Internazionale Main Thread IV

[Totally FRANK]

We keep shooting ourselves in the foot, don't we. To be honest, I am not that disappointed that Mancini is gone (he never managed to give us a proper style of play) but the timing on the departure is horrendous.

[Messinterista]

Mancini had to go, no question about it. He has churned through a few quality players and the team has not played convincingly for a while now. I am not concerned about the timing of the change I am concerned about who the change was for - De Boer. I hope he proves me wrong but if he insists on trying to play 'beautiful, possession based football' we will go backwards again.

[Lombardiamia]

Watch Inter become the new Total football machine!!









Hope we're not relegated by the time we are playing good football though...

[Totally FRANK]

I wouldn't be surprised if we start really poorly. There was also reports about Mancini not having intensive training sessions while in the US, so I wonder where we are in terms of fitness.

Let's see how we do today against Borussia Mönchengladbach

[Totally FRANK]

Matrix re-evaluated
Marco Materazzi tends to be seen as a hero or villain, but on the occasion of his birthday, Susy Campanale sees him as a bit of both.

The best movie villains are the ones you love to hate, while only the greatest cinema heroes have the layers to make you question their judgement at times. Marco Materazzi, who turns 43 today, fits the bill perfectly as an Italian football anti-hero.

It’s not easy for a man to be viciously head-butted in the chest on live television and still come out of it treated like the guilty party. Matrix joked he loved Zinedine The Bald Algerian, as that incident towards the end of the Final paved the way to the 2006 World Cup triumph, but in truth it must’ve irked him to see the Frenchman consoled, excused and generally treated as the victim. The provocation was rude, but nowhere near bad enough to warrant such a reaction. The fact The Bald Algerian had a history of head-butting people and a previous World Cup ban for stamping on a Saudi player’s chest was conveniently forgotten.

After all, Materazzi is the player people loved to portray as a villain. He’s no Saint, that’s for sure, as he took ‘rugged’ defending to the very limits and occasionally beyond. As he himself confessed, he didn’t have the quality of a Fabio Cannavaro or style of Alessandro Nesta, so had to make up for his short-comings with sheer determination and the occasional elbow in the ribs.

“Materazzi is fortunate they didn’t have so many TV cameras in those days, because he did things we can’t even discuss,” slammed ex-Torino and Milan striker Gigi Lentini. “He is not a football player.”

Yet would Italy have won the 2006 World Cup without Materazzi? Would Inter have achieved the Treble in 2010 if not for the only man who could match Jose Mourinho for determination? He’s the kind of player who is easy to hate when in opposition, but that’s because you’d rather have him on your side.

It’s hard to dislike Materazzi when you read his autobiography, the story of a man who had more than his fair share of setbacks and heartache. His father was a successful Coach, but considered young Marco to be ‘too tall to be a professional football player’ and advised he get into basketball instead. His mother died when he was only 15 years old and some particularly vicious ultras have been known to aim chants referencing this in his direction.

Long before he was Matrix, the centre-back learned the Dark Arts of defending in the lower leagues, where various levels of cheating were commonplace and the referee wouldn’t help you. “If you wanted justice, you had to get it for yourself.” At least that’s one thing he agrees with The Bald Algerian about.

It’s telling that Materazzi cites The Bald Algerian’s arrogance, looking him up and down, as the reason for his angry reaction in that World Cup Final. This is a man who proudly describes himself as a ‘Terrone’ – the insulting term for Southern Italians – and tells his children to describe their father as a professional brick-layer or taxi driver.

Rough, tough and proud of it, he’s the man you want on your side, because someone’s got to do the dirty work and cut through the false niceties. Who can forget that scene after the Champions League Final when Mourinho stopped the car, got out and embraced Materazzi in a sobbing hug? They are two peas in a pod, football men who do what needs to be done, whether it’s beautiful or damn ugly.

Now 43-year-old Materazzi is working as a Coach in the Indian Super League with Chennaiyin. It’s a fitting environment for him: humble, hard-working, unspoilt and played for the love of the sport rather than money. Happy birthday, Matrix.

[Messinterista]

Disgusting

[Lombardiamia]

Well played. Cya all in a year's time.....

[maro]

Maybe the Boar can make Mancini look like the Messiah again?

[Totally FRANK]

In a year's time? Lomba, you are optimistic. As long as we rely on Medel to do our playmaking duties, we are doomed.

De Boer, now, really knows what he has gotten himself into.

[Lombardiamia]

[zafferano]

https://www.facebook.com/ChiamarsiBombe ... =2&theater

[Lombardiamia]

Any comments after yesterday's magnificent European season debut??

[Messinterista]

[Totally FRANK]

[Messinterista]

I'm happy to be proven wrong. Hopefully the team can build on this and be more consistent. Still wouldn't knock back Capello though...

[Lombardiamia]

No, Capello no. FFS

[Totally FRANK]

Ya, same here, no Capello please. It will be like Van Gaal to Manure take 2.

[Messinterista]

Looks like it's Blanc. I don't mind him, but at the same time, I don't think he will do anything spectacular with us. His successes with PSG have to be due to them buying the league and Ibra scoring for fun. I also think if it is Blanc then Simeone won't be joining us anytime soon.

[Messinterista]

Now its Pioli, decision imminent.

[Lombardiamia]