Inter's surgery

President Massimo Moratti resigns from club

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti, under fire from frustrated fans, resigned on Monday, the club announced on its website. Moratti, at the head of Inter since 1995, nominated vice-president and former Italy international Giacinto Facchetti to replace him.
Four other members of the Inter board also stood down but Moratti said that his majority ownership of the club was not under discussion.
"It is not a drama. This is a decision that allows me to take a step back to see things better. Nothing more," he told journalists. "There is no change of ownership and this is something that happens at other clubs too," Moratti added.
Inter, who have not won the Italian title since 1989, suffered a second successive defeat in Serie A last Sunday at home to unfancied Empoli, leaving them 11 points behind leaders AS Roma and prompting angry protests from fans.
It is not the first time Moratti has stood down as president. He did so in May 1999 in similar circumstances but was soon back in charge of the club. Last weekend's defeat came after a week of intense speculation surrounding the future of Inter striker Christian Vieri.
Newspaper reports said Vieri was ready to follow the example of Real Madrid striker Ronaldo and leave Inter before the end of his contract. The striker's failure to attend an Italian Cup match against Udinese prompted talk of a rift between the player and the club.
Vieri, suffering a muscle strain, missed the defeat by Empoli. Inter's chances of ending their 14-year wait for the title now look slim after another frustrating year for Moratti. He sacked Argentine coach Hector Cuper in October and replaced him with Alberto Zaccheroni but after a promising spell of form under their new coach Inter have slumped again.
Marco Tronchetti Provera, chairman of Telecom Italia and Pirelli, who is a major financial backer of the team also stood down from the club's board of directors. Pirelli own nearly 20 percent of Inter's shares and were closely involved in bringing Brazilian Ronaldo to the club.
Two other members of the Moratti family, Massimo's son and his grandson Angelo Mario Moratti and Angelo Moratti also quit along with board member Paolo Giulini. Under the presidency of Moratti's father Angelo, Inter dominated at home and twice won the European Cup.
But Massimo Moratti has managed to bring in just a 1998 UEFA Cup triumph as a return on the heavy investments he has made in the transfer market. Inter have had eight different coaches in the nine years that Moratti has been in charge.
Inter Milan owner, Massimo Moratti, is expected to take on a "back seat driver's role", imitating the approach adopted by the backers of Serie A rivals Juventus and AC Milan.
But Moratti insisted he would remain owner of the club even though he has nominated vice-president Giacinto Facchetti to be the club's new president.
Moratti has spent 600 million euros, bought 103 players and employed 10 coaches since he took over in 1995, but it has failed to yield the Scudetto - last won in the 1988/89 season - despite having lured players of the calibre of Ronaldo and Christian Vieri to the club.
Ronaldo was still at the club when they won the only trophy during Moratti's reign, the 1998 UEFA Cup in which they beat domestic rivals Lazio 3-0.
Their best chance of the title was in the 2001/02 season when they went into the final day of the season leading the championship but defeat by Lazio handed the title to Juventus and AS Roma also overtook them for second.
Former Italy and Inter full-back Giacinto Facchetti has taken over from Massimo Moratti as president of Serie A giants Inter Milan.
Facchetti's appointment required the backing of the club's shareholders which was a formality given the support of majority shareholder Moratti and Facchetti's popularity among Inter fans.
The former Italy international was part of the 'Grande Inter' team that won three Italian titles and two European Cups under the presidency of Moratti's father Angelo.
"He's the right man in the right place," Moratti said of Facchetti who had been one of the club's vice-presidents.
Inter's Turkish midfielder Emre Belozoglu, sent-off in Sunday's match, said the players had to take responsibility for the club's alarming dip in form which has seen them go from title contenders to also-rans.
Moratti's resignation came as a shock to most followers of the club and there was a flood of tributes from current and former players in the hours following his announcement.
Inter's Turkish midfielder Emre Belozoglu, sent-off in Sunday's match, said the players had to take responsibility for the club's alarming dip in form which has seen them go from title contenders to also-rans.
"He's given everything to this club and put in money that has enabled us to build a competitive squad," he said. "He deserved so much but we have given him nothing. I hope he reconsiders his decision."
For all the drama and emotion, though, it seems clear that Moratti will remain the top figure at the club, financing deals in the transfer market while playing a more low-key role.
He will remain the principle point of reference on a financial level and will maintain all responsibility for all economic commitments. But he will be out of the limelight.
Politician Ignazio La Russa, national co-ordinator of the right-wing National Alliance party and a noted Inter supporter, welcomed the resignation for exactly that reason.
"Well done Moratti. He should have done it earlier. This way he can follow the path of (Gianni) Agnelli and (Silvio) Berlusconi," said La Russa, adding that Moratti's method had been "too presidential."
The more distant approach has worked well for the owners of Juventus and Milan who have enjoyed success in recent years while Inter have searched in vain for an Italian title since 1989.
The late Gianni Agnelli was in effective control of Juventus from 1947 until his death last year but, apart from an eight-year spell, did not operate as a working president, preferring to delegate the running of the club to others.
His brother Umberto continues to keep an eye on the family's club but also from a distance. Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi remains, on paper, president of AC Milan but in reality the club's day to day operations have long been in the hands of vice-president Adriano Galliani.
At both Juventus and Milan the owner and benefactor has the final say on major investments in players and the hiring and firing of coaches. Such a role will be a radical change for Moratti who is frequently seen at Inter's training ground and who has never been shy of talking publicly about the club.
But if it brings the discipline, calm and success that eight coaches, 103 different players and nearly US $600 million in transfer fees have failed to deliver, then stepping out of the limelight will be the best move Moratti has ever made.

Publication Date: 2004-01-25
Story Location: http://www.tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=3573