Zanetti wants Stramaccioni to stay

Inter Milan captain Javier Zanetti hopes caretaker Andrea Stramaccioni will continue as coach beyond the end of the season.

Stramaccioni was a surprise choice to replace the sacked Claudio Ranieri in March, and the former youth-team coach had been expected to make way for a high-profile name at the end of the campaign.

However, Inter are still unbeaten under the new man and set to end the season strongly.

When asked if he would like to see Stramaccioni given the job on a permanent basis, Zanetti was unequivocal in his response.

“Yes, we’re working well together and there’s great enthusiasm in training,” he told the Inter TV channel.

“But it’s only right that it should be the president (Massimo Moratti) and the club that decide what is best, because Inter must start aiming for the top targets again.”

Zanetti is confident Stramaccioni has it in him to bring the glory days back to the club.

“He’s good, he came in and was humble and honest from the start,” the veteran Argentine said.

“He has very clear ideas, he likes a certain brand of football and we’ve all bought into it.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to end the season as best we can and Andrea can continue. These months will just be the start of a long coaching career for him.

“It’s true that he doesn’t have much experience working with first teams, but from day one he came across as a talented coach. He’s careful about all the small details and he’s very galvanising.”

Stramaccioni will be hoping to collect his third victory in four games when Inter visit Fiorentina on Sunday.

Inter are seventh in Serie A, six points off the Champions League qualification places.