What next for Inter?

By David Lee Wheatley

Inter on the slide

After losing 3-4 yesterday at home to Atalanta from 3-1 up, Inter managed to compound an already disappointing season in which they have struggled to put together a consistent run of results in Serie A. They also got dumped out of the Europa League by Tottenham Hotspur at the last-16 stage of the competition, despite a rousing fight-back from a first leg thrashing.

A look at Inter’s last six league fixtures provides an excellent indication of their season so far; 2 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses. Inexperienced coach Andrea Stramaccioni was entrusted with the Inter reigns in March 2012 and the former Roma and Inter youth team coach has struggled with injuries to key players including striker Diego Milito, as well as a lack of form from many of his charges.

Having had his playing career cut short while at Bologna due to a serious knee injury, the 37-year-old Stramaccioni has long been earmarked as a top coach of the future. However, it appears the chance to head up the 2010 Champions League winners has come too soon; Inter currently lie fifth in Serie A, two points behind Fiorentina and eight adrift of local rivals Milan in third.

It has been a dramatic fall from grace after first Roberto Mancini took Inter to the Scudetto in 2006, after so long without the league trophy, and then Jose Mourinho led the Nerazzurri to a famous league, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble in 2010.

Rafa Benitez, Leonardo, Gasparini and Ranieri all tried and failed to live up to the lofty expectations created by the Mancini/ Mourinho eras, every one of them falling well short in their attempts to keep Inter at the top of the Italian game and it remains to be seen how long it will take the Milanese giants to get back to the pinnacle.

An interesting conundrum for club president Massimo Moratti is whether to stick with Stramaccioni or to replace him with more experience and possibly a former coach such as Mancini. The current Manchester City boss is under increasing pressure with his reigning champions losing their grip on the Premier League crown with every passing fixture. It could be a scenario that suits all parties to see the former Lazio head coach return to Milan in an effort to put Inter back on the map again regarding their Scudetto credentials.

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