Mancini's sacking and Mourinho's imminent arrival has caused a storm in the press. I decided to put my two cents in, as I have followed Inter Milan avidly since around 2002. (What can I do? They have so many Argentinians!)
Why I Like Manicini:
1) From day 1, everyone underestimated him. He defied people's expectations by turning a shaky, inconsistent team, to the dominant force in Serie A. No one expected three consecutive Serie A titles. In the summer where Hector Cuper got sacked, several names were tossed in the air. Moratti himself later admitted that Capello was their first choice. When he had talks with Mancini, the largely unproven manager was able to convince the oil magnate that he was the right man for the job. In this demanding world of top-level football, it is a rare occurence when an unproven manager takes the helm at a top club. Staying at the helm is very difficult.
2) He knows his football. Maicon and Maxwell have been some astute buys. I admire any manager that can find a largely unknown player, and take him to the kind of level where his play makes him a known player in many parts of the world. Figo left Real Madrid and showed he could still play. Inter Milan pulled off some surprises under Mancini.
However, Mancini's success has begun to fade considerably.
Why Mancini should go:
1) He does not have the respect of the majority in the dressing room anymore. The majority of the the players have voted for him to leave. He has had spats with Figo, Crespo, Vieira, Ibrahimovic, and even the team doctors!
2) He quit abruptly after their loss to Liverpool. Then abruptly returned the next day.
3) Inter Milan's form has been gradually slipping since January. To the point where they almost lost their scudetto. Something that was inconceivable in January.
4) Which leads me to my next point. Inter Milan's cycle of success is done. As Cruyff says, teams have cycles. Many of Mancini's players are growing tired and restless under him.
5) Inter Milan did not have a winning record against any of the top teams in Serie A this season. (Not Roma, AC Milan, or Juventus).
6) Mancini isn't the guy to take them to Champions League glory. Their performance against Liverpool left much to be desired. He was sufficiently beat by a more tactically astute manager (Rafa Benitez). They have failed to make even the final four in the Champions League since Mancini has been in charge. While I think injuries have been a big issue in their European campaigns, the elite managers find a way to win. (see Liverpool's last CL title).
7) Also, in the biggest game of their CL campaign this year (the second leg against Liverpool), Mancini played a 4-1-2-1-2 formation, with Stankovic as his CAM. Since when was Stankovic their offensive "go-to" guy? Personally, I believe Mancini, Mihajlovic, and Stankovic are a close-knit bunch, and Mancini ultimately rewarded a player for his loyalty to him, rather than to play the more offensively talented midfielders like Figo and Solari.
This is not an attack on Mancini. I think he is an excellent manager. However, if he is to become an elite manager, he needs to improve on his European performances and his player management skills. Managers like Prandelli, Ancelotti and Mourinho, have the kind of respect where players are willing to follow them.
Mourinho succeeds in the very areas Mancini lacks thus far. His player management is second to none. His relations with upper management is also excellent (except with Avram Grant). Abramovich bought Mourinho a Ferrari 5 months after their mutual seperation. That is the kind of respect Mourinho has. His top players want to follow him to the club he goes. How many managers in the world achieve that? He inspires loyalty and comradery in his team. Like Sir Alex Ferguson, I agree that the game needs people like Mourinho. The game needs characters. Mourinho brings a sense of mischief and fun to the game.
When I first started following Inter Milan, they seemed to be the organization that could just never get it right. It seemed no matter which successful coach they hired or which player they bought, it never worked out. Their transfer policy was a revolving door of footballers. There are so many players who have played for Inter Milan - or been owned by them - who excelled elsewhere. Mutu, Edgar Davids, Seedorf, Pirlo, Cannavaro, to name a few. All players who reached an extraordinarily high level outside of the club. AC Milan have been the main benefactors, as they managed to take Seedorf and Pirlo, who became key components in their CL victories.
Mourinho has an uncanny ability to groom players to a higher level of play. Deco, Carvalho, Drogba, Lampard, Essien, Terry, are all examples of what he could achieve with Inter Milan's players.
This leads me wondering about the Argentinians in the club at the moment. Mourinho likes his 4-3-3.
Javier Zanetti. I was apprehensive about this guy in my early years of following football. However, in the last three years he has grown on me. His defensive prowess is impeccable. His movement and tireless energy are an example to everyone. I believe he's untouchable. However, it will be interesting to see where he would play in a 4-3-3 formation. Maicon has won his spot as a RB, even Zanetti thinks so. Luckily he's versatile and the fans adore him. So he will probably find a spot in Mourinho's starting line-up.
Cambiasso. The consummate midfielder. His game is complete. He's good in the air, he's good defensively, he has a great shot, has the eye for the devastating pass, and tirelessly runs. His only flaw, is his mental and emotional strength. He can be shaky at times when it really matters. I think Mourinho is good at helping players to become mentally tougher and stronger. He should work well with Mourinho.
Burdisso. I love this guy, but I believe he has been marginalized in the last year. Materazzi and Cordoba have played extremely well in the last two years. It has been difficult for him to earn a starting spot. He has been linked to Juventus (not the first time). I think Burdisso is good enough to be a starting CB on any great team. If Juventus play him as a starter, I think Burdisso should go.
Cruz. Had an unbelievable first half, then tailed off in the second, going close to three months without a goal. I believe he is best when he comes off the bench. At the moment, Inter have Ibrahimovic, Cruz, Crespo, Balotelli, Adriano, and Suazo. It's getting crowded. Whether he fits into the future remains to be seen. He has always displayed a maturity and calm on and off the pitch. It's partly why I really like him. I also haven't forgotten his pk against Lehmann in the World Cup. This guy is as cool as they come.
Crespo. Another striker I like. He played under Mourinho as is therefore familiar with his coaching style. I think he has the qualities to head a 4-3-3 attack. He has gotten better over the years in dribbling, passing, and ball possession. His age means he is past his prime. It also remains to be seen whether he will feature in the new manager's plans.
Solari. I never understood why a player of such talent would sit on the bench for so long. Perhaps it's money. Personally, I'd rather be a starter and get paid less than to spend so many years on the bench. He's a very skilled LM. There aren't too many of those around. I think he'll get the boot.
Samuel. Got a contract renewal. So I believe he'll feature in the plans of Mourinho. He's prone to injuries at his age, and he has not been a regular starter since his arrival from Real Madrid. However, when he has played he has been solid and reliable.
Overall, it's difficult to tell how big the shake-up will be at Inter Milan. Today's Barcelona is vastly different from the pre-Rijkaard years. The same could happen at Inter Milan.
Taking everything into consideration, I believe Mourinho is a better candidate than Mancini to take Inter Milan to that upper echelon of clubs that enjoy domestic and European success.
*I would just like to add... I couldn't pass this quote up!“Mourinho has shown he has two massive things down below,” said Gattuso.
“He can speak better Italian than me and I was born here.
"He is a great coach and he will be good here, it's a shame he has gone to Inter."
