New 36-year-old Inter Coach Andrea Stramaccioni has been described as “an Italian Andre Villas-Boas,” but it’s rumoured Claudio Ranieri left by mutual consent.
New 36-year-old Inter Coach Andrea Stramaccioni has been described as “an Italian Andre Villas-Boas,” but it’s rumoured Claudio Ranieri left by mutual consent.
Late Monday night a long crisis meeting between President Massimo Moratti, directors Marco Branca and Piero Ausilio reached a conclusion that Ranieri had to go.
It is reported that Ranieri has not technically been fired, but rather agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent.
This would lead to huge savings for the Nerazzurri, as he had a contract until June 2013, which he signed when replacing Gian Piero Gasperini in September.
Stramaccioni has been promoted from the Primavera youth team, which on Sunday won the Next Gen trophy – the youth Champions League – beating Ajax on penalties.
Some have suggested Stramaccioni is like an Italian Villas-Boas, as he only turned 36 in January.
Stramaccioni had to give up his playing career due to a serious knee injury, so began working as a Coach with youth sectors at Latina from 2000-2002.
He went on to Romulea, Crotone and Roma before taking over Inter’s Primavera squad at the start of this season.
“President Moratti has always valued the youth sector,” said director of the youth academy Roberto Samaden.
“This is certainly a new experience, because nothing like this had ever happened before. It’s unprecedented, but we face it with a calm approach.
“In all honesty, it was very difficult for Stramaccioni to think he would climb up the ladder so quickly. When we hired him, the idea was to start with a new project, but we never imagined things would progress so fast. I’ve known him for a long time, so I know how intelligent and humble he is.”
“It’s not easy to predict where he could end up, but Stramaccioni has certainly dealt with our young players very well,” continued Samaden.
“Stramaccioni is a talent and gave me that idea from the first moment I saw him. He can do well and can approach this experience with great ability.”
There are even reports Stramaccioni could be kept on the Inter senior bench next season if he impresses during the final weeks of the current campaign.
It is a curious parallel with the way Ranieri parted company with Juventus, when he was replaced in the final rounds by Primavera Coach Ciro Ferrara.