Coco: I want to start again
06/21/2002. (Soccerage)
Has been presented today to Inter, Francesco Coco. In the course of the press conference it was obvious that the discourse would get also to the sizzling subject of the World Cup only just concluded (at least for Italy).
"What a disappointment! - said the new nerazzurro - our behavior was rather good but there have been problems and mistakes from everyone. Now everything is over. In any way after a defeat like this one I have a big desire to start again to forget everything. All this has given me a big motivation!".
Coco to Inter channel: "Inter wants to win, we will play to win."

06/20/2002 taken from Inter.com
MILAN - Francesco Coco can't wait to pull on an Inter shirt. Speaking to Inter Channel , the wing-back admitted: "It had been talked about for some time, I really am very happy. I can play in a great team and I will give everything to do well."
Coco clearly outlined his objectives in the forthcoming season, adding: "Inter is a great team and wants to win. We will aim to play to win."

Coco to inter channel: "I hoped to come back a little later, but I'm happy to begin the new adventure."
06/20/2002 taken from Inter.com
MILAN - The Italian national team arrived at Malpensa airport at around 16:30 today. There was enthusiasm for all the players, in particular for Christian Vieri .
Inter Channel was at Malpensa to get the impressions of the nerazzurri players. New signing Francesco Coco , who wanted to speak to Inter Channel only, confessed: "In reality I hoped to come back a little later, let's say in ten day's time. But it went like this. Now I'll have a short holiday and then the new adventure in nerazzurro begins. I'm very happy, it has been spoken about for some time and I can't wait to begin."
Italian sport press remark Coco's generosity, who played despite his wound and head bandage

06/19/2002 taken from Inter.com
DAEJEON - MILAN - Here's how the Italian sports press judged Coco 's performance in action for Italy yesterday against Korea.

La Gazzetta dello Sport: 6 He fought bravely against one of the best Korean strikers. He was often blocked by several Koreans and couldn't move forward. But he gave everything for the team even after a bad cut above his eyebrow.

Corriere dello Sport: 6 He suffers the Korean wing Park (also Panucci ). But he has flashes of energy and keeps on fighting with his turban, after they slash open his eyebrow. Like the other players he rebels to the referee, but it was useless.

Tuttosport: 6 He plays with a head bandage due to a nasty cut above his eyebrow from a flying Elbow off a corner kick, however he doesn't surrender and gives the team all of his will, anger and pride.

Coco: "I believe in Inter and I want to be a protagonist in an Inter shirt."
06/01/2002 taken from Inter.com
SENDAI - (ANSA) To change shirt 48 hours before the World Cup can stun any player. But not Francesco Coco , who has become the first Italian international to join a new club since the end of the season. His long association with AC Milan has finished, and considering the arguments of the last nine months the divorce seems a liberation. Even if the new 'bride' is called Inter.
"I've no particular revenge to take," commented Coco with a calm smile. "I'm not returning to Milan to play against someone, but quite simply because I believe in Inter and I want to be a protagonist."
Coco added: "AC Milan managers? No, I just heard from my father and he told me everything. The clubs have come to an understanding, now we players will also reach an agreement."
Vieri Happy With Coco Signing
05/31/2002. (Soccerage)
Like all of his teammates, Italy's striker Christian Vieri is very focused on the World Cup, but it seems that this doesn't prevent him from thinking about his club, Inter.
Today, Vieri said that Inter followed his advice with regards to Coco, who joined the Nerazzurri following yesterday's swap deal with Milan, who got Dutch playmaker Clarence Seedorf.
"Coco? They listened to my advice... He's a really good player, and generally speaking I'm convinced that it's much better to purchase Italian players. There are too many foreigners in the Serie A, although most of them are good as well".
Coco moves across Milan
05/31/2002. (EFE)
Italian international defender Francesco Coco agreed to join Serie A club Internazionale FC from city rivals Milan AC today in a swap deal involving Dutch international Clarence Seedorf.
Not finalised
The clubs announced on their website that they had agreed the deal, but Milan have yet to announce that they have finalised personal terms with former Real Madrid CF midfield player Seedorf.
'The two clubs have agreed'
"Yes, the two clubs have agreed and I have agreed," Coco said after training today. "Inter are a great club and I want to do well and it is a chance to return home. Everything is in place for me to do well."
Heading home
Coco, in Korea/Japan with Italy's 2002 FIFA World Cup squad, was loaned to Spanish club FC Barcelona last season, but that deal ended this month and the player said that he would not be returning to Milan. "The door was closed with Milan in September when I was loaned to Barcelona," said Coco, a product of Milan's youth scheme.
'Made my choices'
Coco quit the club after a row with then Milan coach Fatih Terim when the Turk left him out of the side for the first game of the season. "Part of the blame was with Terim, part with the club and part with me. But I have gone my own way since then and I have made my choices," said Coco. "It is never nice to leave a club where you have spent many years but Inter wanted me and so they clearly have faith in me," added the defender.
'Happy to stay at Barcelona'
Coco took time to settle in Spain with Barcelona but said he had enjoyed his spell at the Camp Nou. "I always said I would have been happy to stay at Barcelona if the club wanted me to.
Coco To Inter, Seedorf To Milan
05/30/2002. (Soccerage)
According to the Official pages of AC Milan, an agreement has been reached between AC Milan and Internazionale to swap Francesco Coco and Clarence Seedorf.
"We have reached an agreement with Inter and it is now simply a matter of the two clubs reaching an agreement with the two players," Milan president Galliani stated.
Coco, who has now officialized the "traitor" label that will be pinned on him by the Milan tifosi, had been hoping for the move to go through. "I do not wish to play at Milan. However, the thought of playing for Inter excites me!" he was cited as saying. Coco will fill the void in the neroazzuri defense's left side where both Gresko and Georgatos have struggled to deliver.
Seedorf meanwhile will provide the flair and spark that Milan's midfield lacks on several occasions. Seedorf may even be played as a regular on Milan's right flank where the industrious Gattuso has lacked invention. Seedorf, who on his day can be the finest midfielder in the world, tackling aggressively yet scoring wonder goals, will be hoping Ancelotti will put more faith in him than Cuper did.
"The clubs have decided that the players are at par and that no monetary compensation is required for either side," Galliani went on. The Milan supremo also assured fans that Rui Costa would not be traded despite the arrival of the Dutchman. "They do not play the same position and Rui is sure to stay."
The transfer will please both managers as it is evident that they had a great desire for the deal to go through.
Coco swaps Milan clubs
05/30/2002 (Reuters)
SENDAI, Japan
Italy defender Francesco Coco has agreed to make the controversial switch from AC Milan to city rivals Inter with Dutch international midfielder moving in the opposite direction.
The two Italian clubs announced that they had agreed the deal, but AC Milan have not confirmed if they have finalised personal terms with former Real Madrid midfielder Seedorf.
'Yes, the two clubs have agreed and I have agreed, Coco said after training.
'Inter are a great club and I want to do well and it is a chance to return home. Everything is in place for me to do well.
' Coco, in Japan with the Italy's World Cup squad, was loaned to Spanish club Barcelona last season but that deal ended this month and the player said he would not be returning to AC Milan.
'The door was closed with Milan in September when I was loaned to Barcelona,' said Coco, a product of Milan's youth scheme.
Coco quit the club after a row with then Milan coach Fatih Terim when the Turk left him out of the side for the first game of the season.
'Part of the blame was with Terim, part with the club and part with me. But I have gone my own way since then and I have made my choices,' said Coco.
'It is never nice to leave a club where you have spent many years but Inter wanted me and so they clearly have faith in me,' added the defender.
Coco took time to settle in Spain with Barcelona but said he had enjoyed his spell at the Nou Camp. 'I always said I would have been happy to stay at Barca if the club wanted me to. But this is my choice now to go to Inter and I am happy with it'.
The defender finally broke through at Milan in the 2000-01 season where his impressive performances earned him a call-up for Italy.
But the left wing-back has lost his place in the Italy starting lineup in recent weeks as coach Giovanni Trapattoni has opted for a four-man defense. There are already five Inter players in Italy's World Cup squad - goalkeeper Francesco Toldo, defender Marco Materazzi, midfielders Cristiano Zanetti and Luigi Di Biagio and striker Christian Vieri.
'The lads all know and they are all happy,' said Coco.
Italy have been drawn in group G at the World Cup with Ecuador, Croatia and Mexico.