Gian Piero Gasperini did not have the best start to his managerial career at Inter Milan. In fact, some may call it a nightmare start, and they would be right to say so. The Italian boss was let go on Wednesday after just five games. Recent speculation has suggested that former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri is the favourite to replace Gasperini.
Yesterday’s loss to Novara did not help Gasperini’s chances of keeping his job. Especially after he stressed the importance of winning the match to thwart criticism surrounding his side.
At a press conference, Gasperini said:
“There has always been a bit more criticism and nastiness towards Inter. But the best way to respond to criticism will be on the pitch.
“The road taken now seems to me the right one, we must continue to demonstrate solidity. However, I believe that in these matches we haven’t deserved so few points. If an offside had been called in the Champions League the result would have been different. If a penalty had been awarded in Palermo, things probably have been different. And so on…”
But Internazionale’s loss to Novara is just the latest disappointment for the Italian giants, who have lost three out of four matches to start off their 2011-12 campaign. Following Inter’s loss, Gasperini once again addressed the media:
“We played really badly,” he said.
“But I believe in what I am doing, which has given me a lot of happiness before this, it is a difficult period we are going through, but I must come out of this stronger and more resolute.
“We have to be a bit more humble, when we tried to go on the offensive we found ourselves in trouble.
“We have succeeded in playing like that in other matches. But this evening it is clear, it did not work, and that goes beyond just tactics.”
But the boss must have known that his job was on very, very, very thin ice. When Massimo Moratti was asked if he thought Gasperini had control of the team, the Inter president responded, “It doesn’t seem that way to me, no, but lets see tomorrow.” One man’s tomorrow is another man’s sacking.
Follow his sacking, Gasperini told reporters that, “Results dictate everything. I really regret it, and I think everyone regrets it.” Surely he must have known that losing to Trabzonspor, who were the first Turkish side in 14 tries to win on Italian soil, and Novara, who were newcomers to the Serie A, would not cut it.
The 2009-10 season seems a distant memory for Inter, who are surely wishing that Jose Mourinho did not go to Real Madrid. But he did, and Inter must move on. Gasperini was a bump in the road, but his firing was more than justified.
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