Five key Milan derby matchups

Derby day is always one of the most anticipated matches of the season for Nerazzurri fans and this year is no exception. In fact this may be one of the most keenly awaited matches for some time as a new look Inter face a new look Milan with both teams looking to put themselves forward as the one to watch. Its time to look at five key matchups that could decide which side of Milan takes the early season bragging rights in the Derby della Madonnina.

Mancini puts his stamp on the squad now must back it up with results

When Roberto Mancini took over from Walter Mazzari in the middle of last season one thing was clear. He was not particularly impressed with the squad. He was like a race car driver who bought a banged up old wreck from a man on the side of the street and was forced to carefully nurse it home before giving it a much needed overhaul. With the summer window slamming shut and Mancini in possession of a squad that is almost unrecognisable from that which started last season the pressure is on to show fans and the clubs hierarchy that the effort was worth it.

Inter’s summer transfer window has taken on the impression of a juggler tossing a mass of balls in the air. Sporadically a few balls go out, a few different ones come in as the battle to get the right balance continues. The pattern has been the same across Europe as clubs fight to stay within Financial Fair Play regulations, improve their squads and remove players deemed unfit for service.

Coutinho finally fulfilling his obvious early potential

As a fan of FC Internazionale I used to sit and watch the raw talents of Philippe Coutinho and dream of the day that he could turn the obvious potential into something great and be man to lead the team onto a bright future. He always had the technique, touch and vision, nobody doubted that but questions were raised about his size, strength and ability to control matches. Then came the January transfer window of 2013 and all that changed: Liverpool bought the young Brazilian and Inter were left to ponder what could have been.

When Inter first signed Philippe Coutinho from Vasco de Gama for a mere four million euros as a promising 16 year old expectations were already high. After all here was a player already heralded as one of two, alongside a certain Neymar Jnr, who would take the Selecao onto future greatness. Having secured the future of the youngster Inter loaned him back to Vasco for two years as Italian clubs were not allowed to play professionally in Italy until they were 18. During this time Coutinho broke into the Vasco first team appearing 19 times and scoring once.

Now the true test of Mancini’s return begins.

Mancini’s must start to turn results around or face ever increasing critisism.

The return of Mancini was hailed as a masterstroke by Thorir, reuniting a fractured fanbase, reinforcing a troubled squad and a reingniting a stuttering campaign all in one go. His return also served to transform the owner from a long distance administrator, into a hands on leader not afraid to make the tough decisions. But with the first three games now any settling in period is well and truly finished and the start of the second Mancini era begins in earnest.

A draw against Milan, a win against Dnipro and a loss against Roma; nothing spectacular nothing surprising. Inter has done enough to qualify for next stage of the Europa League while not embarrassing themselves against two of their fiercest rivals. It was in effect the most that many fans would have expected in the series of matches. Milan, whether they like it or not, are probably at a similar stage in their renewal as Inter, although they strangely persist in hindering the development of their next generation by hanging aging albatrosses around their necks like the tragic-comedy that is Fernando Torres; while Roma are clearly some way ahead of Inter, both in terms of their personnel and performance.

What has happened to Inter’s youth?

Frederico Bonnazoli, perhaps the most exciting talent to emerge from Inter’s academy since Pirlo

 

On March 25^th 2012 Inter Milan celebrated what was at the time championed as the breakout victory for the club’s resurgent academy and a clear vindication of the decision to place a renewed focus on talented youth. Two and a half years on however, none of the players involved in the NextGen success have so far become first team regulars. So where are the men of this great triumph and when will an academy trained player finally make the jump from promising youth to first team regular?

There is an interesting symmetry in the statistics when you compare the successes of the Inter first team and their junior counterparts; three Scudetti each in the 60’s, a Scudetto in the 88/89 season, then a drought until the early 00’s when suddenly the Primavera emerged as a renewed force only a few seasons before the senior team would emerge from their own slumber. Even the youth teams much touted NextGen series win came only two seasons after the seniors had wrapped up the main event in Madrid. This suggests that there is a boost for Inter’s senior side when they are backed up by a strong Primavera team. Perhaps it is the knowledge for the seniors that there are a mass of highly talented youngsters eyeing up their spots or perhaps it is sheer coincidence but the connection is tantalising.

The return of Mancini

Mancini is back but can he deliver?

The news trickled through sporadically, rumors had been swirling around social networks and whispered in footballing circles since Mancini had been spotted at the ill-fated Parma match, but confirmation was not immediately forthcoming. Then suddenly it was all over. Confirmation came through that Walter Mazzarri had been relieved of his duties and Nerazzurri faithful could let out a collective sigh of relief. He was gone. Every dismally slow, drawn out match had been another nail in his coffin, turning a few thousand more fans against the ex Napoli trainer. In the end Erik Thorir had no choice but to move the team on or face a full scale mutiny from the fans.

The end of All Blacks dominance?

The All Blacks are used to winning, but are we about to see this absolute dominance come to an end?

 

Love them or hate them the All Blacks have been the dominant force in world rugby by some margin for the last seven years. This period has seen them set a new standard for professionalism and mental toughness allowing them to brush aside all comers in most of rugby’s great arenas. But is their reign as the undisputed giant of world rugby coming to an end?

The numbers are quite astounding. Historically the All Blacks have a near impossible 76.38% win record over 525 tests. Dig a little deeper and the numbers get even more incredible. No losses to Argentina, Ireland, Italy or Scotland over a combined 90 tests. Win records of 80% against England, 76% against France, 90% against Wales and 68% against Australia. Only South Africa has provided something close to an even marker to this remarkable side with a 57% record. But even these statistics have been shown up in recent years as the All Blacks rode roughshod over all comers.

Erik Thorir: Stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Thorir and Moratti. The new owner and the number one fan

Pazza Inter. Crazy Inter. All fans of the club know and love this wild side of their club. The craziness is in the fans, the players, the clubs very foundations. It is a part of the club that sees it wallow in periods of immense frustration followed by periods of highs as beautiful as a sunset panorama over an African savanna. Inter is never easy to support. It simply does not do easy. People who want easy support Juventus. People who want to suffer for their passion, to cry for their passion and, after all this, feel orgasmic joy when, after all the setbacks and dramas, the team finally climbs to the peak that everyone has suffered so much to reach, support Inter. That is the beauty of this club. Pazza Inter. Crazy Inter.

One therefore must wonder whether Erik Thorir knew what he was getting into when he bought a majority stake in the Nerazzurri. Did he really understand Pazza Inter? Did he know what it was to support Inter? Did he understand that nothing is easy at Inter, nothing is handed to you, and that everything comes only after several moments of immense frustration and drama. Surely if he didn’t realise that when he bought the club, he is well acquainted with the fact after several months at the helm. After all, one cannot say it has been a smooth ride for the Indonesian tycoon so far can they?

Mazzarri fiddles as his club burns

Mazzarri has appeared clueless as to how to stop the rot.

“If after two victories and a draw with Napoli these things are being discussed, then I really don’t care what they say” Walter Mazzarri stated in a typically robust manner after being told of the banner that flew in Parma’s Stadio Ennio Tardini calling for the return of Roberto Mancini; and why would he care? He is Walter Mazzarri afterall, perhaps the most underrated, completely misunderstood manager in the history of the Serie A! It isn’t his fault that things are not going his way after all he is just the coach. But for a raft of unfortunate events that constantly thwart his most technical and ingenious plans his team would have been headed toward a record run of draws. Inter after all had seemed to be flying after their miraculous last minute equaliser at home against Napoli, their uncomfortable 0-1 win away to the mighty Cessena and fortuitous 1-0 home win courtesy of a last minute penalty against high flying Sampdoria. A succession of results that any team would be proud of surely?

Who called the fun police?

Last weekend, in the wet and wild city of Dunedin, the New Zealand Rugby League team beat their English counterparts in the thriller to cement their spot in the finals of the four nations cup. That they played in Dunedin, my hometown, was something of a welcome surprise for the locals, proof that despite the astronomical costs involved, at least the new stadium there brings in a few new attractions to distract minds from all cost of their new white elephant. The locals no doubt had a jolly old time at the match but in true Dunedin fashion the carnage off the field would surely have been where all the action was.

For those of you not in the know, Dunedin is famous for being a real student town. The University sits right in the middle of a district of student housing ranging from the newly built to the barely standing. It is the centre of a thriving student culture during the University term and a virtual ghost town when the year ends and all those interlopers head back to where they came from.