Derby della Madonnina: Time for Mancini to trust Inter youth

Date: 18th April 2015 at 12:00pm
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In his rush to strengthen the squad, Mancini must not overlook Icardi or Kovacic, and instead trust his youngsters to perform in Sunday’s Derby della Madonnina.

Mauro Icardi Inter

Having a pivotal role in Inter’s confidence-building win over Hellas Verona last weekend, Mauro Icardi will be key to the Nerazzurri securing bragging rights over neighbours AC Milan come Sunday.

However, despite his importance to the side, reports increase that Inter would be willing to cash in on the 22-year-old this summer.

Premier League leaders Chelsea look keen, but coach Roberto Mancini’s desire to be reunited with Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure could see him arrive in north-west England.

Icardi - Juventus v Inter

Whatever the destination — should Icardi indeed depart — it is somewhat disappointing that Mancini views the acquisition of a midfielder in decline ahead of retaining such as talented prospect.

Many Interisti still remember the Argentinean wasting a wonderful chance to fire Inter ahead, seven minutes into the last Derby della Madonnina back in November, and maybe Mancini still begrudges him that miss.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fOOMJnlrl4[/youtube]

How else do you explain the Inter coach’s apparent willingness to part with a striker that has contributed to 46 percent of the Nerazzurri’s goals this term with 16 league goals.

Maybe Inter’s mediocre record against their city rivals — just four victories in 11 matches — made that miss hard to swallow for Mancini, or simply considers Yaya Toure indispensable at any cost.

Yaya Toure - Manchester City

Mancini has made no attempt to hide his admiration for the Ivorian, but does improving a midfield lacking quality justify losing their only potent goal threat?

Yaya Toure will be 32 years old in May and is already showing signs that his ability to influence games is on the wane. The name Nemanja Vidic ring any bells Inter fans?

However, with reports that teammate Samir Nasri could also move to the Giuseppe Meazza just highlights Mancini’s unwillingness to put his trust in youth.

Clearly lacking confidence in Croatian Mateo Kovacic, the arrival of the Frenchman would surely stunt the 20-year-old’s development with Inter, if not see him depart.

After all, Mancini has always preferred ‘ageing quality’ or those approaching their prime over ‘youthful promise’, with the likes Sinisa Mihajlovic, Juan Sebastian Veron and Adriano all arriving at the San Siro back in 2004.

The Adriano gamble had paid off too, with the Brazilian netting the injury-time winner against the Rossoneri in December 2005 to finally give Mancini a derby victory at the fourth attempt.

adriano v milan

Over the next four seasons came Walter Samuel, Patrick Vieira and Cristian Chivu — securing a hat-trick of derby wins — and ultimately turn Inter into a trophy-winning machine.

But even with Inter president Erick Thohir providing significant funds for a squad restructuring this summer, the Nerazzurri simply cannot compete for Europe’s top players as they did during Mancini’s first stint.

This is why it is crucial for Mancini to adapt a recruitment policy to Inter’s current financial muscle.

Sunday’s derby will, and no doubt should, be a final audition for some of the current squad, but not the likes of Icardi and Kovacic who should be supplemented this summer.

Icardi+Kovacic Inter

Replacing them with established professionals, stars even, will not guarantee trophies — just look at the Inter squads of the mid-to-late nineties — and simply jeopardise the long-term benefits instead.

Therefore, Icardi and Kovacic acting as the architects of what would be a vital victory to lift Inter above rivals AC Milan could be even more crucial than the three points at stake.

It would at least hopefully remove some of Mancini’s reservations regarding the pair and ease his short-termism, ensuring that Inter have a foundation from which to build another assault on Serie A dominance once more.

Roberto Mancini Inter


 

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