Interview: Whistle-happy refs frustrate Inter's Mancini
By Brian Homewood
MILAN (Reuters) - Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini has had his fair share of run-ins with Serie A's referees, but says it is their tendency to blow for even minor infringements, rather than their mistakes, which really frustrate him.
Mancini said the endless interruptions of the game, and the resulting excessive caution from players and coaches, partly explained why Serie A struggled to match some of Europe's other top leagues for excitement.
"I think Serie A has improved again in the last three four years, but it is not the same as in England or Germany or Spain," Mancini told Reuters in an interview at the team's training ground.
"It's difficult to have good football, a quick game, when the referee whistles, whistles and whistles ... When we watch the Premier League games on TV we think it's impossible for them to run so much; the referees in England maybe blow the whistle 10 times in a game."
Mancini led Inter to three successive Serie A titles when he coached the side from 2004 and 2008 at a time when Serie A was still considered one of Europe's top leagues.
On returning to Inter in November 2014, he found both the club and the league trying to climb out of a slump.
The former Manchester City manager said the Italian stereotype of defensive football still held true, especially at the smaller clubs.
"Tactics are different in Italy. For many teams, the important thing is not to lose the game, so they stay in defence, they don't leave a lot of space as teams do in England," he said.
"In England, all the teams play the same football, very quick, very strong ... In Italy, if you lose three or four games, you can be sacked, and that goes for every manager. I think we've changed 15 coaches already this season."
Inter finished eighth last season, missing out on European football altogether, and have set third as the target this term, a far cry from their halcyon days when the Serie A title was the only target worth aiming for.
Having coached some of the world's top players, Mancini now finds himself trying to groom youngsters such as Mauro Icardi, Geoffrey Kondogbia and Jeisson Murillo, all 23.
"I expected this, to fight for third place," said Mancini. "There are three or four teams better than us because they have been playing together for many years; we're rebuilding the team and I'm not frustrated."
"I am always optimistic. Inter is always one of the top clubs in Serie A and Europe. We have a good team, we are young, we need to improve as a team but we are on the right way."
A notoriously hard task-master, there have been hints of frustration from Mancini at his young team's failings, such as when he criticised Icardi over a chance that the Argentine missed during a game.
Mancini said that "even at the age of 50, I could have scored that goal" and told his forwards they could not just wait for the ball to come to them.
"I was just joking," said Mancini. "Mauro knows that I think he is one of the best strikers in Italy. He is a young player, he needs to work hard so he can improve, and when there is respect between two people, it's no problem."
(Reporting by Brian Homewood; Editing by Andrew Heavens)