Recent Massimo Moratti comments have been interpreted to mean that Inter will be staying at the Giuseppe Meazza for the foreseeable future. Further, it suggests that any deal with Thohir is DOD as of right now.

This kind of thing drives me nuts. I have written on this blog as much that I believe that the stadium is essential for Inter’s future. I have also written on this blog that I don’t believe that Inter can make enough money as things stand now to improve it’s credit standing so that they can get funding in more traditional methods – that is, through a loan.

To get that money, Moratti has opened the doors to investment. However, as I have also discussed here, there is no incentive for anyone to give enough money to the team to build a stadium with only a minority share as a reward. Enter billionaire Erick Thohir who by all reports has floated the idea of buying the team outright with the implication that a stadium will be forthcoming.

Since the first mention of Thohir coming to the team for negotiations there has been nothing out of the Moratti camp other than to say that the newspapers don’t have any idea what they are talking about. There is still no confirmed word about what exactly they might still be negotiating about, if indeed they are still talking to each other.

Fast forward to a week ago, Moratti mentions that refurbishing the Meazza is an option. Today, there was a blurb describing that there has been nothing started with the San Donato Council, which would definitely need convincing with a concrete plan – with definite incentive for the public good - to even start.

Here’s the thing, if Moratti wants someone to give him money, he has to give up something that has value. A minority share in a business that makes no money, like Inter, is worthless. Further, the next time Inter makes a single Euro in profit; it will be the first time. Does Moratti have a plan for Inter to make more revenue? I don’t believe so. Is there any way for the team to reduce its wage bill any more and still have a real expectation of European qualification? Absolutely not. And we have all read that Moratti isn’t prepared to end his involvement with the team yet and give in to Thohir. So where will the money come from for this club to build that infrastructure that would ensure its financial future?

The truth of the matter right now is that this team’s upper strata just doesn’t have the money, leadership or vision to keep this team at the top. Remember, there should be a direct statistical correlation between the wage bill and table placement. This team needs to have huge players at huge wages to consistently compete for the top spots of this league. That means that the team needs to bring in more money to pay for that. There are only so many revenue streams open to a team.

I can only hope that sooner or later they will figure it out.

There is ongoing news, some of which I will get to at the Monday Weekend Roundup – hopefully with the correct date this time - or whatever I am calling it nowadays, where I will document all the youth movement going on right now.

All I know now without actually keeping track, case by case, is that Inter are bringing in several very highly regarded youth players. Just recently there was a purchase of a Portuguese midfielder to replenish the Primavera as players graduate. Also, there was the news that Lukas Spedlhofer resigned for 3 years. The players who are coming in are turning down other very prestigious teams to join us.

But with the hiring of Mazzarri, there is no doubt that the youth players are not going to be used…again. Mazzarri is clearly going to try and win now – something that there is no guarantee will happen with even the most talented youth players. So is the idea that we will bring our youth players up dead?

There are several players that we all thought were becoming pretty good – Benassi comes to mind immediately. There were several that we were looking forward to seeing on the big stage – Duncan, Longo, maybe Livaja, and perhaps Caldirola – for me.

But right now I have no doubt that all of the “Tweeners, the 19 – 23 year old guys, will be sent out on loan or worse.

It’s logical if you think about it. Mazzarri’s desire and his directives from on high are the same: to win enough now to get Inter back to Europe. Mazzarri will need at least a player or two to get the roster up to snuff. Inter aren’t going to get much for the bad senior level players. Inter aren’t going to want to sell those players who are good enough to be European competition level – not unless there is someone willing to drastically overpay. So what is left? All Inter has left to sell to make money for today is hope. Some team is going to see a youth player and is going to hope that he turns into a real protagonist on the field. And at that point Inter are going to have to seize the opportunity to get cash.

It’s the option that I don’t want to have happen. I want the young guys to stay with the club. Not only does that please my soul, but it FINALLY introduces several levels of sophistication into the running of the club that I would appreciate.

Sorry this is such a downer article, but it’s just the way I see things today…

FORZA INTER