Gasperini breaks Inter silence - Former Nerazzurri coach upset with his ill-treatment by hierarchy

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2012 by skysports.com

Gasperini breaks Inter silence - Former Nerazzurri coach upset with his ill-treatment by hierarchy
Gian Piero Gasperini: Felt he wasn't given enough time as head coach of Inter Milan

Gian Piero Gasperini has broken his silence over his ill-fated spell as coach of Inter Milan, accusing president Massimo Moratti of breaking promises.

Gasperini, who was appointed at the San Siro in the summer following the departure of Leonardo to Paris St Germain, failed to win any of his first five games in charge of the Serie A giants.

The final straw arrived in September when Inter lost 3-1 to a newly promoted Novara side playing only their third Serie A fixture since 1956.

Gasperini was immediately replaced as head coach by Claudio Ranieri.

But now the former Genoa coach has hit out at the club's hierarchy over the way he was treated during those three months, in which striker Samuel Eto'o was sold to Russians Anzhi Makhachkala, stripping Gasperini of his most prized asset.

Change

"I was told that due to financial fair play a big player would have to leave but that Eto'o would stay," Gasperini told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"The aim was to regenerate a team that had shown signs of fatigue and to start to prepare for the change.

"Ok, given the injuries we had all I wanted was (Rodrigo) Palacio, a midfielder and a defender.

"They were thinking about (Arturo) Vidal, I also liked (Radja) Nainggolan who wasn't signed by Inter.

"Same for (Domenico) Criscito, not to mention Palacio, who was available.

"They wanted (Alexis) Sanchez, (Ezequiel) Lavezzi and (Carlos) Tevez, all much less available.

"With a trident of Palacio, (Diego) Milito and Eto'o I was ready to take on the world.

"We didn't need much, just two or three players, not the nine new ones Inter have signed.

"And that in the face of (financial) fair-play. That's the big regret I have, we didn't need much to do well."

Activity

Gasperini's appointment had been criticised by many observers who felt he lacked the requisite experience for such a position, but the former Palermo and Pescara midfielder also complained of Inter's lack of transfer activity, which in Italy is run by the club management rather than the coach.

"The problem in the transfer markert was getting rid of Eto'o," he said.

"(Diego) Forlan and (Mauro) Zarate joined but they're both very different to Palacio.

"And it was last minute, but a big team needs to be defined before the beginning of pre-season so they can work together.

"In July half the squad was playing at the Copa America, in August the other half went away on international duty, I only had the whole squad together for three days before the league started."