Internazionale Main Thread III

[Messinterista]

Moratti: 'I trust Leonardo'

Inter President Massimo Moratti explains why he chose his new Coach. “I trust Leonardo. This was not meant to irritate Milan.”
The Nerazzurri formally announced the replacement for Rafa Benitez on Christmas Eve, despite insisting no statement would be finalised until after the holidays.

“I thought it nice for the fans to spend Christmas knowing the name of their Coach. It seemed to me a good present for them and the supporters certainly deserve it,” Moratti told the Corriere dello Sport.

There were numerous other contenders, including Fabio Capello, Luciano Spalletti, Guus Hiddink, Walter Zenga and Carlos Dunga.

“I have respected and admired Leo for many years. When it became necessary to replace Benitez, he was free from contracts and it allowed him to join us without the need for further negotiations.

“Leonardo is a very intelligent man, something I noticed back from our first meetings during his playing career. Last season he showed at Milan that he is also a great Coach who can do excellent work.”

The Rossoneri were understandably shocked by the move across San Siro, as the Brazilian had worked for them as player, talent scout, director and Coach.

“We did not choose Leonardo to irritate Milan,” assured Moratti. “We chose him because he has talent and can achieve great things with Inter.

“This will be an interesting adventure for him. He has the time to do things properly, I trust Leonardo and am happy he is with us.”

Source: http://football-italia.net/dec27g.html

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Moratti has given him his backing from the start. If only Rafa had this. Despite what Moratti says, I keep reading that this was done in spite of Milan, for signing Ibra etc and that even Leonardo was pissed at Berlusconi, with that being the main reason why he signed. I don't think Moratti would do this to jeopardies our team, just for spite? Then again, it is Moratti.
Also the article says that he went for Leo as he was free from contracts after the mutual termination of Rafa's contract. Before we got Rafa, wasn't Leo sacked from AC?

[Totally FRANK]

Ranocchia is a done deal...
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Preziosi: "Ranocchia va all'Inter: 12,5 milioni per la seconda metà"
27.12.2010 19:03 di Alessandro Cavasinni articolo letto 4566 volte
Fonte: Sky

A SkySport24 il presidente del Genoa Enrico Preziosi ha palesato i termini dell'accordo per Ranocchia all'Inter da subito, confermando il suo passaggio in nerazzurro.

"Ranocchia era destinato all'Inter per giugno, ma abbiamo anticipato i tempi. Entrambi abbiamo fatto un'operazione intelligente, soddisfacendo i bisogni di tutti: i nostri economici e i loro tecnici. La cifra pagata dall'Inter per la seconda metà è stata di 12,5 milioni di euro. Inoltre posso dire che Destro lo riscatteremo sicuramente a giugno, mentre Natalino è ancora nostro per la metà".

Su Criscito: "Non vogliamo cederlo e per farlo chiediamo una cifra alta. Ci sono pochissime possibilità che vada via".

Si riapre il capitolo Sculli? "Si parla della Roma, mai dire mai. Ma noi abbiamo un problema a centrocampo e nel momento in cui qualcuno ci offrirà una contropartita se ne può parlare. Vedremo, è ancora presto".

Insomma, orami tutto è fatto. Leonardo avrà una pedina pesante per la difesa alla ripresa del campionato, da poter impiegare già contro il Napoli.

[Messinterista]

Yup, looks like it...
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Ranocchia is Leonardo's first Inter buy

Andrea Ranocchia has left the Genoa camp and will begin training with new club Inter on Wednesday, confirmed the defender’s father.
It was well known that the two clubs were in intense negotiations and “close to a deal,” according to Genoa President Enrico Preziosi, but the details seem to have been whittled down.

“I can confirm Andrea left the Genoa camp this afternoon,” father Marco Ranocchia told Tuttomercatoweb.

“Now he is at home packing his bags. I don’t know when he will leave to put pen to paper on the contract.”

Inter already owned half the 22-year-old defender, but were not set to take up the other 50 per cent until June.

“Andrea can hardly believe it. I don’t think it has quite sunk in that he’s going to play for an important club like Inter.

“He is not afraid, as he has a very strong character, but is experiencing this with enthusiasm. I imagine the most emotional moment will be pulling on the Nerazzurri jersey for the first time.

“It has been a strange 2010 full of painful and joyful memories. He had that terrible injury and months on the sidelines, but also went from the Under-21 side to senior international level for Italy and is now going to Inter.”

New Coach Leonardo begins training with the team on Wednesday and Ranocchia is set to be a part of that squad.

Source: http://football-italia.net/dec27u.html

[RomaShield27]

Interesting article on Balotelli:

Mario Balotelli regrets Manchester City move and yearns for home
• Striker open to idea of summer return to Italy
• £25m signing regarded as loner by team-mates

– Tuesday 28 December 2010

Roberto Mancini is facing a new challenge to keep one of his key Manchester City players happy after it emerged Mario Balotelli is homesick for Italy and has regrets about moving to England.

Balotelli has struggled to settle in Manchester and the Guardian has learned that the Italy international considers the problem to be getting worse rather than better. A complex, often difficult, character, he has found it hard to make friends with his new team-mates and, four months after signing from Internazionale, the £25m striker is openly admitting to associates in Italy that he intensely dislikes life in England and cannot see the situation improving.

The 20-year-old is on a five-year contract at City and feels a strong debt of loyalty to Mancini but is open to the idea of returning to Italy at the end of the season, despite the issues with racism that plagued him when he was a player at San Siro. Balotelli has frequently been linked with Milan in the Italian media, where there is a consistent belief that it is a just a question of time before he plays for the club he supported as a boy.

Mancini is aware of the player's difficulties and hopes their strong working relationship will help to find a solution for the benefit of City. The manager always knew that introducing a player with Balotelli's brooding, temperamental nature to a new country would not be an easy process and his thinking from the outset has been that it would be worth the hassle for someone he believes will eventually be regarded among the top five footballers in the world. Mancini was realistic enough to warn the chief executive, Garry Cook, and chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, that Balotelli would bring baggage but would ultimately be worth it.

Balotelli is not totally without friends – he has spent time with one of Mancini's sons, Andrea, and turned up for training one day recently in a Lamborghini borrowed from El Hadji Diouf of Blackburn Rovers – but he can appear dislocated from the rest of the squad.

He did not attend the players' Christmas party and, to put that into context, many of his team-mates did not expect him to be there in the first place. Balotelli's routine, with Mancini's permission, is to fly back to Italy whenever the players are given time off. His colleagues have come to regard him as a loner, difficult to approach and work out. Staff at Eastlands are not certain whether his attitude stems from surliness or shyness – or maybe a bit of both. Language is not a problem – Balotelli speaks good English – but the player has not embraced Manchester, the weather and the food and, as the only Italian footballer in the dressing room, is struggling to adapt to a new country.

The problem for Mancini is not a new one, with Robinho's inability to adopt Manchester one of the main reasons for his departure to Milan and, more recently, the revelation that Carlos Tevez is homesick for Argentina because of being separated from his two young daughters.

Tevez was persuaded to withdraw a written transfer request and City will hope Balotelli's issues are merely the kind of teething problems that might be expected of a player who arrived with a reputation as a man who struggled to make friends and frequently courted controversy. Nonetheless, his prickly and combustible nature is becoming an increasing matter for concern behind the scenes, with a growing feeling that City are dealing with an unhappy player, albeit one who has brought many of the problems on himself.

Balotelli was involved in a practice-ground fight with Jerome Boateng recently and has tested the patience of Mancini with his erratic performances and the frequency with which he ignores instructions. There have been glimpses of his prodigious talent but, overall, Balotelli's first few months in English football have been defined by the way he has run into trouble with referees.

Balotelli has scored five goals and picked up the same number of yellow cards, plus one red.

[maro]

He scored a hatrick today, I think.

[Messinterista]

Yep and two of those were pens I think.
In the transfer world, talk of us going for Kaka on a loan deal. As much as this is media bull, hasn't he been inured for a while @ Real? Also us taking Sanchez from Udinese for Biabany and 15million euros. Not sure how this is eventuating.

[Lombardiamia]

[Messinterista]

[Totally FRANK]

If Kaka moves I think it will be more likely to Chelsea. It would be stupid of us to throw crazy money on a 29 yr old, that too during the age of Financial Fair Play.

Sanchez sounds more like it. He is young (22 I believe), has experience in the league, can play on the wing and is a good intelligent player. We might get him in June as Udine are not interested in selling him in January.

[Messinterista]

As far as I knew, we weren't going to buy Kaka, it was going to be a loan until the end of the season.

[Messinterista]

Inter will sign five players, jokes Moratti

Inter President Massimo Moratti has joked that he will sign five new players now that Rafa Benitez has gone.

Benitez's contract was terminated by mutual consent before Christmas.

The former Liverfekkin'wankscum manager made Moratti an ultimatum after winning the Club World Cup, demanding that Inter sign four or five new players in the January transfer window.

“From all of us, a thank you goes out to Benitez for having brought back the Club World Cup,” Moratti said.

“Now that Rafa has left, we'll buy five players… No, that's a joke,” he quipped.

In the meantime, Inter have been linked with Parma defender Cristian Zaccardo.

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I don't care much for Moratti's sarcasm at the moment. He is acting as if we are flying high at the top of the ladder. Ridiculous! Also the rumor regarding this Zaccardo link involves him coming here on loan until the end of the season with Santon going the other way. Obviously more bullshit being spun by the media. Why would we do such a thing?!?!

[Messinterista]

Montolivo rules out January exit

Riccardo Montolivo is proud of transfer links with Inter, but he insists he won’t leave Fiorentina in January.

The Italian international’s future is in doubt after he refused to commit to the Viola past his current contract which expires in 2012.

As a result, he has been paired with the Nerazzurri over recent months with some suggesting a New Year switch was imminent.

“I have read of Inter’s interest and that is pleasing, but there is nothing concrete about the rumours,” he stated.

“I am a Fiorentina player and I can categorically rule out a January departure. I’m 100 per cent sure of that.”

Although the former Atalanta player insists he’ll see out the season in Florence, he won’t dismiss a summer switch.

“I need to think about the future and it has nothing to do with money,” he continued when asked about his hesitancy is signing a Florence extension.

“I’ll soon speak with the club again, without any problems, and the situation could be a lot clearer in two or three months.”

Source: http://football-italia.net/dec31l.html

[San Paolo]

HQ/HD Photo's of Leo's first training session and his Press conference Enjoy

[Messinterista]

Moratti: 'We wanted Leonardo in June'

Massimo Moratti reveals Leonardo was originally first choice for Inter in June, “but we thought Rafa Benitez could handle the situation.”
The Nerazzurri parted company with Benitez after the Club World Cup victory, just six months after replacing Jose Mourinho.

“It’s true, I had thought of Leonardo in June, but it seemed out of place to ask him because he had just said he wanted a break after leaving Milan,” the President told the Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I did believe Leo was the natural successor to Mourinho, as he had broad enough shoulders to sustain such a heavy wait.

“When we chose Benitez, he seemed to have the necessary experience to handle the situation, but everyone handles pressures as best they can.”

Leonardo was appointed on Christmas Eve and will make his debut with Inter against Napoli on January 6.

“Was it easy to convince him? We reached an agreement quickly, even with the doubts he had. However, among those doubts there was not the thought he might be a ‘traitor’ to Milan, because he absolutely is not.

“He is enjoying his profession as a Coach and I also reassure the Milanisti that he has always expressed himself in a very, very positive way about the past.”

There were reports that the team pushed against Benitez and did not respect him the same way as Mourinho.

“I thought it wrong to ask for a sign from the players, as that would’ve put Benitez in trouble,” continued Moratti.

“In fact, right up to the last day before the Club World Cup, I always tried to ensure the team felt they were on the tactician’s side and never involved them in these decisions.”

Mourinho declared he thought Leo would do a great job, but was always critical of his old Premiershit rival Benitez.

“Leonardo reminds me of Mourinho, as I saw the same great start, attention to detail, enthusiasm and sense of duty,” added the President.

“Could we see them together at Inter one day? I believe Mourinho has in mind a return to this club, just as he does with Chelsea, more in terms of affection than anything else.

“I also believe he needs to take his path and grow constantly. A return can also be growth, but I don’t think he’s considering it right now and neither are we.”

Source: http://football-italia.net/jan02f.html
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And Leo does?

[Lombardiamia]

Leonardo has the full backing of Moratti, therefore from now on any blame for failures will be given to the players not the manager, unlike his predecessor. But knowing this, I'm sure the players will give their utmost in the upcoming matches. Now they dont have a scapegoat for their 'performances'.

[Totally FRANK]

Sanchez covets Inter move
Udinese playmaker Alexis Sanchez is pushing for a move to Inter, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Earlier this week, Udinese denied there was any truth that he was leaving for San Siro.

However, La Gazzetta understands that Sanchez's agent Fernando Felicevich will arrive in Italy on Thursday and seek to persuade Udinese to let his client leave.

Udinese have no intention to let the 22-year-old Chile international move to Inter in January as they had plans to sell the player at the end of the season.

Inter have made two inquiries in recent weeks only to be quoted a valuation of €25m.

The Italian champions will have to offer players in exchange if they are to meet that asking price, especially in light of their efforts to be financial fair-play compliant.

[RomaShield27]

What sort of formation did Leonardo play at Milan? Wasn't it a 4-3-3 which gradually changed to a sort of 4-3-1-2 with little width? What way do you think he'll line up with Inter? I can see Snjieder playing in that trequartista role behind two strikers with three central-midfielders deeper, so would a wide player like Sanchez fit in? All depends on how Leonardo lines you up I suppose.

Still not quite sure what to make of his appointment. Does anyone really think he's a better coach than Benitez? Would he have done any better in the first half of the season, under the same conditions, as Benitez? I'm not so sure on either count, and I was quite surprised when he was confirmed as your new manager. I'd say he'll do alright for yis, and will manager to turn your season around a bit, but I wouldn't be so sure of him in the long run. At least you didn't get Spalletti, I suppose, that would of just been awful.

[Messinterista]

[Messinterista]

Inter lose Julio Cesar to injury again

Inter will be without goalkeeper Julio Cesar when they face Napoli on Thursday night in Leonardo's first match in charge since he replaced Rafa Benitez.

The Brazil international goalkeeper who missed a sizeable chunk of the first half of the season has suffered a light muscle strain in his left leg.

Wesley Sneijder and Philippe Coutinho will also be unavailable to Leonardo, while Samuel Eto'o is still suspended.

Inter will train at San Siro tomorrow afternoon. The last time they played at home was over a month ago in a 5-2 victory over Parma.

Source: http://football-italia.net/jan04m.html
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Interesting first up test for Leonardo. Should be good to see how he handles this.

[zafferano]

Shield i never like Benitez because is record is just crap .
for me is an average coach and if moratti had listen to him
where would we be with Mascerano and kuwit ? both turn out
to be xpensive and useless and we would have stuck with them .
Leaonardo is un unknown quantity and in no way can make a huge
impact on the short time ,we can only hope for the best
certanly cannot do as much damage as PERDITEZ DID