Inter Milan: Leonardo appointed manager

Italian Champions Inter Milan have appointed former AC Milan manager Leonardo as their new coach after Rafa Benitez’s contract was terminated earlier this week. The club made the announcement earlier today that the Brazilian Leonardo’s contract will run until June 2012 and that he will take charge of the team once the players are back from the winter break. This appointment is deemed controversial considering the fact that Leonardo was a former manager and player at Inter’s great rivals AC Milan.

A former AC Milan man, Leonardo will find it tough winning the support of the Inter fans

Leonardo was an important player in the Brazilian national team having been part of the squad that won the 1994 World Cup and finished second in the 1998 tournament. His first coaching job was AC Milan which he took up after Carlo Ancelotti left for Chelsea in 2009. He stewarded an aging Milan side to a third place finish in last season’s Serie A and was later sacked due to a breakdown in relationship with the management. The move made by Inter to appoint the former Milan man at the helm is surprising from an objective point of view as well because he is not experienced enough to live up to the expectations set by Jose Mourinho’s treble triumph which Benitez miserably failed to live up to. Also, Leonardo is a proponent of attacking football which is not exactly Inter’s forte. Hence it would be interesting to see what he brings to the team tactically.

Inter Milan’s captain Javier Zanetti had spoken to the media prior to the appointment saying that he would welcome the move. Leonardo’s hardest task would be to motivate a disjointed team which has been ravaged by injuries and lack of inspiration.