It took almost three years, but it seems Inter fans are finally starting to appreciate Simone Inzaghi – and even gave him a cool nickname, The Demon of Piacenza.
Perhaps that was always the problem with Inzaghi, that he simply wasn’t cool enough compared to his more glamorous, media-friendly predecessors.
Jose Mourinho is pure box office with his endless touchline antics and controversy-baiting comments, which he is joyfully continuing the tradition of at Roma. Antonio Conte won the Scudetto, but was absolutely terrible in the Champions League and the style of football was a similar kind of defend and counter to the Special One.
Inzaghi came from Lazio, who he had taken to a surprising amount of silverware considering the resources at his disposal, and inherited a squad that every summer seems on paper to be weakened by the sale of big star names. Yet each time he manages to help CEO Beppe Marotta pick the best alternatives, not just filling the gaps, but actively improving the way they work as a unit.
Nobody sees the big picture better than Inter, as President Steven Zhang stays well out of the way and lets Marotta, Piero Ausilio and Inzaghi get on with building a football team. Not a group of good players, but a team, paying attention to how they all fit together into the jigsaw puzzle.
Inzaghi then does the rest, managing to rotate his squad better than anyone else in every competition, keeping his men focused and involved. Even Davide Frattesi, who might have reason to grumble at the lack of playing time so far, seems content with the growth process at San Siro. His time will come, and Italy will benefit just as much as his club when he gets to forge a partnership with Nicolò Barella.
Above all, Inzaghi is a real coach. He has a specific style of football and an identity that everyone in the team can maintain, no matter how many individuals might change. That is a rare feat and one that most people have simply not appreciated. Until now.
It’s not entirely clear how Inzaghi got the nickname ‘The Demon of Piacenza,’ but it might help boost his profile and take away some of that nice guy image. Piacenza, of course, is not a very demonic place and their accent and general approach to life is rather gentle, unlike the numerous Tuscan coaches like Max Allegri and Walter Mazzarri.
He doesn’t complain more than is necessary about injuries, the fixture list or even the completely unfair criticism he received last season. The only time he resembles a Demon is when screaming at his own players on the touchline, which is why his post-match interviews are always rather hoarse, croaky affairs.
Instead, the phrase ‘The Demon is Cooking’ is used by Inter fans online to describe his latest adjustments that raise eyebrows and still end up casting some magic spell on the field.
The most important thing to note is that Inter have a great example of that infuriating cliché: a project. They improve gradually every season, learning from their mistakes and building on the work that was done in previous campaigns. No longer do they drop cheap points against the smaller Serie A sides. No more do they feel inferior to the likes of Manchester City, having shown in the Final that they were a few inches of Romelu Lukaku’s butt away from pushing Pep Guardiola’s juggernaut all the way.
If Noel Gallagher said last year that he really hoped they got Inter in the Final because “they’re not very good,” nobody will be eager to face the Nerazzurri this time around. Inzaghi has been forced again and again to prove himself worthy of respect, not just by the media and opponents, but by his own fans. It’s about time he got to enjoy it. Like a Demon.
Twitter: @SusyCampanale
Its too early, FI. He must win the Serie A to be a great coach and the Champions league to be listed amongs the greatest. So far, despite all the improvements, he has only won a few Mickey-mouse cups. FACT
Obviously you are entitled to your irrelevant opinion.