The start to the 2011-2012 season couldn’t have gone any worse for Inter Milan – Only one point in the league after the first three matches, including an embarrassing loss against Novara, a Super Cup defeat to AC Milan and the 0-1 loss against Trabzonspor in the Champions League. Enough for Massimo Moratti to see that Gian Pietro Gasperini isn’t a good fit for his club, and sack him.
But we all knew this was coming. Since Jose Mourinho led Inter to the Champions League title 15 months ago, it’s been a short but steady decline. Rafa Benitez didn’t have the best of starts last season and it cost him his job. Moratti is just waiting for a big name anyway. Gasperini is some sort of caretaker in his eyes, until a big caliber manager frees up and for him he will spend and spend.
Ottavio Bianchi – Was Inter’s head coach for just over a season. During his year Massimo Moratti took over the club. He finished sixth in the 1994-1995 season. Moratti brough with him big money and the summer signings of Paul Ince, Javier Zanetti and Roberto Carlos raised expectations. Bianchi was fired very quickly next season.
Luis Suarez – Caretaker manager. Was a great player for Barcelona and Inter in the 1950’s and 60’s.
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Roy Hodgson – His arrival did spark some revival in the team, but they finished only 7th in 1996. Still, Hodgson began the next season. He was there the entire 1996-1997 season, finishing third, Inter’s best finish since their ‘German Period’. . Hodgson also took Inter to the UEFA Cup final, where they lost to Schalke. He was fired shortly after. Lucian Castellini coached the remaining two matches. In 1999, Hodgson returned for a quick caretaker position at the club.
Luigi Simoni – Under Simoni, and the addition of the best player in the world, Ronaldo, Inter mounted a serious title challenge, finishing behind Juventus. Inter also beat Lazio 3-0, winning the UEFA Cup. Early on in the 1998-1999 season Simoni was fired despite the rather wide support from the Inter fans.
Mircea Lucescu – Very succesful after his Inter regime, Lucescu won only 7 matches in the 22 he coached for Inter during the 1998-1999 season. Hodgson and Castellini took over for a short while.
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Marcello Lippi – Coming from Juventus along with keeper Angelo Peruzzi, a record signing like Vieri couldn’t help Lippi win the Serie A title under huge pressure. He did finish the 1999-2000 season but was sacked after the first match-day of the 2000-2001 season.
Marco Tardelli – Lasted the entire season, but finished fifth and also lost a Milan derby 6-0 and didn’t continue after June.
Hector Cuper – Stayed two full seasons! The man who nearly won the Champions League with Valencia nearly won the title with Inter. Nearly. Finished second and third with Inter. He was fired very quickly in 2003-2004. Corrado Verdelli was caretaker manager before Alberto Zaccheroni took over. He managed to finish fourth, but not save his job.
Roberto Mancini – Finally, some silverware. Three Serie A titles and two Coppa Italia’s, but Mancini was never too loved or too appreciated due to his lack of success in the Champions League and the fall of Juventus during Inter’s rise.
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Jose Mourinho – The special one didn’t play anything resembling attractive football, but finally brought the Champions League trophy, while winning the league twice.
Rafa Benitez – It’s always hard to follow the most successful managers, and Benitez failed miserably in the footsteps of Mourinho. Benitez opened his mouth about Moratti not backing him and funding him the way he did with previous managers and the road out of the club was quickly opened. Leonardo took over, probably more as a move to piss off AC Milan. The Brazilian finished second and won the Italian Cup.
Gian Piero Gasperini – Three league matches were enough. A loss to Novara after a 0-0 draw with Roma and a home loss to Palermo ended his extremely short Inter career. Lets not forget a humiliating home loss to Trabzonspor in the Champions League.