Out With The Old In With The Young, (Ranieri sacked again, Andrea Stramaccioni Appointed)

[Mame Biram Diouf]

The hiring of 36-year-old Andrea Stramaccioni by Inter Milan this week has highlighted a surprising trend of younger managers in the tradition-laden Italian league. While the likes of Fabio Capello and Marcello Lippi are out of work, nearly all of Italy's major clubs are now guided by managers who are 50 or under.

AC Milan and Juventus continue their duel for this season's title with 44-year-old Massimiliano Allegri at the helm of Milan and 42-year-old Antonio Conte in his first year as Juventus coach. Guided by 50-year-old Walter Mazzarri, Napoli are pushing hard for third place, while 41-year-old Luis Enrique is leading a complete youth revolution at Roma. At Catania, 37-year-old Vincenzo Montella has the unheralded Sicilian club one spot away from the Europa League places.

Stramaccioni was hired on Monday after Inter fired Claudio Ranieri following a miserable streak of one win in their last 10 league matches. He becomes Inter's fifth manager since Jose Mourinho departed after leading Inter to a treble in 2010, with Rafa Benitez, Leonardo, Gian Piero Gasperini and Ranieri each failing to fully satisfy club president Massimo Moratti.

"We needed someone who could really shake the club up," Moratti said. "He's not here just to fill in."

While Ranieri's fate was sealed with a 2-0 loss to archrivals Juventus on Sunday, Moratti was in London watching Stramaccioni lead Inter's youth side to a win over Ajax in the inaugural NextGen Series final - a sort of Champions League for under-19 players.

Stramaccioni has never managed a senior-level club, and he's two years younger than Inter captain Javier Zanetti. "Youth is not only determined by age — you've got to be young inside," said Stramaccioni, who undertook a law degree after an injury cut short his football career. "Zanetti is a perfect example. He's older than me but he's got the desire of a youth club player."

The youth movement in Italy also includes the national team, where Cesare Prandelli is building his squad around younger players — led by 21-year-old Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli. Balotelli was left off Lippi's veteran-filled Italy squad that was eliminated from the 2010 World Cup in the first round, and he was a surprise guest at Stramaccioni's presentation at Tuesday, showing up unannounced to say hello to his former teammates at Inter.

Stramaccioni takes over with Inter eighth in Serie A with nine games remaining, seven points adrift of Champions League qualification. His first match in charge comes against Genoa at the San Siro on Sunday.

"We're not going to make up any timetables," Stramaccioni said. "Moratti has asked me to win matches, starting with Inter-Genoa, and that's where we've got to start from. There's nothing I have to teach these players. Using the verb 'teach' for players that have created football history would be a mistake. Better to say transmit. I want to transmit my ideas, control matches and get results. I've got to put these players in a position where they can truly express themselves."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsGMttFRp30&feature=player_embedded

[Mame Biram Diouf]

They must be willing to give this guy time surely, otherwise they would have just used a caretaker manager until the summer and then brought AVB in

Or maybe AVB has a summer offer from somewhere else already?

[Fighting Weight]

Interesting, he talks the talk, he did well with the youth team

He doesn't have a licence though does he? Going to be a dual thing with Baresi

[mark_INIESTA_davies]

Good to see the new blood coming through Serie A.

Looks like all the over 30's at Inter are going to be cleared out.

He should keep Zanetti as Assistant Manager.

[MrJibbles]

Now what you don't want is a certain former manager giving his view and spouting his gob, oh wait he has already started that.

Good luck to the guy, Inter need one huge refresh, the wage budget is insane and needs sorting out.

[Mr. Gayle]

Claudio must have BARE money just from sackings alone

[O Fenomeno]

IMO this is the best decision Inter have made since Mourinho left.

He may have zero senior club experience but over the last eight months he has transformed Inter's Primvera. He understands the youth and their strengths more importantly his tactics are very familiar to Inter.

Inter have now embarked on a youth focused long term project and specially with the way their financial situation, they have no choice in this respect.

There will be not be many big transfers in for a while now unless they raise di fonds by selling some of their stars.

I don't see this as a short term appointment(at least I hope not because which highly respected coach is going to work with an arm tied behind his back?)

Stramaccioni is a brilliant tactician and they done well to hire him last summer.

Finally remember this name Bessa

This kid will replace the over rated Sneijder and has so much talent with the appointment of Stramaccioni this should really work in his favour and plus with Inter hiring Angeloni as the new chief scout should be a huge plus he found Isla and Alexis Sanchez.

Something is telling me Moratti made this knee jerk appointment based on the Nextgen

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Just clocked Mancini should be free this summer.