Is Ranocchia the right captain for Inter?

Date: 14th December 2014 at 11:00am
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Andrea Ranocchia Inter“The new captain? The most suitable is Andrea Ranocchia. He is Italian and is perfectly in tune with the spirit of Inter,” Javier Zanetti told La Gazzetta dello Sport as his 15-year stint as Inter skipper came to a close last May.

After being anointed by the legendary Argentine, Ranocchia was confirmed as the club’s new captain for the 2014-15 season and at 26-years-old was the same age as Zanetti when he was given the role in 1999 after the retirement of Giuseppe Bergomi and Ronaldo’s absence through injury.

Now the longest serving first team player at Inter, along with new vice-captain Yuto Nagatomo having both arrived in January 2011, Ranocchia had already received the vote of confidence from his fellow teammates when Marco Materazzi asked him to take up his number 23 jersey after retiring later that year.

Expectations were high after the Biscione bought the remainder of “Rano’s” registration rights from Genoa, but inconsistent performances from both the player and team have seen his entitlement to such a rich inheritance being challenged.

With Zanetti now Nerazzurri vice-president and the contracts of vice-captain Esteban Cambiasso, Walter Samuel and Diego Milito not renewed, there are no longer any members of the 2010 treble winning team left and an obvious lack of leadership in the Inter dressing room.

A unique macabre Interista psychology prior to Calciopoli that was marked by bursts of anger, fatalism, cynicism and impatience looks to have increasingly returned with merciless whistles now often ringing around the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on match days.

Many players have found it hard to play for Inter over the years and the current team has been accused of lacking mental fortitude with goalkeeper Samir Handanovic often having to save an error-prone defence and out of sorts attack.

Andrea Ranocchia - InterA number of promising players that struggled in Milan have proved themselves elsewhere, and Ranocchia has been consistently linked with a number of moves in order to reach the potential he showed during the 2009-10 season at Bari beside Inter academy product Leonardo Bonucci.

His current contract expires at the end of this season, but the former Perugia trainee has seemingly confirmed his commitment to Inter with an extension until 2018 believed to have been agreed.

Last Thursday’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport featured an in depth interview with the “Gentleman Captain,” who revealed his ambition to live up to former great Inter captains as well as having a very clear idea as to who his role models are.

“Above all others Giacinto Facchetti, because I believe in being able to send out positive messages, because you need more characters who can demonstrate an ethical stand within football, and because there exists – and there has to exist – a healthy behaviour on the pitch.

“Respecting your opponent, the referee, the team-mate that maybe covers your ass on the pitch.

“Being a good person is the priority – this is what my parents taught me and this is what I will teach to those who choose to listen to me.”

Eminent sports journalist Gianni Brera was among many who idolized Facchetti comparing the statuesque “good giant” that revolutionized defending as an integral part of the Grande Inter to a mythical god.

Ranocchia has still yet to convince many journalists and supporters alike, and with Inter making their worst start to a Serie A campaign since 1994-95 earning 17 points after 17 rounds, Roberto Mancini needs his captain to start emulating his heroes soon.

 

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