Claudio Ranieri: Anyone Else Feel Bad For This Guy

After reading a headline we all knew was coming - Ranieri sacked by Inter Milan - a range of thoughts registered in my mind.

Mother always said there'd be days like these...

Oh Ranieri, sacked again was my first thought. This scenario has happened time and again to the unlucky Italian. I know all coaches at top clubs get put under the ol' Bunsen burner, but it seems like Ranieri is constantly roasted at any club he arrives at and ultimately sacked or forced to resign.

He totally deserved it was my second thought. Based on his history of being the "nearly man," I figured this was bound to happen to Ranieri at Inter. He nearly led (X) to the pinnacle (X = Valencia, Chelsea, Juventus, Roma etc...) year after year after year. Will this man ever finish first? It was only a question of when for poor Claudio. It came sooner than I thought, but Ranieri fully deserved to be fired... Right?

Wrong. Ranieri was set up for failiure is my final thought. Even though he often falls victim to the axe and in the past had deserved it for being the guy that almost won it for the team, at Inter Milan, a post-golden age Nerazzurri, Ranieri and any other coach (see Rafa Benitez and Gian Piero Gasperini) did not stand a chance. People will claim Jose Mourinho's massive shadow of success has led to the club's meltdown, but as far as I'm concerned, President Massimo Moratti failed Inter, not Mourinho's mirage and most definitely not Claudio Ranieri. 

Inter President Massimo Moratti

Consistent missteps by the flamboyant club president have resulted in Inter's troubles. He has made a myriad trivial moves over the past two seasons, which have led to the downfall. He sold Samuel Eto'o to Russia, albeit for big money, when Eto'o was the club's main force upfront. Older players like Dejan Stankovic, Esteban Cambiasso, Christian Chivu, Lucio, etc... have not been sold, yet still relied upon as an integral part of the team. Younger players like Andrea Ranocchia and Coutinho have been heavily relied upon, only to perform below-par. Wesley Sneijder has been run-ragged trying to keep this team together, which has ultimately crushed his world class form of a few years back. And the list goes on.

Ironically, Moratti blames the coaches - ones that he chose to hire - for poor performances. Hey Massi: when this keeps happening, it might not be the coaches. 

Does anyone else feel bad for Ranieri? This time, it wasn't the Tinkerman's fault.


Photo Credits:
Ahram Online
guardian.co.uk