Introducing Myself

Hi Inter fans! My name is Tim Kraus, I’m the second of two new writers at Serpents of Madonnina. I just wanted to take a quick chance to introduce myself to the community.

I am a recent Elon University graduate, living and working in Washington, D.C., and a die-hard soccer fan. In 2004, my dad brought home a Frank Lampard jersey from a London business trip, and as an impressionable 10-year-old, I became a Chelsea fan. I started to follow Inter in 2008 when Massimo Moratti appointed Jose Mourinho as manager. As I’m sure most Inter fans would agree, it wasn’t hard to fall in love with the club from there.

While visiting Milan on vacation with my family in August 2013, I had the opportunity to see a match at the San Siro. Inter beat Genoa 2-0, with Yuto Nagatomo heading in a Jonathan cross to put the Nerazzurri ahead in the second half, and Rodrigo Palacio sealing the victory in stoppage time. Attending a match in-person was a special experience, which only cemented my passion for the club.

Since becoming an Inter fan, my two favorite players have been Javier Zanetti and Diego Milito. Although I only saw the final years of his legendary career, Zanetti’s nearly two decades of dedication, and quality as one of the greatest fullbacks in the world, was impossible to ignore. Diego Militio was just such a pleasure to watch. When healthy and in-form, El Príncipe was arguably the best pure striker in the world, and simply a game-changer for Inter. My favorite players in the current team are Samir Handanović — you can’t go wrong with a loyal, high-quality keeper — and of course, Mauro Icardi.

Although it may be impossible to top the treble winning 2009-10 season, I’m still optimistic that the club’s best years are ahead of it. Under the new Suning ownership, Inter will have the resources needed to sign top players to complement what is an exciting core of young talent. With that in mind, I am so excited to have the chance to join Serpents of Madonnina. Soon, Inter will be back as a world-class team, and I look forward to being able to share the journey with you.