Mancini’s Inter Legacy Clouded by Calciopoli

By: Sam | June 2nd, 2008

Is there no justice? The manager of Inter, the first in the club’s history to win 3 — THREE! — Scudetti on the trot is shit-canned.

Butofcourse, I am personally thrilled that Jose Mourinho and Inter — two quality entities — have found each other. Nevertheless, what does it tell you about the modern game of football when victory — at least in one important dimension — is succeeded so often by the manager’s dismissal? (I am thinking of Avram Grant, too, who was a goalpost — or two or three — away from hoisting the European Cup.)

The manager gets no credit.

Even the coach, Helenio Herrara from Inter’s Golden Age of the 1960’s, never returned Mancini’s achievement. The middle year of 2006 will always have an asterisk because Juve, AC Milan, Reggina, Lazio & Fiorentina were relegated to Serie B. However, albeit against a reduced group, Inter still had to win it.

I believe it is difficult to manage in top football, win big things and still have relationships. Actually, Manicini managed well in Serie A. Of his player additions, many worked out brilliantly: Figo, Ibrahimovic, Maxwell, Maicon. But in the Champion’s League, his tactical ineptitude produced an exposure to bad luck and referees’ decisions — against Liverpool this year and against Villareal and Valencia a few successive years ago.

His reason for dismissal is really that half the players won’t speak to him, and this rather puts his departure into perspective.

I remember Roberto Mancini’s performances on the field for Sampdoria, saw him play in a friendly in New York (New Jersey) one year. His presence usually made a big impact on the game, so rare was his sense of space and unpredictability. It’s a pity his relationship with Inter should end under a cloud, but he should be encouraged to stay in the game.

Inter’s president, Massimo Moratti, speaks gracefully about the parting …

“Humanly I was very sorry to have to explain to him the decision. I know how important Mancini is for Inter and I haven’t forgotten what he has done with us, especially in these last two years. He has done well and I told him, and I also know that we won a wonderful Scudetto.”

Mourinho has signed a three-year contract to manage Inter’s first team and will be assisted by his collaborators, Rui Farias, Silvinho, Andrei Villas Boas and by Inter’s Giuseppe Baresi as Assistant Coach.

These teams are families. There is a graceful welcome message on the Inter website:

Thanking Roberto Mancini and his staff for the successes obtained in four seasons in charge of the first team, all of F.C. Internazionale welcomes Josè Mourinho and his collaborators and wishes them the best of luck in their new jobs.