Former Inter defender Riccardo Ferri believes that the club are losing a great coach in Antonio Conte but is optimistic about his replacement, Simone Inzaghi.
Conte left the Nerazzurri last week after a dispute with President Steven Zhang over the future plans of the club, as Inter look to cut costs and face the prospect of selling players.
It is expected that former Lazio coach Inzaghi will take the helm and in an interview published in today’s newspaper edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ferri felt he was the most suitable option available.
“Inzaghi is certainly an important name, the best among those in the running for the Inter job. Over the years at Lazio he has shown that he knows how to manage difficult and unique situations whilst obtaining excellent results,” Ferri claimed.
“I am in favour of this type of choice, also because it gives continuity to the project started with Conte.”
The 57-year-old admitted that he had been surprised by Conte’s exit though, but argued that the combination of work by the coach and those at the club had been the cornerstone to Inter’s Scudetto success this season.
“Antonio’s departure surprised me. I don’t know what could have happened between the coach and the club, though I refrain from making judgments when not being aware of the internal dynamics.
“Conte was obviously a special coach for Inter, he brought an excellent mentality and returned the Scudetto to Milan.
“But I want to underline the work of the club, the coach had an important role as well as [CEO Beppe] Marotta, who is still in place. The club has done an extraordinary job in recent years.”
Inter ended an 11-year wait for the Serie A title this term and Ferri felt that retaining Marotta was crucial to enjoying sustained success, whilst seeing the club as a great chance for Inzaghi.
“I have a strong feeling that Inter can still be protagonists. I repeat for the umpteenth time, Marotta is an absolute guarantee. The plan has been reformulated a bit, but I am still confident.
“Simone has a very important opportunity to make a leap in his career. Inter can still be protagonists in Italy and in Europe, for Inzaghi it is an unmissable opportunity,” he added.
With the ongoing financial concerns at the club Inter are at risk of losing players in order to balance the books, but Ferri would not be drawn on which players he felt ought to be sacrificed.
“I am just not the right person to answer this question,” he concluded.
Ferri came through Inter’s academy and made his debut for the club in 1981, going on to make 290 appearances and win the Scudetto and two UEFA Cups before joining Sampdoria in 1994.
