7M - Stefano Pioli's keys for Inter revival

Posted Sunday, March 19, 2017 by 7M Sport

Without a shadow of doubt, Stefano Pioli inherited a mess at Internazionale. Roberto Mancini has departed early in pre-season and Frank De Boer was hired as the wrong man at the wrong time. Fortunately, the club shifted gear timely and recruited "The Normaliser" - former Lazio manager Stefano Pioli.

Inter have made steady progress under Pioli. Apart from the initial games, the Nerazzurri never lost games against weaker opponents under Pioli. The 51-year-old has reshuffled a more balanced team, less dependent on any individual, such as Mauro Icardi. But what are the keys for his current success?

First and foremost, Pioli knows exactly what Serie A is about. Compared to other European leagues, Serie A's evolvement in style is relatively stagnant, so a more traditional head coach is more suited for the Milan giants. Inter players have quality for sure, and all Pioli needs to do is to put them in the right positions to give the team some balance which is needed before. The 4-2-3-1 formation that he adopted paid dividends. This quickly re-invigorated players like Geoffrey Kondogbia and Marcelo Brozovic as well as giving the team a more collective atmosphere.

Then we have to talk about his pragmatic approach. Pioli is using simple yet solid tactics and getting players to understand their roles. This may not be innovative and flashy, but it is highly effective. After De Boer tried to fiddle with different complicated tactical systems, Pioli made sure the players knew what he wanted. This method had an immediate effect on the team. Their goals start be shared out by many players and has seen Mauro Icardi turn provider, which will lift the squad to another level.

Lastly, Pioli has spent time working on players' mind-sets as well. And it is this ability neither to get over elated nor too underwhelming that translates to his players on the pitch. They know how to calmly bounce back and they know how to execute well to win games. When they were up against direct rivals Atalanta in the 28th round, they crushed the La Dea with an astonishing 7-1. Even though Inter can only try to sit on the fourth place at the end of this season, just like last season, they are much more poised and mature now.

Pioli has never coached big clubs, but two years ago he finished the season in third place with Lazio, surprisingly nabbing a Champions League spot. If the Suning Group will give him more money and time, who can say that Inter Milan would not be future rivals for Juventus, Roma and Napoli?

(7M/Russell)