BLACKBURN Rovers' manager-elect Roy Hodgson has slammed Inter Milan fans after being the victim of a torrent of abuse.
Speaking to students at Milan's Cattolica University, Hodgson told of his problems with fans and media alike.
'I must say I have to ask myself what has happened among our fans in recent weeks that they want to do this [whistle and jeer Hodgson] even when we are going well in two competitions.
'However, I don't need to read the papers to know whether or not my work is going well and the truth is that . . . in Italy you need only to lose two games to have years of good work demolished and it's equally true that with two good performances you are again being praised to the skies.' The jury is probably still out on the issue of foreign coaches in Italy after the sacking of Roma's Argentine coach Carlos Bianchi .
In an interview in this week's French soccer magazine France Football, Bianchi said: 'They use different standards for different people.' 'People are very critical of Roy Hodgson who, according to them, has been a failure at Inter even though the team have one foot in the UEFA Cup final, are third in the league and were knocked out of the Italian Cup only in a semi-final penalty shoot-out . . .' What is sure, however, is that with the departure of Hodgson, there will be only one foreigner certain to coach in Serie A next season - Swede Sven Goran Eriksson who was going to take the reins at Blackburn before deciding to stay in Italy.
At present coach at Sampdoria, Eriksson is due to move to Roman club Lazio at the end of the season.