 191 cm Argentinian and the player who has to be very good if Inter want to play for honours this year. And he is very good, if sources close to Job Dragtsma are anything to go by.

“Some people say Verino is better than Jos Hooiveld,” Dragtsma said in a relaxed manner. If that is true, scoring in Inter’s net is next to impossible.

One of the first obstacles in Verino’s way is climbing over the language barrier. He spoke Spanish in the press conference and the translating was done by Canadian goalkeeper David Monsalve, who did not have much to do. Verino only described his characteristics.

“I’m a physical defender, and defending comes first before anything else in my mind. I just want to make sure the team keeps doing the right things,” Verino explained.

Equally silent was Mexican midfielder Alberto Ramirez, who described himself a player who is always willing to sacrifice himself to help the team. Ramirez is still a mystery for the fans, and with the return of 32-year-old Aristides Pertot and the inclusions of 18-year-old Nigerian youngster Kennedy and 20-year old Pablo Gomez-Marttila, it could be argued that Inter are trying to compensate the quality lost from the midfield with quantity. Dragtsma is quick to put off these claims.

“We needed to expand the squad, it is not possible to play a whole season with three midfielders. There will be suspensions and injuries, and Pertot for example won’t play all the games,” explained Dragtsma, whose team has to put in a respectable performance in the Champions League qualifications while participating in Veikkausliiga and the domestic cup.

With the renovated and expanded midfield, Inter now have smaller risks. Last year’s team was not only the best in the league, but also exceptionally lucky in that it managed to avoid injuries to key players. Unlike last year, they now have enough backup to cover all but the worst injury crisis.

But still, the team has changed dramatically and perhaps the most important players only became a part of it three weeks before the kick-off at IFK Mariehamn. How will Inter play in the summer?

“The big picture will pretty much stay the same,” said Dragtsma, referring to the team’s trademark flowing style with short passes.

“But of course we will have to adjust a few things. You can’t just replace players with others and think it will be the same thing. Ramirez, for example, is a physical player and not quite like Chatto,” Dragtsma analysed.