Mancini to meet with Inter after quit decision

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By Mark Meadows

MILAN (Reuters) - Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini will meet with club president Massimo Moratti on Thursday to discuss his surprise decision to quit at the end of the season.

Mancini, who has four years left on his contract with the Serie A leaders, gave no reason when he made the announcement after Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 defeat by Liverpool.

His agent Giorgio De Giorgis told Italian media that Mancini could be persuaded to stay with the Italian champions and Moratti is now waiting to talk to the 43-year-old.

"We spoke briefly last night, but now we need to see what we really want, so there will be a meeting, probably tomorrow morning...because it was better for each one of us to clear our heads after the match," Moratti told reporters on Wednesday.

"We will see what happens after, but I hope things are cleared up."

Moratti was perplexed by the sudden decision and said there had been no falling out between the pair.

"It was surprising. Of course I wasn’t expecting it, and neither were those who are close to him," he said.

"There will be reasons for it. I think it’s probably something he had in mind since the game in Liverpool because it’s strange to come out with something like this all of a sudden. I honestly can’t find an explanation .....continued below

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"There’s a contract. There’s faith in him. We need to see if he has faith in himself."

MOURINHO LINKED

Mancini, in charge since 2004, took training as usual on Wednesday without talking to reporters. Moratti said he hoped the saga would not affect Inter, six points clear in Serie A.

"The team, the club, he himself and the fans don’t deserve a situation that could destabilise the environment. So let’s stay strong and do well. It might have been a heroic decision. We will see tomorrow," he added.

Former Chelsea and Porto coach Jose Mourinho is the media’s favourite to take over if Mancini sticks by his decision.

Earlier this term Italian media said Moratti had held talks with Mourinho but the club and the Portuguese denied it.

Mourinho, who left Chelsea in September, did say Italy appealed to him and that he admired Moratti at Inter.

"I respect him very much as a person that loves football and his club deeply," Mourinho told Gazzetta dello Sport last week. "However, I have never talked with him."

Fiorentina’s Cesare Prandelli would also be a candidate while Liverpool’s Rafael Benitez has had his problems with the club’s owners this season.

The Spaniard gave the usual line of being happy at Liverpool when asked in Tuesday’s post-match news conference.

Inter may have to move fast if Mourinho is their first choice. The colourful tactician has been linked with Barcelona and AC Milan, whose respective coaches Frank Rijkaard and Carlo Ancelotti are under pressure after disappointing seasons.