“Il Governor” is not the type to keep a own goal on the rump. No, we are not talking about Vincent DeLucaat the time only mayor of SalernoBut say Paul Ince English midfielder 26 years ago at Inter e hero in a close match of the championship against Napoli. An own goal a San Siro therefore, but Ince, notoriously indomitable by character, even if that own goal was truly fortuitous, was not the type to give himself peace on the pitch, and in fact the goal of the tie nerazzurri, in a match won 3 to 2, he will score. The last goal for the Nerazzurri. He had arrived only two years before Paul: if Recoba was without a doubt the favourite Moratti, it is probable that Paul Ince will be among the favorites of the former Nerazzurri president right after. The reason is simple: Ince is the prototype of the footballer you would like to see wearing your team’s shirt, always ready to give battagliaalways ready to enter into tackle (considered an almost carnal pleasure), always ready to defend the colors they wear.
Battles started on the street in the neighborhood of IlfordLondon suburb, in a situation common to many footballers: little money, absent father, the ball lifeboat to hold on to. Cattail West Ham and they are just the Hammers to realize that the boy has lungs and muscles, as well as courage to sell: after the process of the youth team he made his debut and immediately became an immovable element of the midfield of John Lyall. The transfer to the United it will be problematic: a bit of a constant in Paul Ince’s career. With West Ham now relegated, Ince has an agreement with United, while waiting for the details, he takes the usual photos with the shirt of the Red Devils before leaving with the holidays: the photos, however, jump out, causing the anger of the Hammers fans. In any case, at United Ince becomes a pillar of the team together with the other protagonists of the cycle Sir Alex Fergusonin particular Eric Cantona. However, the relationship with Ferguson will never be happy for Ince: the coach will define him as a “Big Time Charlie”, something similar to a successful loser, in any case someone who believes he is great but in reality he is not.
It will be Ferguson who will tell him that he has to leave, while Paul is busy playing golf against Ryan Giggs. In truth, net of the far from idyllic relations with coach Ince, he has no desire to leave, he would be ready to sign the renewal of the contract but the offer of Moratti, who became president of Inter in February 1995 and eager to make that midfielder the soul of Inter is indispensable. There is talk of 15 billion lire, for the time the highest offer arrived for a player English. There aren’t many margins, so much so that when Ince hesitates the president explains to him that with that money he can make United great, a refusal from him would mean going through the soccer player which prevented the growth of the Red Devils. Paul resigns himself, whoever doesn’t do it is his wife Claire: fond of the role of Wags in Manchester, she has no great desire to leave England for Italy…unless she finds suitable accommodation. Concept of adequate accommodation however indefinite since Lady Ince is shown dozens and dozens of villas in Lombardy: the modern ones are judged not up to par, the ancient ones, including a jewel of the eighteenth centurytoo old…even a chance to stay at Villa d’Este a Cernobbio does not warm the lady.
We arrive at one surreal press conference in which Ince is and there is the vice president of Inter, the count Gianmaria Visconti of Modrone which basically announces that there is no announcement: the midfielder has logistical and family problems and wants to solve them before signing. Contribution to the footballer’s conference just a “goodbye”. We will actually see each other again. Eventually Ince will sign and juggle well in the midfield of Moratti’s first Inter, also entering the hearts of the fans who will dedicate the chant “Come on, Paul Ince come on!” to him. He will score 3 goals in his first year with the Nerazzurri, including one splendid in reverse to Cagliari and 8 in the second year, helping take Inter to the final Coppa Uefathen lost against the Schalke 04. He will also be very active against the racismhaving experienced it on his skin in particular in a race against Cremona. But if Ince had managed to win the hearts of the fans and fit well into Serie A (something rare at the time for an Englishman, given the precedents) Italy just hadn’t made inroads into Claire’s heart: her husband will ask for the transfer, reluctantly. It will pass to Liverpool and then to Middlebrough and finally to the Wolverhampton. His grit will allow him to become a column even in national: he will become the first black captain of England, and his image with the turban and the bloody shirt during a battle against Italy by Cesare Maldini for the qualifiers for the World Cup in France ’98. Today is a trainerand he says he still regrets having left Inter in ’97: with Inter and United in his heart there are few doubts about who will support in the next final Champions.