Gasperini named new Inter Milan coach
442 Staff - Friday 24 June 2011, 16:39
MILAN - Former Genoa boss Gian Piero
Gasperini was named as Inter Milan's fourth coach in just over a
year on Friday following Leonardo's shock decision to step down
at the fallen giants.
Gasperini, sacked by mid-table Genoa in November after a
shaky start to the season, was not Inter's first choice after a
number of names including former Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa
turned them down.
They were interested in Andre Villas-Boas but baulked at the
price of his Porto release clause and he instead joined Chelsea.
"Gian Piero Gasperini will be the new Inter coach," a club
statement said.
"President Massimo Moratti, currently out of Italy,
confirmed 'his full satisfaction with the choice' and, together
with the entire club, wishes Gasperini 'the success that brought
Inter the title of world champions'."
Gasperini will sign a two-year deal.
Judging by fan reaction, the appointment has not met universal
approval with Inter supporters hoping for a more high-profile name.
Leonardo, who replaced the sacked Rafa Benitez in December
after the Spaniard had succeeded 2010 treble winner Jose
Mourinho, led Inter to the Italian Cup in May but they meekly
surrendered their Champions League title in the quarter-finals
and lost their Serie A crown for the first time in six years.
AC Milan, who were previously managed by Leonardo, took the
scudetto off the city rivals who were runners-up.
BADLY BACKFIRED
Leonardo had long been a director at Milan and took some
persuading to take over from Carlo Ancelotti as coach in 2009.
His one season as Milan boss ended in a third place Serie A
finish but he left after falling out with owner Silvio
Berlusconi only to make a shock return at Inter.
The managerial lifestyle did not ultimately suit the
Brazilian though and Inter's gamble badly backfired after being
given warnings from his time at Milan that he preferred being a
sporting director in a less hand-on and less stressful role.
Gasperini inherits an ageing side with rumblings that top
players Samuel Eto'o and Wesley Sneijder could leave while
preisdent Moratti has shown a recent tendency to tighten his
purse strings ahead of the advent of financial fairplay.
UEFA's fairplay rules state clubs are banned from owing
money to other clubs, players, tax and social security
departments - a move aimed to curb reckless spending by clubs
and encourage them to live within their means.
The 53-year-old Gasperini was formerly the Juventus youth
team coach before managing lower league Crotone and then taking
charge of Genoa in 2006 while they were in the second tier.
They won immediate promotion to Serie A under his
stewardship and finished fifth and qualified for the Europa League in 2009 thanks in part to Diego Milito and Thiago Motta,
two players he will now rejoin at Inter.
The start to last season was lacklustre though and ambitious
Genoa axed him after spending large sums on several new
recruits.